Draping the doorway

One of the biggest decorating challenges we’ve faced in our apartment is how to stylishly cover up our glass door. The door leads out to our deck, so we definitely knew we needed a treatment that doesn’t get in the way, but also provides some privacy once nighttime rolls around.

If we owned this place, I would probably cover the glass panels with bamboo shades or some type of roman shade. But since I hardly felt it was worth ordering a custom-cut shade for an apartment, we decided on sliding panels mounted on a long curtain rod.

First, we hung the rod high above the door and extended it past the door frame on either side by a few inches. That way, when we want to access the deck or just open the door for some fresh air, we can simply push the panels out of the way. This set-up also allows us to use the middle bracket, which prevents the rod from sagging.

When we want some privacy, we just slide ‘em shut. The metal grommets make them glide over the rod (which was another Christmas Tree Shops steal at $11.99).


And about those curtains—we scored them on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond, and they just happen to match the drapes in the living room. I love when a space just comes together.

Double-layer DIY

As I barely ever notice curtain rods, expensive ones were not high on my priority list when it came to decorating our place. Unless there’s a truly hideous decorative element at each end of the rod, I think it’s perfectly OK to purchase the cheapest ones you can find! And in many cases, you can create the look you want using super-cheap materials.

For example, I’m a big fan of the double-layer look, which consists of a heavier outer curtain with white sheers underneath. However, the double-layer rods are usually quite expensive, so I created my own.


First, we hung the white sheers using one of those ultra-inexpensive white metal rods, which you can pick up virtually anywhere.

Then, we screwed in a thicker metal rod slightly above the white one. The key here is to choose a rod with brackets that will thrust the top layer of curtains out a couple inches to cover the layer underneath.

Incredibly, the outer rods were purchased for just $6.99 each at our local Christmas Tree Shop (no, they don’t sell Christmas trees, but they do have verrrrrry interesting garden ornaments).

The result: an elegant look for a mega steal!

Your take on fake

I’m not ashamed to admit that fake flowers abound in my apartment. Yep, they’re in nearly every room.

I’m loving my fake blossom branch that I picked up from Target last weekend. I plucked off all the greenery as it reminded me a little too much of pot leaves, so now I’m left with a pretty, simple branch. I popped it into a vase, placed it on my dresser, and now I’ve got a little bit of spring in the bedroom.

What’s your take on fake flowers? Do you love ‘em, like ‘em, or think they’re totally old lady?

Design profile: Marimekko

One of the best ways to make a statement in your space is through the use of textiles. I’m a big fan of different textures, graphic prints and even solid colors. But if I had my way, I’d deck out our entire place (or a good portion of it) with Marimekko fabrics.

Marimekko is a Finnish textile and clothing design company that is known for its modern, colorful graphic prints. Various designers create the patterns, which can be bright and bold or relatively simple and subdued. The patterns are used for its line of fabrics, clothing and interior accessories. (I’d love a set of Marimekko plates! Can you imagine?)



If you’re good with a sewing machine, you could create your customized look with Marimekko textiles, which I've spotted for sale on specialty websites, at the NYC Marimekko Concept Store, and even on eBay. However, it doesn’t come cheap.


Believe it or not, you can bring a little ready-made Marimekko goodness into your home for relatively little money. I am the lucky owner of a Marimekko-print shower curtain (shown here), which I scored at C&B on clearance last year for just $22. I'm also coveting all of the following inexpensive items:

Magnets - $6, Etsy


Pillow cover - $16.95, Etsy


Shower curtain - $34.95, Crate & Barrel


60" square tablecloth - $19.95, Crate & Barrel

(Note: the neutral-colored items always seem to be a little cheaper, so be prepared to spend extra for a pop of color!)

Blogger Q&A: Sherry from This Young House

If you haven’t checked out This Young House, do yourself a favor and read Sherry and John’s insanely cute blog about the adventures of renovating a little house in Richmond, Virginia. The couple, who are in their 20s, completely redid their entire home on a budget and have become DIY masters!

Sherry was kind enough to take part in my little “blogger Q&A” session on how to achieve a stylish look with little cash. Enjoy!

