The phrase ‘budget friendly’ is really kind of a relative term, isn’t it? I mean, what is ‘friendly’ to one person’s budget might not be quite so ‘friendly’ to another person’s budget.
Sometimes when I’m watching a decorating show or flipping through the pages of a magazine and they reference an item that was such a ‘great deal’ and then I find out what they actually paid for it I’m shocked.
Apparently my definition of a good deal is very different from theirs!
I firmly believe in getting the look for less. And I mean WAY less! Those little 10% off sales don’t cut it with me.
I’m one of those people who heads straight to the clearance rack at a store before looking at anything else. Because there is just something so thrilling about finding just the thing you’ve been looking for at a price that is pleasing to your wallet.
But even though I’m always looking for the bargain, I don’t want my home to look like one big bargain bin. I believe that when carefully chosen, budget-friendly pieces can come together to create spaces that look like a million bucks!
Decorating flat, open spaces can be a bit intimidating. But they don’t have to be!
As Julie Andrews said in The Sound of Music…”let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start”.
How to Decorate a Coffee Table Like a Boss on a Budget
1. Grab a large tray, any tray you like, and place it off center towards the lower edge of the table.
2. Place a stack of hardback books on top of the tray. If you don’t have any with pretty covers, simply take the paper jacket off of the book.
3. Put something decorative on top of the stack of books and consider having it be a shiny object like this mercury glass box which I found on clearance (of course!) for $5.
4. Now it’s time for some height. This can be accomplished by either a grouping of 3 narrow candleholders or one big ol’ chunky wooden one like this. I placed this at the top right corner so that as I am looking into this room, it doesn’t block the line of vision.
Now, in the next picture, do you see that open space there to the left of the candlestick?
5. Add a piece that is lower but still substantial. You could use a box like the one pictured below or even a decorative bowl.
6. And finally, something fresh like flowers or a plant will add life and more texture. These yellow tulips were only $3.99 at Trader Joes.
And that’s all there is to it! Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy, right? 😉
Now, I’m not saying that I’m a coffee table decorating expert by any means. But I have found that, like so many other things in life, when I break it down into small, simple steps suddenly it is much less intimidating.
And the best part is that when I look at my coffee table, not only do I see pieces that I love and find beautiful, I also know that I’ve been a good steward of my resources. I totally believe that you can be mindful of your family’s budget AND enjoy decorating at the same time.
Now, that’s what I call ‘friendly’! 🙂
And speaking of budget-friendly, I’m so excited to announce that I will be teaming up with these talented ladies each month to bring you ideas for decorating your home without breaking the bank!
I hope you’ll pop over and pay them a visit next!
And if you are looking for more inspiration right at your fingertips, we are thrilled to announce the launch of an amazing new home and garden community app for iPhones and iPads. Find out more about bHome here!
Thanks so much for joining me at the fence today!
No, you are not a coffee table expert… YOU ARE A COFFEE TABLE GENIUS!!! Oh, boy I love love love this coffee table design. It has height, lots of interest , tons of texture and so darn pretty!!!! LOVE the pearly box and the chippy candlestick together. It has that rustic/luxe thing going on that I am wild about!
I agree with you about being a bargain shopper! Gotta love digging through those sale bins!!!!
As you know you are one of my favorite people… and I am so thrilled to be a part of this series with you!
BTW… hope to see you at Haven. I have a huge hug waiting for you!
it looks wonderful. I don’t always head straight to the clearance section either. I invite you to share at my Thursday hop ( link up today through Sat midnight) Hugs!
This is so great and you perfectly explained everything! I’m with you on the “budget” subject. I always laugh at the TV shows where they refer to their $500,000 budget! To me that is an absolute fortune. Happy to bHome with you too. <3
Love this Vanessa! I always have a hard time decorating my coffee table so I’m pinning this and taking your advice for sure! Thanks friend.
Anna 🙂
Wonderful tips & what a terrific idea for a series!
And as for bHome…go on over Picket Fence peeps! We have so many new friends since yesterday. Everybody is really enjoying the beauty, ease of use & convenience of having their favs in one place… and it is such fun! Welcome !!
Wonderful post. Thanks for your wisdom and for being so “real”. You are an inspiration!
kerry
I LOVE this. I always get confused as to what should go together and where, so I end up having bare walls and tables (you’ve seen my inside of my house
Oh my goodness! I so need these tips to coffee table styling. Now if I can only get rid of the sippy cups, princess dvd’s, and Nerf bullets. 😉
~ Ashley
Hahahaha!! Ashley if it makes you feel any better right after I took the photos my daughter came over and added her own personal decorative touches to the table! 😉
I adore how this is styled. The yellow tulips are perfect!
You’ve done a beautiful vignette on your coffee table, Vanessa. And, it’s definitely budget friendly – according to anyone’s definition! : )
Thanks so much Kathy!
It is lovely and nice, but for me the coffee table needs room for guests to place cups or glasses or plates of goodies. I guess I am a minimal person.
I totally agree Rose! I keep coasters in one of the boxes just for that purpose and it’s so easy to take the books off the tray to make room when we have a party. 🙂
Ahh the coffee table so many people neglect it and there are great things you can do as you have shown. I am going to feature this on our Saturday Selections for tomorrow. Hope all is well with you two!
Thank you so much ladies!! 🙂
You had me at the tray, and then when you put a Charles Faudree book on it, oh my!! Love the look, and thanks for joining me!!
Um….yes….and LOVE! So smart and yes “budget” is a relative term but you nailed it girl!
This is a great post, Vanessa! I love these step-by-step directions. You’re right: breaking it down into those steps is very helpful. I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who can find coffee tables intimidating. By the way, Trader Joe’s is hard to beat for fresh flowers, isn’t it? 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day, sweet friend!
Great tips … I’m always floundering about what to put on our coffee table. I love the yellow tulips!
I Looooooove to decorate and am fairly good at it because of all the inspiration I have received over the many years reading myriad magazines, meandering through furniture and boutique stores, and because I had a dear Aunt who loved to decorate her home, especially for the different seasons. She would also take me antiquing with her when I was in high school.
I decorate my Mom’s apt. and must confess I still have difficulty deciding how to decorate her oval, glass topped coffee table. Any suggestions?
I just joined your site a few days ago… I am a ” late-bloomer” to Pinterest and reading blogs,but am now hooked!
I enjoy your site very much!!!
Denise
Aww we are so thrilled to have you join us Denise!! Thanks so much! 🙂
I’m
Lol…. Me again! You forgot to answer my question…. Do yo have any suggestions as to how to how to go about decorating an oval coffee table?
Thanks again, Denise
This was so helpful. I can’t say thank you enough. We just bought our first house and I’m trying to stretch my decorating wings. The step by step formula helped so much more than just looking at something on Pinterest and trying to replicate it because you gave the “whys” behind choosing the objects. Could you do some more things in this series? Styling bookshelves, end tables with a lamp on it, the top of a dresser or chest of drawers? The possibilities are endless and I’m sure I speak for many when I say we’d love to learn. Thank you!