cheap decor « Elements of Style Blog

Archive for the ‘cheap decor’ Category

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Overstock.com is fast becoming one of my go-to sites for affordable furniture, accessories, lighting, art- you name it. But did you know they have some lovely TILE as well? If you are renovating a bathroom you might want to check out these classics available on the site:

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And how can resist these beauties- at such great prices? Many of these are copies of design classics, but if you can’t afford the real thing and you’re dying for the look I see NO PROBLEM in getting a copy. No one will know. Just don’t buy fake Louis Vuitton. That I cannot support.

Oh hello, fake Colette bed, how are you? Would you like to come live with me?

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I am totally wanting to use this as trim on a window valance in a kids room! How great would that look?

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Posted in cheap decor, online shopping | 30 Comments »

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

This is how my brain works, in case you are wondering. Yesterday I saw the line-up for this years Coachella Music Festival (Jay-Z, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Sia, MGMT, Passion Pit…oh my) and thought about how much FUN it would be to go. Then I thought “Wait, it’s near Palm Springs!” which can only mean one thing if you are me: The Parker a.k.a. Heaven on Earth. Seriously, have you been? Because if you have not, you need to go. Jonathan Adler everything+ fire-pits + bocce courts and ping pong tables by the pool + the “lemonade stand” (the lemonade has vodka in it, natch) + a crazy spa + staff wearing hot pink pants + the best pancakes ON EARTH. Have I convinced you? No? How about the fact that when we went we sat next to Amanda Peet at the pool while watching Taye Diggs play ping pong with his shirt off after brushing past Ed Norton in the lobby. I’m not even kidding you. It was like Us Weekly in the flesh, which as you can imagine, sent me into a near coma. Ok, that was massive digression- see, this is how the creative brain works. Anyways, while thinking about the Parker I thought about the best evening in which we sat around the fire pit in huge white butterfly chairs while a waiter brought us wine. I forgot how damn comfortable those chairs are and how, when used in the right setting, they aren’t as “college dorm” as I remember. So I went in search of images of butterfly chairs being used in modern interiors (and some exteriors). They are super affordable and add a little devil-may-care modern casualness to any room. Perhaps you should reconsider them ( and find a way to sit in the ones at the Parker!)

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My favorite image is from Canadian House and Home. Love this look and feel!

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A few more goodies:

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via Flickr & Remodelista

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via Elle Decor & Flickr

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via Trick My Brick & Flickr

Here are some versions of the chair I really like (click images for links):

Posted in because i love it, cheap decor, trips | 22 Comments »

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Still loving just about everything Nate Berkus puts out for HSN. Some really good items for last minute gifts too!

This ikat frame set is just delicious, but the tabletop accessories grouping is GENIUS. No need to think about what works with what on your foyer table or side table- it’s all here!

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These natural stone napkin rings are STUNNING (and would make gorgeous bracelets if only larger). I would love these paired with sleek formal china and heavyweight linen napkins.

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I’m all about black and white right now, and this zig zag throw (also available in gold and cream) and rug are simple, modern ways to add a graphic punch.

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This greek key rimmed tray is so elegant and looks like it costs way more than it does! As for these ikat journals in a boxed set? I.DIE.

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And just in case you need a reminder of WHY Nate is such a genius- some images of his work:

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Posted in Inspirations, accessories, cheap decor, design crush | 16 Comments »

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

I love quotes. I really do. So when I found these prints by 3 Lamb Graphics on Etsy I thought they were funny, charming and a great little addition to any inspiration board or blank wall where a little quote action is needed! Although they are small (not poster sized as I’d hoped)- you could pop them in a great IKEA frame with a mat and they would look lovely (or make a great gift). Speaking of gifts, the 2009 Gift Guides for Her, Him, Home, Kids and Under $50 will be dropping after Thanksgiving!

and a blog favorite:

I’m also loving these really funny takes on the popular “Keep Calm” posters (and great holiday cards too!)

