Q. Hi guys,
We are first time owner/builders and I am wanting some tips that the builders/architects and anyone that is making a profit won't tell you.
Just basic tips on getting good deals with things like furnishings and anything in general really.
We aren't after the cheapest thing in the shed but if we can some how find the essentials that are still top quality at a cheaper price than that is fab.
Hope I am making sense.
Many thanks.
We are first time owner/builders and I am wanting some tips that the builders/architects and anyone that is making a profit won't tell you.
Just basic tips on getting good deals with things like furnishings and anything in general really.
We aren't after the cheapest thing in the shed but if we can some how find the essentials that are still top quality at a cheaper price than that is fab.
Hope I am making sense.
Many thanks.
A. Think you need to spend a lot of money or hire a decorator to have a home that looks like a photo in a decorating magazine? Think again. You can have a great-looking home on a budget, and decorating your rooms yourself rather than contracting with a professional not only saves money but also ensures that your "signature" will be on those rooms. These 10 simple rules will get you started.
1. Break the rules. You can mix plaids, florals, and stripes, but do it carefully. Choose a pleasing color scheme-for example, red, khaki, and sage green-and make sure that everything you choose for the room falls within that scheme. The colors will provide a unifying theme without making your room look like you picked an entire suite of furniture and accessories from one page in a catalog. Things don't need to match; they just need to complement each other.
2. Spend your money where it counts. A good couch will last years longer than a cheap one, so if you're going to sit on it every day, spend some money on it. Choose a neutral color and a classic style so that it has some staying power and accessorize with trendy items in bolder colors that you can change out when they start to look dated or you get tired of them.
3. Fill in with bargains. End tables from thrift shops or unpainted furniture stores are fairly inexpensive, and their look can easily be updated or tailored to your taste with inexpensive paint or stain.
4. Repurpose used items. I bought a large cedar chest at a thrift store for $50 to use as a coffee table. It's great for a small space-at various times, I've used it to store Christmas decorations, sewing supplies, and extra bedding for guests. It was badly scratched when I bought it, but I used brown paste shoe polish to fill in the scratches, and it looks great. Look for used items that are cosmetically damaged but structurally sound.
5. Consider "knockdown" furniture if you're the least bit handy and can operate a screwdriver. We found a wonderful table for one-third of its original price at an end-of-season sale that was perfect for our eat-in kitchen, but it didn't come with chairs. We found some chairs that complemented the table perfectly at an online retailer for $119 for a pair. It took my husband an hour to put together four of them. They look great and are very sturdy. The same chairs would have cost two or three times that much at a furniture store.
6. Visit thrift stores for unexpected finds. These places are a great source for baskets, vases, frames, curtains,books, and other accessories. Placing a basket of books next to the couch and a throw across the arm of an overstuffed chair will make a room look lived-in and comfortable rather than sterile.
7. Accessorize to create the look you want. Our plain red slip-covered couch became instantly cozy when we put striped throw pillows in the corners and a plaid flannel quilt over the back.
8. Go for the layered look on your bed. Resist the urge to buy a "bed in a bag" and create your own unique collection of linens. Mix and match striped, solid, plaid, and floral sheets and top them with a solid color comforter. Add lots of pillows and finish off the look with a blanket or throw folded and draped across the foot of the bed. If your bed is beautiful, you can get by with inexpensive lamps and bedside tables.
9. Avoid boring. Paint is relatively inexpensive and can bring a room to life. Even real estate specialists, who love the word "neutral," are now promoting the "new neutrals"-for example, gray, mocha, pale yellow, sage green, etc. These colors give a room personality, and paint color is one of the easiest things to change if you want a new look or decide to sell. Off-white is safe but not very interesting unless it's a backdrop for lots of bold furniture, rugs, and artwork.
10. Above all, make sure everything you keep or buy works toward creating the look that you're trying to achieve, whether it's a shabby chic cottage or a contemporary urban loft. Even "eclectic" is a look, and eclectic doesn't mean hodge-podge.
