Under $500 Room Make Over

I was writing this post about redoing our dining room for under $500 when an e-mail came in about a post on Funky Junk Interiors regarding Are Dining Rooms a Dying Breed?  Well in our house I am afraid they are.  

We are currently renting our home and when the homeowner purchased the home she had an option of a 4th bedroom or formal dining room, she picked the dining room.  I personally would have picked the 4th bedroom, but that's not important.  

When we moved in I had set up the room as a dining room.  But soon realized that besides Thanksgiving and Christmas we don't use the room.  I did however have some left over furniture from our condo and needed a home for them.  So we decided to ditch the dining room and go with a den/craft storage place.  

I decide to just try and spend $500 or less on the room, and also incorporate a few things I had left over from past rooms that were over 5 years old.  If it was over 5 years and I wasn't using it in this room or in another room of the house it needed to go to the thrift store.  This was all part of my idea of getting rid of stuff in case we moved, well we all know that I am moving across country!

First I wanted a sitting area or someplace for the dogs to sit and look out the window every morning. ;)  As it turns out the dogs use the couch more than I do. We went to RC Willey  where I knew we would find a good price on a couch that wouldn't brake the bank.

  If you don't live in California, Nevada, or Utah I am sorry but you are missing out on an awesome store.  RC Willey has the most amazing clearance center and customer service.  Their store is decorated beautifully into groupings and they rotate their merchandise all the time.  Any floor models are then put into clearance.  They also take returns to the clearance center, we got a $1900 leather Natuzzi couch for $800.  It was a return because the wooden leg had a scratch on it at time of delivery.  I didn't care it was nothing that a little marker wouldn't fix, and I turned the leg on the couch to the good side.  No one knows but you now.  I find that if I befriend the clearance staff they will call you when the good stuff comes in.  Our clearance gal Cameron called me the minute another Natuzzi couch came in, because we needed a second one.  I purchased before anyone else really saw it.

Sorry I ramble a bit, back to the couch.  So we went to the clearance center and found this awesome couch for $219, brand new it was just left overs from last season plus it came with free pillows.  I didn't mind if I had last summers couch in my den.   

Now I wanted a rug for the floor.  I had this rug from our condo and purchased it from Target about 5 years ago.  It was one of the first things I bought when I purchased the condo.  So I am going to count it as free.

Next I found this awesome coffee table and end table at Big Lots.  The pieces are made by Broyhill and part of the heritage heirloom fireside cherry collection.  It is an awesome collection that was discontinued.  We bought the floor model of the bedroom furniture from RC Willey.  When I saw the coffee table and end table at Big Lots I almost died.  I had to have them, so I waited until they were 70% and bought them.  The coffee table was $110 and the end table was $100.  A little more than I wanted to spend but I love the pieces and they will last a long time.

Next were the book cases and entertainment center.  I had these from my first apartment over 6 years ago.  They have been painted many times since I purchased them.  They were purchased at Lowes, when they used to carry furniture that you have to put together.  The pieces are solid alder wood and super heavy, I am reminded how heavy they are every time I move them.  All three pieces were purchased for under $150 on clearance.  The store clearances them out, and discontinuing them.  Originally I was missing a door to the bottom bookcase but the store gave me the display door because it was painted all difference colors and they had to throw it out.  My mom asked if we could have it and they said yes.  Yeah!  I am going to count this as free because well its over 5 years old. 

Next I wanted some wall art.  My husband fell in love with these two car pictures from RC Willey, they were $5 each and I couldn't resist.  They didn't go with my overall theme but when you are married sometimes you give in.  The other frames I bought at Home Goods.  They had boxed sets of 3 sized frames for $19.99.  I picked up two sets and hung 5 of the 6 frames in this room.  I still haven't gotten around to fill the frames, but trust me I have the photos.  

Behind the couch is out dining room table I needed a place to store it and this worked perfectly.  On top I added some fake flowers and rocks left from our wedding and a $5 vase from the thrift store.

Now for the grand total:

Couch               $219

Rug                  Free

Coffee Table   $110

End Table       $100

Bookcases       Free

Ent. Center     Free

Vase                 $5

Decor               Free

Pictures           $10

Frames            $40

Total $484 

Not bad for a new room.

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