quick coat

I’m cheap.  Well, not really cheap but I am very frugal.  I wasn’t always this way, that’s for another post.  In fact, in the past I never would have thought to repurpose something.  But then marriage happened and I was taught some hard but very rewarding lessons about money. Now I’m all about repurposing and besides being “frugal” is all the rage again.  Simple living at its best.

When it came to our little living room revamp the entire project cost us less than $425.  If you subtract the furniture that we bought with some Christmas money we saved for that purpose then we did the whole thing for around $160.  Not bad at all. 

*note we pay cash for everything that we do. it’s a habit the hubby had been doing all his adult life and one I quickly adapted when we got married.  so we’ve been saving for this little spruce up.  kind of like young house love*

But one thing I’ve learned to love and now I love it more than anything, is holding a can of spray paint in my hand and revamping something.  Case in point, we’ve revamped so many inexpensive flower pots and now for the living room, I brought out the cans again.  Enter our gold mirror and the tray on the end table. 


                  Before                                                            After

                                                    During

I was lucky to do this in more moderate winter weather.  I do NOT recommend spraying things in your home in the dead of winter because of the toxic fumes.  I wore a mask and had many windows open.  This is best done in a garage, or outside when the weather is nicer.  You do have to be cautious of the outdoor temperature as noted on the can of spray paint.

I first laid out the drop cloth, because the issue of overspray is very real.  I then lined the mirror portion with newspaper to ensure the mirror would not get coated in paint.  But if it does, it’s easy to remove with a razor blade or paint thinner.  I used “hammered black” for the mirror and “antique white” for the tray.  It’s as easy as pie.

If you’re curious of our budget, here’s the breakdown on costs:

2 Nils chairs (Ikea): $160 for 2
1 Bjorkudden Table (Ikea): $100
Gallon of wall paint (Menards): $18
Quart of table paint (Menards): $12
Floral chair: repurposed from our office (a chair from storage took it’s place)
2 napkins=new pillow cover (west elm): $8
Mercury votive (west elm): $5
Gray square ottoman (tjmaxx): $7
Tray on end table (Target): $5
7 Frames (Ikea): ~ $90
Wall art: FREE (paper and pictures we had on hand or made)
Pillow Covers (Ikea & west elm): Striped $7, Red w/buttons $9

Totals:  $421 (with furniture)
           $161 (without dining furniture)

Not bad if you ask me considering we’ve been slowly putting away into the fix up fund for the living room/dining room.  And the fact that we have a dining table and chairs again, well that’s PRICELESS. 

Dinner conversation is SO worth it.  Seriously.  I’ve been waiting for this.  Having meaningful conversation with my husband most nights of the week instead of watching Wheel of Fortune or old episodes of the Office, is so refreshing.  I’m not gonna lie, we still fall into our old patterns:)