1. Break the rules. You can mix plaids, florals, and stripes, but do it carefully. Choose a pleasing color scheme-for example, red, khaki, and sage green-and make sure that everything you choose for the room falls within that scheme. The colors will provide a unifying theme without making your room look like you picked an entire suite of furniture and accessories from one page in a catalog. Things don't need to match; they just need to complement each other.
2. Spend your money where it counts. A good couch will last years longer than a cheap one, so if you're going to sit on it every day, spend some money on it. Choose a neutral color and a classic style so that it has some staying power and accessorize with trendy items in bolder colors that you can change out when they start to look dated or you get tired of them.
3. Fill in with bargains. End tables from thrift shops or unpainted furniture stores are fairly inexpensive, and their look can easily be updated or tailored to your taste with inexpensive paint or stain.
4. Repurpose used items. I bought a large cedar chest at a thrift store for $50 to use as a coffee table. It's great for a small space-at various times, I've used it to store Christmas decorations, sewing supplies, and extra bedding for guests. It was badly scratched when I bought it, but I used brown paste shoe polish to fill in the scratches, and it looks great. Look for used items that are cosmetically damaged but structurally sound.
5. Consider "knockdown" furniture if you're the least bit handy and can operate a screwdriver. We found a wonderful table for one-third of its original price at an end-of-season sale that was perfect for our eat-in kitchen, but it didn't come with chairs. We found some chairs that complemented the table perfectly at an online retailer for $119 for a pair. It took my husband an hour to put together four of them. They look great and are very sturdy. The same chairs would have cost two or three times that much at a furniture store.
6. Visit thrift stores for unexpected finds. These places are a great source for baskets, vases, frames, curtains,books, and other accessories. Placing a basket of books next to the couch and a throw across the arm of an overstuffed chair will make a room look lived-in and comfortable rather than sterile.
7. Accessorize to create the look you want. Our plain red slip-covered couch became instantly cozy when we put striped throw pillows in the corners and a plaid flannel quilt over the back.
8. Go for the layered look on your bed. Resist the urge to buy a "bed in a bag" and create your own unique collection of linens. Mix and match striped, solid, plaid, and floral sheets and top them with a solid color comforter. Add lots of pillows and finish off the look with a blanket or throw folded and draped across the foot of the bed. If your bed is beautiful, you can get by with inexpensive lamps and bedside tables.
9. Avoid boring. Paint is relatively inexpensive and can bring a room to life. Even real estate specialists, who love the word "neutral," are now promoting the "new neutrals"-for example, gray, mocha, pale yellow, sage green, etc. These colors give a room personality, and paint color is one of the easiest things to change if you want a new look or decide to sell. Off-white is safe but not very interesting unless it's a backdrop for lots of bold furniture, rugs, and artwork.
10. Above all, make sure everything you keep or buy works toward creating the look that you're trying to achieve, whether it's a shabby chic cottage or a contemporary urban loft. Even "eclectic" is a look, and eclectic doesn't mean hodge-podge.
Can Dansko clogs be fashionable? What do you think about them style-wise?
Q. I tend to dress fashionably (or so I think!) but I really want to boost my height with a pair of comfy shoes (not stilettos!). So I'm wondering if Dansko clogs are the way to go. Please let me know what you think of them, are they super dorky, only for nurses, or can you wear them in a trendy way? Thanks so much for replying.
A. Um...well, I happen to love my Dansko clogs. But they do seem a bit dorky if you aren't wearing them with long pants. One thing you need to think of is that Dansko is both expensive and can really hurt your feet if you're not used to wearing them all day.
Why not go for some cute wedges to boost your height? Or you could try enjoying the fact that you're small. Guys like small girls, they think you're a damsel in distress or something because you can't reach the top shelf or touch the ceiling! lol.
Why not go for some cute wedges to boost your height? Or you could try enjoying the fact that you're small. Guys like small girls, they think you're a damsel in distress or something because you can't reach the top shelf or touch the ceiling! lol.
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