price my space: living room.

this post is me participating in a party over at nesting place called "price my space." (see the button on my sidebar.) participants are going through a room (or rooms) in their homes and pricing the furniture and decor. the point is to inspire others, show them that there are good deals to be had with a little searching and creativity and that there are some pieces worth spending more on. on monday, bloggers will link back on nester's site so everyone can ooh and ahh over each others brilliance. i got my living room done today, and i may post a few other rooms if i get the time to photograph them in good light.

ya'll should price your rooms if you get the chance, even if it's not before the party on monday. i'd love to see your beautiful stuff and how you put it together! don't feel bad about how much (or how little) things cost. the object is not to compare ourselves. if you're uncomfortable, don't post prices. i just know that i'm inspired by seeing what other people have done with what they have. nester's motto is "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful," which is maybe the greatest motto ever.

enjoy and tell me what you think!

number 1: our sofa is from ikea. we bought it about three years ago for $899. it is by far our largest purchase as a married couple. (the tv is a close second.) i like a firm sofa, and i love that leather is easy to wipe clean...necessary for baby spit up and such. the pillows are from target or ross and none of them were more than $7 each. the yellow blanket is from pottery barn and is made of soy and cotton. i...love...it. i bought it at the shops at la cantera in san antonio last year for $40, i think. i used birthday money. total for number 1: $960

number 2: this wingback chair is a hand-me-down from landon's parents. aka free! landon's brother and his wife had it for awhile before we did. the fabric doesn't match our decor so i bought this neutral slipcover for it. i got it at tuesday morning for about $35. the ottoman, which i love, opens to storage and the top flips over to a tray since we've nixed a coffee table for more play space. also inside were two mini ottomans that serve as extra seating when we need it. they are also used for timeout chairs and platforms from whence to practice swan dives onto the couch. it was $130 from home goods in san antonio. the red throw was a christmas gift from my sister-in-law two years ago and the pillow was $5 on clearance from target. total for number 2: $170

number 3: i adore this rug. some decoratingly-correct peeps might say it's too small for the space, but i love all the colors. i feel like it pulls the room together. i got it at big lots for $15. total for number 3: $15

number 4: these built-ins are always changing. at the very top is a stereo that landon and i got for christmas the first year we were married.

there are various books that i've had since college or that i got at antique shops for no more than a quarter, a glass container from my brother and his wife, various salvation army finds that probably total $5, random candles and photos, frames i got at the dollar store, a vintage-replica telephone from pottery barn that was a wedding gift and, maybe one of my all-time-favorite etsy purchases, my little stuffed owls. there's one on this side of the fireplace and one on the other. they're made in greece from scraps and random buttons. $16 for total greatness. the other thing i'll count in this photo is that vase/basket of sticks. i can't remember where i got it, but i'm sure it wasn't more than $10. and those sticks are a cb2 purchase from my wedding. total for number 4: about $30


number 5: the mantle. let me take this moment to say that i would SO paint this brick, the built ins and do something about that tragic fireplace frame if i owned this house. just so you know. on the mantle i have a lamp base and shade from target for $25, a vintage oil lamp that was landon's nanny's, various photos of my kids taken by great expectations and sprinkle of grace, a mantle clock that was a gift from my sister and a red barn star i got half off at hobby lobby for $11. i also have a piece of twine strung across with clothes pins holding letterpress cards that say besos, or kisses, in spanish. i bought them to use in ellie's room, and these are the leftovers. they were $14, but i'm not gonna count that in this room since they were purchased for a different one. there are a couple other random things clothespinned to that string...i put it up while brainstorming a decor idea for gray's upcoming birthday party. total for number 5: about $36


number 6: the other side of the built in shelves has, again, books i've had for a long time, a super old (and super awesome!) typewriter my sister bought me this past christmas, my college diploma and wedding invitation, more family/wedding photos, a couple of vases that, i believe, are from pier 1 and were probably $5 each, a gold lantern from ikea for $3, gray paper boxes from container store for $7 each, another owl, a milk glass tea cup from salvation army for 59 cents, the box that holds our totally awesome wedding album, which were both gifts from landon's parents, a gifted frame holding a piece of handmade paper and...i think that's it. the photo on the wall is my mom as a little girl and was given to me, frame and all, by my gramma. well, i sorta stole it. total for number 6: about $30

number 7: this is a super flimsy decorator table from wal-mart for $20, glass top included. the flowered table cloth is vintage that i scored for $1. the photo frame is plastic from the dollar store for $1 and holds a photo of my son. i stole the lamp base from landon's mom and the shade was found for $2.50 on clearance at target. the coasters are from etsy and made with sewing patterns and felt. they cost $5. total for number 7: $30

number 8: the ubiquitous poang chair from ikea. we bought it before ellie was born. $150ish. total for number 8: $150

there is a huge wall behind just this table and chair that has no art whatsoever. it needs some.

number 9: the tv stand is from ikea for $100. the tv was purchased with landon's birthday money a year and a half ago for about $800. the frames are half off hobby lobby for a total of $20. they are filled with a photo of landon and ellie and 12x12 pieces of scrapbook paper that totals $1, maybe. total for number 9: $921

number 10: this is my favorite part of the room. the poppy picture was a valentine's day gift from landon several years ago. the darker colored chair belonged to my grandparents, and the lighter one i bought for $10 at an antique store that was going out of business. i made the pillow myself. total for number 10: $10

one thing i didn't number is the two red panels that hang over our big picture window. they were $20 each. the rod was here when we moved in. i wish i could come up with some better "mistreatments" there, but i haven't so far.

total for the living room: about $2400. almost 3/4 of that is just the tv and the sofa.

pretty good, no?