It all began when I spied a gorgeous four-poster bed on clearance at a local furniture store. It was against all my cheap tendencies, but I saved up, took a deep calming breath and plunked down the money. It was an affordable sale price, but at the time I had to go back to the car, put my head between my knees and breathe into a paper bag while passersby stared with concern.

There was once a time when I believed decorating happened with the flip of a few catalogue pages. I thought it was as simple as taking out a pen, circling the right bed, rug and chair, and voila! A complete room would take shape. But it’s not that easy for me. Why? I’m cheap. I suffer from the proverbial “champagne taste on a beer budget” syndrome.

I want what every woman wants. I want to spend $15 on a clearance purse and have my co-workers think I paid full price. I want to find a $10 Picasso painting at a yard sale. And this was no less true when it came to redecorating my bedroom.

It all began when I spied a gorgeous four-poster bed on clearance at a local furniture store. It was against all my cheap tendencies, but I saved up, took a deep calming breath and plunked down the money. It was an affordable sale price, but at the time I had to go back to the car, put my head between my knees and breathe into a paper bag while passersby stared with concern.

After the epic bed purchase, I recovered and began searching for matching cream furniture. I wanted something affordable, but as I perused the department stores, I found myself once again reeling from sticker shock. I remember eyeing a dresser marked with a mind-blowing price tag and muttering about the price of my first car.

I resisted the urge to breathe into the paper bag hidden in my purse, thinking, “Why would I spend that much on something that’s only job is to hold my husband’s underwear?”

And so my quest for a budget-friendly bedroom alternative began.

We began the journey with the bedroom’s original lavender wall color chosen by the previous owners. Unable to make a decision, I painted everything white while still searching for the perfect wall color. In the meantime, I made my tolerant husband sleep beneath pink striped bedding suitable for a teenage cheerleader, something that still makes me feel a little guilty.

The bedroom evolution began in earnest when I found a dining room buffet at a thrift store for a mere $40. With sanding and Kilz, I painted it to match our bed, using it as a dresser. I also used spray paint and spruced up the formerly gold-framed mirror to match. The side tables, essentially free, were hand-me-downs from my mother-in-law, and I painted them using the supplies from the dresser makeover.

I finally settled on an aqua-blue paint color for the walls and it was a huge transformation, requiring a mere $50 in supplies. When it came to wall art, I chose black-and-white family photos. I made this choice mainly because my grandmother, a true Southern lady, declares that the bedroom is the ideal place to decorate with personal photos. I don’t know if this is an actual rule, but as the family matriarch, she tends to call the shots. With a few inexpensive enlargements, I used standard framing and matting purchased during a half-price sale. I found the white sheers in a bargain bin and paid $10 for about 10 sets of them. The four lamps, purchased during an end-of-season clearance sale, cost about $50 total.

Don’t get me wrong: I still peruse catalogues and department stores, but I use it as inspiration for flea market projects and design ideas. The evolution of style and decorating doesn’t have to be expensive; it doesn’t have to be paid off in installments. All it takes is a little patience, a little sand paper, and every now and then, a little breathing into a paper bag. 

North Little Rock resident Elizabeth Owen chronicles her home improvement projects in her Mabel’s House blog. mabelshouse.blogspot.com

Design Resources

Bed Lane Home Furnishings, retailers statewide
Bedding Bed Bath & Beyond, locations statewide
Cashmere throw Yves Delorme, Little Rock
Lamps Target, locations statewide
Paint Behr, Home Depot, locations statewide
Picture frames Hobby Lobby, locations statewide
Pillows Vesta’s, Little Rock
Window sheers Walmart, locations statewide