**I do want to say that if the item will get quite a bit of use, like a sofa, recliner or dining chair, I would get a better quality piece and spend more money on it.
I guess the point here is that if you look around you may find something close to the original for alot less. Maybe constructing your own(like the ottoman) can be an option as well.
Can you tell which one is the Restoration Hardware item? (It is the one on top.) Slight difference, but the general shape is great. If I wanted the Target table to look closer to the other, I could paint it.
Another tip I have used to get a designer look for less is to rethink how an item can be repurposed. For example, I was going to donate a suede skirt, but then decided to save it to cut up and make a table runner or pillow cover. Several years ago I bought a black vintage dress that looked as if Jackie O should have worn it, the zipper was broken, and a few beads were missing, but I knew it would make a beautiful pillow someday. It is still waiting for the perfect interior to go into.
A few years ago, I needed an ottoman for my recreation room, but didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg. Therefore, I recruited my husband to help me build one the perfect size for my furniture and room size. It has leopard print upholstery, tufting, and a long hinge on 1 side that allows for storage inside. Note to potential ottoman builders: An automatic staple gun and the long upholstery needles were essential for covering this box! I did pay a local upholstery shop to cover my buttons (for strength), but found instructions online on how to tuft. And yes, I have upholstered my own couch and chairs, but had not tried tufting before this project. We are still using this ottoman today and it has withstood the test of kids and dogs who like to sleep on it.
Above: first ottoman I ever made. It is still in use today!
An inspiration came from: dry stack rock on castles of long ago…My new rock (from Harlowton, MT), was laid or put up on the side of the house and fireplace in the same pattern you would see on a castle from centuries ago. I like the newer look of the stacked stones but I felt that the date that the rock was installed could be figured out just by how they were laid. Another tip about rock- don’t let anyone you like use the cultured stone as it will fade drastically within about 10 years. Yes, it does cost less for cultured rock, but the savings will show when the color is faded. Real rock does not fade and is even enhanced with a sealer every 5 years or so. The other pet peeve I have about some of the cultured stones available is they have a shinyness to them..like fool’s gold?!?!?
The top picture is the old "fake" fireplace before the remodel. The middle picture is the drystack style of stone I thought I wanted, and the bottom picture is the stone style inspiration from castles.
Remodel update: Knobs should not be that hard of a choice, but in my case it is! I love knobs and know just how much they can transform a space…the choices and prices are limitless. I had ordered some knobs (actually handles) from the kitchen department at Johnson Madison Lumber, but knew I wanted some more generic knobs for the laundry room cabinets, so I went to IKEA for those.
Design quote of the week: “Beauty is the quality of harmonious relationships. A formula to produce it does not exist."- Frank A. Parsons
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