Let’s Do It For Less

You know how some magazines do a “we found it for less” piece?  I thought we’d try it here, especially since I found yet another place that carries similar pieces to what I’ve come to think of as my dream office furniture.  If this seems like something you all like, maybe I’ll do one every once in awhile.

Find It For Less!

So let’s start with the expensive stuff.  This is the desk from Ballard Designs that I love.  And don’t get me wrong ~ I absolutely love Ballard Designs.  If I ever won the lottery I’d redo my whole house from them!  The price on this lovely number is $899.00, plus shipping, plus an additional $20.00 for “threshold delivery”.  There is a note to download the directions for assembly.  I know.  At that price it should be assembled and come with someone to pull your chair out.

Ballard Designs

Here’s the bookcase; $599.00, plus shipping, plus $45.00 “threshold delivery” {and I believe you have to download the instructions to assemble this, too}.

Ballard Designs

Of course, it’s an office, so you need a filing cabinet.  This one goes with the set and is $549.00, plus shipping, plus $70.00 for a “threshold delivery”.

Ballard Designs

Okay, so now that we’ve established that you did not win the lottery, let’s move on to the next price point down.  Similar desk from Home Decorators Collection; cost $199.00, plus shipping of 13% of the order, and assembly is required.

Home Decorators Collection

The bookcase is a bit different from Ballard’s, but still similar, and is $329.00.  Just like the desk, it’s 13% of the order price for shipping, and assembly is required.

Home Decorators

This set doesn’t have a file cabinet that goes with it, so I found something as similar to the Ballard’s one as they had.  It is $199.00, plus 13% of the price for shipping, plus $20.00 freight charge.  As seems to be the norm, assembly is required.

Home Decorators 

The last set I saw that looked very much like the Ballard inspiration pieces was at Target.  All I will say here is to make sure you read the reviews.  I base my purchases on how the reviews lean.  Here is the desk at $149.99, ships free with a “qualifying order over $50.00”, and assembly is required.

Target

The matching bookcase {which I have to say looks exactly like the Home Decorators Collection bookcase} for $199.99, ships free with a “qualifying order over $50.00”, and assembly is required.

Target

Finally, a filing cabinet.  Target didn’t have anything very close to either the Ballard or Home Decorators cabinets, but I went with something in black and about the same size.  This cabinet costs $249.99, which is  more expensive than the Home Decorators cabinet.  A little disappointing there.

Target

Three different price points from three different sources.  I still like the original pieces from Ballard Designs, but who knows, I may find something totally different that I like once the time comes to actually buy one!

Don’t forget to enter my CSN Giveaway!  It ends Friday, May 21st at 8:00 p.m. EST, so there is still time!

Just a note: I’ll be around sporadically posting and commenting over the next couple of weeks.  I’m working with two clients at the moment!  Very happy about pursuing my passion.  One of them even found me through my blog and told me that was why she called me. I was very happy to hear that! {Hi R.M.!}  Two very different projects going, but I’m always excited about each one.   

New in Boutique: French Notebooks/Journals

I jumped ahead of all the other prints that I still have to post about on my boutique blog to show you these great notebooks/journals.  I was so excited when the package came with them yesterday.  I just love these and had to share them with you right away! 

For better pictures with more details on these notebooks/journals, please visit my boutique here.  They have pockets on the inside covers and are purse sized. 

I may be taking out the Eiffel Tower one to keep for myself if there are no takers!

Outdoor Lighting Ideas

I have plenty of candles and hurricanes for using outdoors during the summer months, but I always love to see what’s new and colorful.  I found a few items that caught my eye from Pier 1 and Pottery Barn and thought I’d share. 

Pier 1

Of course, you can use these items for inspiration and make up your own from thrift store, yard sale or your own basement finds.  I’ve got a chandelier {or candelier in this case} on my thrifty finds wish list to put tapers in and hang from my gazebo roof.

Photo courtesy of annsage.com

So many different styles and colors to choose from!

 Pier 1

Don’t forget a stake or shepherd’s hook to hold some of these pretties in areas where you don’t think you could hang a lantern or candleholder. 

Pier 1

I would love to hang some of these from the tree branches in my yard ~ bring some candlelight to those further away and darker areas at night.  More pretties!

Not to forget tablescaping either, for all those BBQ’s and family get-togethers.

{All of the above pictures from Pier 1}  

{Above photos from Pottery Barn}

The best part is that both of these stores have their outdoor lighting on sale right now!  So, if you’re going to buy new, now is the time to do it!  I know with the creative talent out there, many of you can transform your found items into something just as nice {if not better, in some cases}.

Don’t forget to enter my Cottage Charm Giveaway, which runs until May 29th and the CSN Giveaway, which runs until May 21st!

 

Screen It

Several years ago, I got this shoji screen for my daughter’s room {JC Penney, about $40.00}, which she used in front of her walk-in closet that had recently been redone, until we decided on a door {bi-fold, paneled, etc.}.  I got it in black.

When she moved into her own apartment she took it with her and I’m sure it came in handy as a place to hide things behind.  Unfortunately, she also had gotten a kitten and as that kitten grew it scratched the paper backing and ripped it.

She has since moved back home {grandbaby due in July} and brought the screen with her.  Since the paper was ripped and I am allergic to cats {we figured it probably had cat hair on it}, she was going to just throw it away.  Well, I couldn’t have that.  I took it out into the yard and cut the paper off.

I couldn’t decide if I should do fabric or get a nice wrapping paper to adhere to the back. 

Until I could decide, I brought it back in the house and stuck it in my living room.  Which happened to have a large expanse of wall that was blank.  And, I kind of like it here! 

I still don’t know if I want to add something to the back of it or just leave it as is. 

The grid kind of lends itself to decorated clothes pins or clips on it with pictures and such ~ kind of like an over-sized idea board, don’t you think?  Playing around with it for the pictures, I added this print I just got yesterday, that will be going in my boutique with several others.

I’m going to leave it until I find that bookcase that “speaks” to me!

As an update to my previous post on the chalkboard I hung in my kitchen, I also used one of the prints I got yesterday {and that will also be in my boutique} on the chalkboard, or at least until I get some chalk and write on it.

Don’t forget to enter my Cottage Charm Giveaway!  Ends May 29, 2010.  And, the CSN Giveaway that ends May 21, 2010.

Linking this post up with:

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Your Choice Giveaway!

**This Giveaway Has Ended.**

The lovely folks at CSN are sponsoring another giveaway!  Yay!  They are such a great place to shop because they carry such a wide variety of items.  I wish I had known about them when I redid our powder room.  I would definitely have checked out their bathroom vanities.

You could get lost in their stores for hours, but here are a few things we came up with to show you.  This pretty laptop bag.

Or this set of pillows.

Or what about this clock? 

Well, guess what? Something a little different from the CSN giveaways I’ve done in the past.  This time you get to choose your own item, up to $60.00 {shipping must be included within that amount}!   How cool for you! 

You do not have to be a follower to enter, but I’d love it if you thought enough of my blog to become one.  Here’s how to enter:

• Leave a comment letting me know which item at one of the CSN Stores caught your eye;
• Blog about or post this giveaway on your sidebar and come back and let me know in a separate comment;
• Tweet about this giveaway, come back and let me know in a separate comment with either a link or your @ name.

That’s up to 3 chances to enter!  You must leave me an email address if you do not have a blog.  If I can’t contact you an alternate winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is open until Friday, May 21, 2010, at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Winner will be chosen via random.org.  Per the sponsors rules, this giveaway is open in the contiguous US and Canada.