House Envy

The hunt is on and you need to find something specific, be it a lamp or a piece of furniture etc. There are 3 places you need to consider before hastily relying on the Pottery Barns of the world. Don't get me wrong, you need those places too but only after you have considered these options...

1.) Etsy Why, you ask? Because there are hundreds of creative people selling unique things that will set your house apart from the ordinary and the best part about it is that their prices are not marked up 3 times like they would be in a store. If you are looking for something specific, even better! Go on, put what you are looking for in the search. Here is one my fav etsy finds.

Took down the old builder chandelier over our dining room table. Searched for a white over sized chandelier and bought this one for like $175. I love that it is vintage and it has a story behind it. 

A side note on chandeliers. There is a rule of thumb for how large the diameter of a light should be as compared to your table. My rule is I have seen a many fixtures too dinky looking over a table but do not agree that you can get too large! In this case bigger is better if you are trying to make a statement piece of your light. Just don't let a huge centerpiece or busy room compete with it.

2.) If it is fill in decorative items you desire, please put down that Restoration Hardware lamp and go to Home Goods!! Always always try them first and check back often. They have great decorative vases and objects, awesome lamps and rugs and they get some really cool furniture. It is knock off central for current looks and the prices are a third of what you would pay elsewhere for the same style. Just a few examples from a recent trip there...

 
 

3.) Consider your own local antique mart. Mine, here in Indy is Midland Antique mall. I have been scouring it for years and have collected at least two pieces in every room from them. I love incorporating found pieces into design. They are your conversation pieces. You can find a ton of cute pieces for kids spaces. And it is a great way to try your hand at painting a piece and getting creative. This is what makes the room and what you will feel most house proud about. Here are a few of mine.

I originally painted this cream and it was in my oldest son's nursery. Then I painted it this fun teal blue color to match my youngest son's dwell studio modern nursery bedding.

 This is my daughter's dress up vanity. I painted it pale pink originally when it was in her nursery and then painted it green for her big girl room. The detail on the top of the table was a stencil. I bought a large square stencil and then laid it on top and painted over it in white, repeating the pattern so it looks like one large design.

These two items were found and kept as-is. Eventually the red chair will be a desk chair for my son's room. And I loved this little nightstand/bookshelf next to his bed. His room is navy blue and his furniture is kind of a beige yellow color so the pop of red looks cute in there.

Hope you enjoyed! Cheers {Laura}