Family Room

So now I can let out a big sigh of relief. For the entire 2 1/2 years that we have lived in this house, the family room as been my nemesis.

Yes, my nemesis.

No matter what I did with it, it always felt lacking, not comfortable enough, not situated right, not homey enough.

I went through 3 different sets of couches.

I only bought one of them, off of craigslist for super cheap.

The first set I already had, the third set was given to us.

The last set, a couch and chair, are this beautiful yellow. They used to be my mother in law's, who happens to have wonderful taste in everything.

So when she offered them, I jumped.

And then within a month, we had written on, spilled on, and generally destroyed what was once beautiful.

So I schemed and imagined how I could fix that.

Slipcovers are expensive, good ones.
I might be able to make some, but the material would still be 200 bucks, and who knows how it would turn out.

So then, while perusing the internet, I came upon some ikea couches that had similiar lines.
And Ikea's white slipcovers are super cheap.

So I figured I had nothing to lose.

So for 50 bucks for the sofa, and 40 dollars for the chair, I was able to slipcover the yellow couches.

And the red couch leftover from sometime in the middle of my decorating angst, I just put a white coverlet on it, leftover from a bedroom redo.


Now, I know you're saying, white? why would you buy white?!
Because I can take them off and bleach them. That's why.

And for 90 dollars total, I would have taken almost any color.

I bought this frame at Goodwill for 2 bucks. It was gold.
I spraypainted it white, and then put chalkboard paint on the cardboard backing.
Yup, that chalkboard is just cardboard.

Then I spray painted the frames on top of the red door and pulled a lamp in from another room.

The silver plate things on the wall I got at Target for 6 bucks total.
The apothecary jars were kind of a splurge at 10 bucks each, but the taller one has a bird on it. I mean really, a bird? I had to have it.

The oval silver plate was just the same white one that has always been hanging there, I just spray painted it silver.



The curtains, I made about a year ago. I loved the fabric and wanted them in the family room, but at the time they just didn't work.

But with white slipcovers and a few subtle changes, they work fabulous now.



And lastly, my one furniture purchase for this room.
We have never owned a coffee table in the 14 years we've been married.
But now that this room no longer holds a t.v., I thought it would be fantastic to have something to play board games on.

So I found this at Goodwill for 25 dollars. I primed and painted it, replaced the busted knobs, and voila!

And just so you know, I actually don't keep a bowl of baubles in reachable distance of my 2 and 4 year olds.

But a girl can dream of being able to one day, so I added that just for the picture.





So there you have it. Everything was either a Goodwill purchase and repainted, on clearance, or unbelievably cheap.

I think over the course of a year I spent 225 dollars. But that included the slipcovers and the fabric for the curtains.
It's possible to have the room you love on a budget, you just have to be patient as you look for the perfect things, and be a tad bit neurotic.

But that's me, on a budget and a tad bit neurotic. Nice to meet you!

Have a great weekend.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Maile, my sistah!