Category Archives: Thrifty Thursdays
Thrifty Thursday: Etsy’s Alchemy Tool
Have a custom item you want made but don’t think you can afford it? Try Etsy’s Alchemy tool where you can request custom items to be made and artisans bid on the job. It’s also an amazing tool if you want to create something but don’t know how to. Check out the fun informational video [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Flea Market Finds
A great place to find affordable furniture is the flea market. On Sunday I went to the Alameda Antiques Faire and found a ton of great pieces that are not only budget-friendly but also unique, like a framed vintage painting of the Golden Gate Bridge, a bistro table inlayed with vintage maps from the UK [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Media Stand
Media stands and av cabinets can be expensive not to mention hard to find in the right dimensions, but you can always transform other pieces to find the right fit. For example, take a bookshelf and turn it on its sides. If you have a large television, just make sure the material is strong enough. These [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Back to School Ideas
My daughter is going into first grade this year and we are putting together a small “office” area for her with a mix of old and new pieces. For her desk we chose the West Elm Parsons Mini Desk, which is the perfect size for kids, easy to clean and affordable (and on sale!). For [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Getting Rid of Clutter
Earlier this week we wrote about the lovely jeweler’s bungalow/design studio that we redesigned and Lara touched upon how choosing the appropriate storage can really serve to update a space and get rid of clutter. With the studio we swapped out plastic bins for affordable structured cardboard ones and the room instantly looked more fresh, [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Upcycling
A great way to save money, practice green design and personalize your space is to upcycle. We took a 1940s door pull from a bank (which we purchased for $25 on Ebay), plated it in polished nickel ($45), then mounted it in a powder room for a unique towel rod. Fancy!
Thrifty Thursday: DIY Wallpaper
DIY self-adhesive wallpaper is a great option when you want to spruce up a room on a budget or if you’re renting and cannot permanently change the walls. There’s no need to hire a wallpaper hanger. We’re using a beautiful gray design from Tempaper on the back of a PB hutch in a girl’s room. Other [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Shelving
Many of us need more storage space and want room to display our accessories. A great space saving alternative are floating shelves, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve this high style. See some of our projects below where we used ikea shelving. Other pics are affordable shelving units if you [...]
Thrifty Thursday: Window Treatments
Window treatments, particularly custom, are expensive. At Designers Call we have come up with affordable options thanks to Restoration Hardware and West Elm’s high quality cotton and linen panels & hardware. Many of these curtains made custom would cost a minimum of $800-$1000 per set, including hardware and fabric. Our applications shown below cost $400. [...]
