Let’s Discuss: Vintage Chic & Budget Decorating

Ah, budget decorating. This topic is very much on my mind right now as I attempt to put this house together on a tight budget – and before I become too huge to do things like stand on a ladder and paint! It can feel daunting to face the prospect of furnishing a home on a shoestring, but it can also be a really creative, fun experience – at least that’s what I’m trying to tell myself! Really though, I wanted to bring this up as a topic for discussion with all of you because I’m sure that many of us face the same challenges – balancing our fantasy idea of home with real-world budgets and space limitations. Can you relate? Oh good, I thought so ;) Let’s dig in and begin this discussion, shall we?

domino mag via Bento Barista

I’ll begin my laying my own personal goals/challenges out on the table. I realize that compromises will undoubtedly be made, but this is what I am hoping to accomplish in my home before, let’s say, June 1st:

• Paint all interior rooms (living/dining room is already done!)
• Repair & spruce up front porch
• Install larger closet in bedroom
• Install/move overhead lighting in various rooms
• Rearrange furniture & finish furnishing all rooms
• Hang art & mirrors

This may or may not be totally impossible on my budget of $3000, but I am determined to try! Obviously, this could not be accomplished by purchasing all-new furniture and decor  – but honestly, that is not the kind of home I want anyway. I know I can get carried away in home decor fantasy-land, but what I really crave at the end of the day is a space that I know I had some hand in creating. To me, a really comfortable, welcoming, stylish home is one with a mix of new, vintage, handmade and even DIY items that all reflect the unique personal style of the people who live there. Do you feel this way too?

sfgirlbybay

Luckily, today we have more resources for creative decorating on a budget available to us than ever before – from design blogs with wallet-friendly ideas to affordable art on Etsy, cheap basics from Ikea, the plethora of DIY projects ideas available through blogs, magazines and books, and local resources for vintage furniture and decor, there really is no reason any of us can’t create a home we are happy with on any budget. At the end of this post I will list some of my favorite resources, and if you know of any others that you would like to add, please do – I think we could all benefit from a nice, fat resource list for budget decorating!

sfgirlbybay

Now let’s move on to some specific ideas. First up: vintage. I am as tempted as the next girl by those glossy catalogs that land in my mailbox nearly every day, but the fact is many of us can’t afford to purchase 100% brand-new belongings, and wouldn’t want to if we could! Vintage furniture can add so much character and personality to a home, really making it uniquely yours – and a good, solid-wood vintage piece will last much longer (and often cost less) than the new particleboard and wood veneer stuff that is everywhere these days. Not to mention the fact that buying vintage is hands-down the most eco-friendly furniture choice.

Candi Mandi

Here are a few guidelines that I use when vintage shopping – but you may feel differently, so these are just things to think about…

• I tend to avoid large upholstered vintage furniture because of dust, etc., that can be trapped in the old material – but I will pick up a small item, like a stool with an upholstered seat that I can easily recover myself.
• Sturdy, solid wood furniture with good lines is always a good bet. Even if the surface has imperfections, if it’s solid wood you can easily refinish or paint it – whereas with vintage furniture with a faux-finish or veneer, this can be tricky.
• A fresh coat of white paint can do wonders.
• Remind yourself what you would pay for a similar item if it were new, to keep things in perspective.
• Do check out an antiques fair/show in your area – and get there early to get the good stuff! These are the kind of places where store owners source much of their merchandise (and then jack up the prices later), so you can usually find much better deals than in the shops. See resource list at bottom for my two favs.

via lavender and limes

Now can we discuss the giant in the room for a moment? Ha. Yes, I mean Ikea. Actually, not just Ikea, but all of the stores similar to Ikea as well (in that they offer modern design at lower prices), like West Elm and CB2, for instance. These are such excellent sources for things like lighting, simple rugs and curtains, picture frames, boxes, baskets and bins – the key is learning to tap these sources without going overboard, and keeping practicalities in mind. Ahem. For instance, I purchased a huge Ikea dresser that was just wonderful…until we moved it twice, at which point it completely fell apart. Furniture made with very thin particle board backing is quite delicate, so I have learned it is not the best choice if you move frequently or need furniture that can take a bit of abuse!

domino mag via nattyroe

And then there are those little special touches that can make all the difference – taking your vintage pieces and store-bought basics up to the next level, so to speak, adding personality and a warm touch. Well-loved family heirlooms, handmade cushions for your sofa, original art on the walls from your favorite Etsy artists, fresh fragrant flowers and plants, and one or two splurges on things you absolutely love…it’s the little things that make a house a home.

Images from Bazaar Style by sfgirlbybay

Creative Decorating on a Budget {Resources}

Antique Fairs:

Brimfield Antique and Flea Market Shows {MA}

Alameda Point Antiques & Collectibles Faire {CA} (psst – this is my hometown!)

Online Shops:

Ikea, West Elm, CB2, Three Potato Four {for vintage accents}, Etsy, DaWanda {like Etsy in Europe}, Big Cartel {see the Big Cartel shop roundup on decor8 for a place to start}

Inspiration/Ideas – Blogs:

Etsy Take Five Tuesdays on decor8 – 5 new Etsy shops every week!

sfgirlbybay – boho modern style

Making it Lovely – awesome whole-house transformation

Young House Love – new to me, but seems very inspiring

Before & Afters on Design*Sponge – reader DIY projects

Inspiration/Ideas – Books:

The Find by Stan Williams – decorating with vintage treasures

Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home From Wreck To Ravishing by Robert and Cortney Novogratz

Bazaar Style: Decorating With Market and Vintage Finds by Selina Lake and Joanna Simmons

Flea Market Style by Emily Chalmers and Ali Hanan

Wallpaper Projects: 50 Craft and Design Ideas for Your Home by Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith

Oh dear, I know there are so, so many other resources out there – if you’d like to add your own, please do! And now the time has come to give you the floor…what do you think about all of this? What are your favorite budget decorating tips or tricks? Does working on a tight budget make you feel more creative…or does it just piss you off? I want to hear it all!

{images: linked to individual sources above}

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Tagged as: cheap, chic, decor, decorating, design, domino mag, handmade, home, inspiration, interior, sfgirlbybay, style, vintage