Thursday, May 20, 2010

Emily A Clark's $25 and under stylish finds

Hi Emily,

Is a more recent friend that I wanted to share with you. Her is full of design inspiration. I love seeing all the projects that she works on in her own home along with client inspiration boards.

Enjoy,

Camila
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I'm so happy to be guest blogging for Camila while she's away, and even happier to be sharing my favorite ways to spruce up your home for under $25 (being that I live for great bargains!). Here are my best tips:

#1. Tall curtain panels from IKEA: The quickest, and cheapest, way to add instant drama to your room. I love that these come in the longer lengths and are only $19.99 for the pair. (Target now carries a similar style for around $25.) I hung them several inches above my living room windows and layered them over bamboo shades for privacy.





#2. Monograms: An instant way to make anything in your home look more expensive. Most pillows, blanket, towels, etc., can be monogrammed for less than $25 to create a classic look.










#3. Frame Pretty Notecards: If your budget doesn't allow for pricey art, there are some beautiful varieties of notecards out there just waiting to be framed. I like to search Etsy for sets, and even found some beautiful architectural ones in the clearance aisle of HomeGoods the other day! I recently framed these bird cards for my bedroom, using black utility frames from Michaels that come in packs of 2 for $7:










#4. Fresh Flowers and Greenery: Add life to your space with fresh flowers, or for a longer lasting arrangement, use potted greenery. I added a small flowering topiary and fern to my breakfast area (both for less than $15 each!):










#5. Rearrange Your Space!: My last tip is absolutely free and yet sometimes has the biggest impact in changing the look of your room. If your sofa is up against a wall, pull it out to the middle of the room and see what happens. Try placing your bed in front of a window to create an instant focal point. Don't be afraid to change what you've had in place for years. It won't hurt to try, and you might actually like it :)





Photo courtesy of McGill Design Group via DecorPad

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14 Comments:

Blogger Monique said...

Great post with some useful tips! :)

May 20, 2010 at 3:07 PM  
Blogger Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife said...

Excellent post! I'm definitely buying the Ikea panels for pretty much my entire house!!

May 20, 2010 at 3:35 PM  
Blogger Christina Elaine said...

Love the post card idea.....

xxx
CEO

May 20, 2010 at 3:35 PM  
Blogger Nicole said...

Where did you get your awesome black damask pillow (between the monogram ones)??? I loooove it and have been looking for something like it for ages!!!

May 20, 2010 at 4:01 PM  
Blogger Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

I love everything and anything Emily related!

May 20, 2010 at 4:26 PM  
Blogger Lovely Little Nest said...

Fantastic tips! Definitely all so true. Thanks for sharing! :)

May 20, 2010 at 6:45 PM  
Blogger Cristin // Simplified Bee said...

monograms are a great touch! Lovely tips.

xo,
cristin

May 20, 2010 at 9:35 PM  
Blogger Dennisse Lisseth said...

I love all your ideas. Thank you so much.

May 20, 2010 at 11:15 PM  
Blogger Marija said...

Great suggestions and I have to say my favorite is the cheapest one...the last! Such good advice, really. People get used to looking at things one way and sometimes the smallest change can make the biggest impact indeed!

May 20, 2010 at 11:17 PM  
Blogger Emily A. Clark said...

Thanks everybody for your nice comments on the post. If you want to check out my blog, the address is http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com

Nicole--the black & whtie pillow came from Pier 1 but I bought it about a year.

Camila--thanks and have a great vacation! :)

May 21, 2010 at 6:33 AM  
Blogger Dina's Days said...

Great tips!! And these photos are great inspiration!

I'm giving away a Hana flat iron!

May 21, 2010 at 9:23 AM  
Blogger Janell @ House of Fifty said...

Emily, you are one talented girl!!

May 21, 2010 at 10:27 AM  
Blogger Cassie {Hi Sugarplum} said...

All excellent tips! I'm itching to try my living room rug in my dining room...but not looking forward to telling hubby about this plan!

May 21, 2010 at 11:59 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Emily,
where did you find the fern and topiary? Did you put them together, and if so, what is the filler that you used? Do you know what kind of fern and topiary plant? They are just beautiful! I am so impressed!

Thanks!
Megan

May 24, 2010 at 2:17 PM  

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