1. Which decorative accessory or element is OK to cheap out on?
Hmm, we're pretty cheap about almost everything, but some particularly great items to snag on a dime are little decorative accessories (we've found white ceramic pears for $1 at HomeGoods), pillows (they can dress up a room for under $20) and art (we're huge fans of DIYing it, and everything from house keys or corks to sea fans or black & white vacation photos can look amazingly "legit" once they're put behind glass).

2. What décor element is worth the splurge?
A good sofa and a good mattress are definitely worth a bit more dough (although gorgeous versions of both can be had for around $1,200 each, so we're not talking about 10K when we say splurge). They'll both be things that you'll have for the long haul, and when it comes to your sofa, you'll want to pick a classic shape and a neutral color, which will keep things looking crisp and current for at least a decade or two. We're huge fans of Rowe sofas (we got one for $400 less than our Pottery Barn Basic, which we're already completely over) and Room & Board sofas (they're such great pieces for the price). And as for our mattress preference, we're saving our pennies for an organic wool one and we can't wait to make the big switch.

3. When you first moved in to your house, what was the first thing you did to make your space feel like home?
The very first thing we did was rip up the gross thin carpets in the bathroom and the sunroom (ick!) to reveal amazing vintage basketweave tiles in our loo and some lovely concrete flooring in the sunroom (pictured below, which we painted a rich chocolate brown). Of course getting some soothing blues, tans, and creams on the walls along with painting all the natural wood trim a crisp white tone also helped the house feel clean, current and oh-so-ours.



4. What’s your top low-budget decorating tip?
Work with whatcha got. This is what we commonly refer to as our Tim Gunn philosophy (his "make it work" mantra really rings true). Keeping an open mind and trying to repurpose, repaint, and reinvent the things that you already have can really add style without putting you in the red. For example, we had an old CD storage box that we mounted on the wall in the bathroom. Voila! A mirrored wall shelf to hold pretty glass cups (stolen from the kitchen cabinet) full of cotton balls and q-tips. We also used inexpensive bamboo blinds to create concealed storage (pictured below) above our washer and dryer instead of buying budget-breaking custom cabinets. It's all about looking at things in a different way... and desperation paired with an empty wallet is a great motivator!



5. What are your favorite sources for low-cost decorative accessories and furniture?
Everyone who reads our blog knows that we're big Ikea, Target, JC Penney and Overstock fans. We also love virtually dropping in on CB2, West Elm, World Market, ZGallerie, and even Urban Outfitters for pieces that can be combined to create a look that appears to be a lot more expensive than the sum of its parts. And don't forget thrift stores, Craigslist and even garage sales! We have found some pretty amazing pieces by looking beyond an old peeling paint job or some terrible upholstery to see a diamond in the rough that we can transform for under $15 in an afternoon.


Thanks Sherry! If you’re looking for some design inspiration or want to learn your way around a hammer, check out her blog here.

Spatial hues: choosing a color scheme

I usually have a tough time making decisions, but when it came to choosing a color scheme for our place, I knew what I wanted: chocolate brown and light blue. I liked it so much, it also happened to become the scheme for our bedroom. I know a good thing when I see it, I suppose.

When it came to the other rooms, it got a little trickier. My momma always says that each room should flow into another. So in the kitchen, we’ve got blue, green and beige—a nice complement to the brown and blue. Upstairs, we have a green and brown scheme in the bathroom and a way-too-beige second bedroom that will be addressed soon in our upcoming spring-cleaning project.


When I walk through our home, I can see where each color picks up in each room and is carried throughout—and it wasn’t even really intentional!

Do you have a color scheme? How did you choose it?

On making it home

I’ve been thinking a lot about what actually makes a space feel like home. Although our apartment houses all of our belongings, it took a while for it to actually feel like our place. Perhaps it just takes time, or maybe your apartment or house must actually reflect your interests and style to really feel like your own.

For me, our apartment felt much more “homey” once it was semi-decorated and stocked with our favorite foods. One of the first things we did on moving day was hang curtains in every room, which immediately gave the place a more cozy feel. Within the next few days, we hung at least a few pieces of wall art.

I’ve often visited others’ homes and noticed they don’t have any window coverings or wall art at all, which, to me, makes a place feel stark and cold.

What’s the first thing you did to make your place feel like home?