A Few of My Favorite Things - Home Decor and Accessories

Meet my Design Notebook:

This notebook saves me from moments of insanity where I would be wondering "now where did I see that (insert cool idea or thing here). " I have it divided into sections like walls (paint and wallpaper), DIY, furniture, decor, organization, living room, office, etc. Then anytime I see something I love in a magazine, book, catalogue, website, or on a blog I print/tear it out and stick it in here. It has been the best thing for keeping my ideas in order and in one place.

The best thing about the blog world is finding out secrets and tips from other bloggers. I thought that I would share some of my favorite things and tips through a series of blog posts.

Home Decor and Accessories

As much as I love finding something old and making it new again, every now and then youhave to splurge on an anchor/staple item for a room. A lot of times I spend the most on an inspiration piece i.e. - art, curtains, a pillow, light fixture, etc. And then fill in the rest of the room with inexpensive finds. These sites also give me lots of decorating ideas and fresh perspective on ways I can copycat with things I already have.

ZGallerie - www.zgallerie.com is one of David Bromstead's (host of HGTV's ColorSplash) favorite home decor shops. They have very modern/contemporary items. I love to mix contemporary with vintage/flea market. I went into one of their stores when I was in Vegas last week and found so much inspiration. Most of their decor is very monochromatic, which gives off a very clean and fresh appearance. You can re-create so many of their items by spray painting old decor that you have around the house. Turning it into a fresh piece of art.

I saw these Couture prints on their site and it inspired me to find similar prints online. I printed them off and framed them for a fraction of the cost. I will be hanging them in my office.

World Market - www.worldmarket.com I love this site for import goods. They have tons of unique items to add some worldy flair to a room.

Overstock - www.overstock.com Besides the fact that they ship everything for $2.95, they have great hardware, light fixtures, tiles, etc. at very reasonable prices.

I found this light fixture for my office on Overstock.
I have been shopping around for awhile and had found similar light fixtures for twice the price. I was thrilled when I found it here for 75% off the original price.

Ballard Designs - www.ballarddesigns.com While I have yet to purchase anything from Ballard Designs, I have found lots of ideas that I have recreated with things I already have or by furniture make-overs.

Urban Outfitters - www.urbanoutfitters.com Now I know I am past the age of ordering home decor from Urban Outfitters, but I have found some great items in their sale section. They have very unique frames, bedding, rugs, lamps, etc. Sometimes its fun to have that "out of the ordinary" conversation piece in a room.

Anthropologie - www.anthropologie.com If I could turn my house into an Anthropologie showroom I would. I absolutely love their chic flea market style. This is another site I have received lots of inspiration from. They have very unique hardware. It can get pricey but worth it if you are just making over a side table or piece that only needs a few handles or knobs.

Pier 1 Imports - www.pier1.com I love to visit the clearance section at a Pier 1 store. Even if you find something and the colors don't go with the room you are decorating, spray paint it! :)

Salvation Army/Goodwill - Who doesn't love finding trash and turning it into treasure? I love to go into our local Salvation Army and look for items for shelves or tables. They organize all of their decor by color so it makes it easy to find the right piece you are looking for.

Here are two side tables we found at the Salvation Army for $15 each. With all the fun detail, we can't wait to start the make-over process!

Table One:

Table two:

Local Furniture Store "As Is" room- Our local furniture store has an "as is" room. This room contains all the furniture that has been damaged in delivery or under warranty. Most of the pieces have minor dents and scratches in them. I found a chair for my desk and a coffee table for our living room at 90% off the retail price. The chair had a scratch and the coffee table had a door that was ripped off. We are going to sand it down and paint it anyway so both of those defects don't matter.

Office Chair:

Ready for a new coat of paint and some funky fabric to match my turquoise motif!

Coffee Table:

The door that is ripped off is on the other side of the table. I have so many fun ideas for this one!

And of course two of my favorite places to find home re-do items: GS (garage sales) and Craigslist. I have found that sometimes people are really proud of their items on Craigslist and have them listed way above what they are worth. You will find better bargains at garage sales. People are more willing to haggle and usually just want to get rid of items so they don't have to lug them back into their garage. Craigslist sellers tend to want to hold out longer, hoping the buyer will come along to give them the price they are asking for.

I would love to hear your favorite home decor shops and/or tips! - A