Posted in art, because i love it, cheap decor | 8 Comments »

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

One of my favorite go-to places for home accessories, bedding, dishware and the like is Homegoods. I am pretty certain you all do the same. I’ve found some spectacular things (all the plates for my plate wall in my kitchen above, for example) there for myself and for clients, so when they contacted me about doing a giveaway in conjunction with their partnership with Deborah Needleman, former editor in chief of Domino I jumped at it!

Deborah and Homegoods have created an online quiz called StyleScope to help you define what your personal style is. I took it and came up a “Glamorous Classic”. Totally true, I love glamour but I also tend to make my big purchases classic designs that will stand the test of time. After taking the quiz the awesome folks at Homegoods gave me $150 to spend in the store to re-do a little area of my home. I went to the local shop and spent an hour looking around, finding a pair of amazing lamps for a client, some kitchen items, salivated over some upholstered cubes but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. And then, in true Homegoods fashion, I turned a corner and TA-DA there in the bedding section was the grey Ralph Lauren Penthouse bedding I had been coveting for my master bed at Bloomingdales before my last photo shoot months ago. I couldn’t afford it at Bloomies because the duvet and shams were $800 (say what?) But here they were, $150 for everything! I could not believe my luck! My husband has said I am not allowed any more all white bedding since our rascally dogs sleep with us in bed and it looks dirty all the time. So I knew he’d be thrilled with the grey color as well-brownie points for me. I was so excited that I almost overlooked that they were for a king- we have a queen. So what did I do? Went and ordered a king bed that very day (double brownie points)! Who buys a new bed to go with her discount designer bedding? This gal! I’m designing a headboard I’m going to make and ordering a faux fur throw for the foot and it’s going to be spectacular. All inspired by Homegoods!

(My new bedding is a beautiful light grey with deeper grey sateen banding. Swoon)

So anyways, the re-do is in progress so photos will come soon but I did not want to delay any longer in getting you the opportunity to win your own $150 giftcard to Homegoods! No joke, people! $150 goes a long way there! All you have to do is take the quiz and leave a comment with what your result was. Oh, and another thing- you have to send me before and after pics of what you do in your home with the $150. I’ll post my new bedding/bed and your before and after! The contest will run until Friday Nov. 6th at 7 a.m. EST. I’ll randomly draw the winner then and post the name of the lucky person! Good luck!

Posted in Uncategorized, cheap decor, giveaways | 629 Comments »

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Are you not sure how you feel about contemporary art but curious to try it (please do, it really can make a space come alive)? I found a bunch of really interesting giclee prints on canvas on Overstock of all places! Check out some of ‘em here but there a ton more on the site!

Posted in amazing find, art, cheap decor | 6 Comments »

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

You can thank me later for this one. I found these John Robshaw-esque pillow covers on Luna Bazaar (the site where I bought the decor for my 30th birthday party) and I just about keeled over! They are between $10-$30 each! I am loving the boho chic feel of the block prints and ikats!

Then I kept looking and found these amazing batik and ikat bangles for $15 and under and ikat clutches for $19! What great gifts for uber chic friends (or yourself).

Posted in accessories, amazing find, cheap decor, crazy awesome, online shopping | 11 Comments »

Monday, October 12th, 2009

This weekend my new Ballard catalog came. I am, to put it mildly, obsessed with Ballard for their varied styles, amazing price points, COM capabilities and custom fabric options. Not to mention, the quality is great too. So I was thrilled to see some new items in their catalog and wanted to share my picks with you this morning (I have lots of classic Ballard items I love, but these are the newbies!)

The Macau armchair not only now comes in new finishes like silver, green, chocolate, but they lowered the price too!

I would love to use one of the Stevenson whitewashed wood headboards at a beach house, or a pair of the nail head quatrefoil cutout upholstered headboards in a little girls room!

I am LOVING this new tufted dining chair. I am going to get one for my new desk chair since the one I bought is about as comfortable as a cactus. I am also loving this corner upholstered daybed- available in a bevy of fabrics!

I think I have a “thing” for daybeds- I would love this one in my office!

Cowhide rugs for layering over a sisal in any room, and this sleek meets rustic side table. All good.

A couple new chandeliers- one a vintage looking empire style chandy for a Paris flea market look, or this wood carved one for a chic country look- love ‘em both!

Table lamps for any decor- casual or formal.

Alos loving this ikat pillow and the brain sack pillows available in different sizes!

Or how about this little birdcage pendant lights? Adorable in a powder room with aviary/chinoiserie style wallpaper!

Awesome large sunburst mirror and a ol’ favorite of mine that is now on SALE!

Ballard is also a great place to find large scale affordable art for those space you just have no idea what to do with!

And a gift giving favorite of mine, their cheap (the large is $26) monogrammed burlap mags- fill ‘em with goodies for holiday time for a really personal touch!

Posted in Element Shops, cheap decor | 14 Comments »

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Dear West Elm,

Please, please, PLEASE make this rug again. It’s the most perfect rug in the history of affordable floor coverings and I keep seeing it in magazines- even now, two years after I bought my own! My clients need them. I need them. Pretty please with a cherry on top?

xo,

Erin

P.S. While your at it, make the big pillows again too. Muchas gracias.

Posted in cheap decor, rugs | 40 Comments »

Monday, September 28th, 2009

When my freshman year roommate Laura (also a blogger) sent me this picture of our dorm room and asked me to do a post with her redesigning it I thought it was a great idea. And I was absolutely HORRIFIED by what I saw. I cannot remember it looking like this- a tapestry with Ralph Lauren floral bedding? Stacked plastic crates? Had I not gotten contacts yet? UGH! What I do remember was that it was the smallest dorm room in history! There wasn’t Target, IKEA and the like to allow us to decorate cleverly on a budget. So here is my room re-do utilizing all the amazing resources out there today for parents and kids looking to make their dorm rooms look lovely without going broke (after all, in true college fashion, you’ll want to throw oout most of it at the end of the year from it’s pure nastiness).

A pair of large graphic chinoiserie (removable) wall decals would go on the slanted ceiling to make it feel like there were birds and branches overhead. No damage to the wall and a clever way to make a room like this look beautiful and custom! I’d use this one in brown with pink birds.

Instead of the ubiquitous college futon I would splurge on this daybed from West Elm (using the school provided twin mattress to save $$) so it could serve as a sofa for friends as well as a bed- leaving plenty of room underneath for underbed storage, which I really needed!

I obviously was in need of more storage than just underbed, so I’d get this Expedit bookcase and put it on the floor lengthwise next to the bed under the slanted ceiling so it could serve as a nightstand and a place to put books and stuff- I’d add a few baskets to conceal clutter. I’d also top it with a cute little light for reading and homework

Can you believe this adorable orange and white trellis bedding is from Walmart?

These gorgeous throw pillows from Etsy are made of vintage dress fabric and are $40! Love them!And with some solid pink pillows from Target they would make a lovely little ensemble!

To feel cozy on the feet on those chilly New England mornings in the old drafty dorm, a sheepskin rug

A graphic Audrey canvas would go on the wall above the bed in homage to my style guru. Laura mentions that we would probably both have Robert Pattinson posters up considering we both are obsessed with Twilight, even as 30 year olds. I would vote that we go all the way and get the life size stand up cut out to share. So he could serve a purpose (as all items in a small room should) we could use him to keep all our necklaces and scarves on. Thanks Rob!

This fun little mirror would go above the desk to assist in primping for a night out on campus and nearby a little zebra (it is ME after all) bulletin board for pics and reminders.

Thanks for the post suggestion Laura (her room redo here)- I only WISH our room could have looked like this then!

Posted in blogging, cheap decor | 23 Comments »