Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Bargain Hunting

My mother raised me to be a bargain shopper.  Seriously!!  She was a marathon shopper - she would pack her lunch when she went to the outlets, to make sure she didn't waste any time eating.  After all, there were bargains to be found.  She would always buy things out of season, because that was when you'd get the biggest discount.  And she never, ever paid full price!

So, I'm a chip off the old block.  A 'Clearance' sign can stop me dead in my tracks.  With the advent of online shopping, I can search to see who has the best deal on a specific item.  But the most important attribute for a bargain hunter is to be willing to spend time shopping.  Which I'm happy to do - just ask my husband!!

Over the holidays, we drove down to Atlanta and I was able to stop at not one, but two Pottery Barn Outlets (there are only 8 in the whole country)!!!  I found the perfect sconces for the bathroom at 70% off.
 
Pottery Barn Sconces, RH Pivot Mirror

Vintage Style Medicine Cabinet
I've made multiple trips to Restoration Hardware's outlets in PA and MA and found great buys on mirrors, lighting fixtures and a vintage style medicine chest.  I combined a sale and coupon to get a great deal on a light fixture from Ballard Designs for the foyer light.
RH Chatham Sconce - clever note on wall!


For those of us in Maine, we have a store - Mardens - that specializes in selling products from distressed stores. When a couple of local Lowe's stores that went out of business, we were able to get great deals on a kitchen vent hood and bathroom vanity.

And of course I continue to shop at Homegoods, the ReStore and any clearance section I can find!!  All focused on creating high end style at a reasonable price.  After all, we want this house to have top quality features.



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9 comments:

  1. Then you have the best idea, manage to create far more questions about the information needed to finish a top quality features of the house. Therefore, it must well written and of high quality. Are you really interested in house decor and all that goes with it?

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    1. We love all aspects of taking a home through the renovation process and then staging it for sale!

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  2. Laurel- those are the sconces and mirror that we had in our lower level bath in Mendham when we remodeled. Great taste! ha ha! Elise

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  3. The vintage medicine cabinet looks really amazing, I'm sure that it will look good with any bathroom. Thanks.

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    1. Thanks for the feedback - the medicine cabinet really helped the bath have a 'vintage' look to it. I just love those bevel glass mirrors in the white wood. Did you check out the Before and After for the bathrooms? You can see the finished product there!

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  4. I stay in an apartment for rent near my office for some years already and the landlord has already licensed me to decorate and change furniture on my own. I then told him that I can also design the other rooms only if he'd give me a good budget. I also went to bargain shops and bought good stuff, he was happy.

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  5. When I was looking for some a Makati apartment for sale in the Philippines, I was able to browse different furniture in the area. Some of the apartments were furnished, while some were livable. In your own opinion, is it better to buy a fully furnished apartment or to buy a livable one? I am considering the latter so I could choose the right and best furniture for that apartment just like the Sconce & elegant mirrors.

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    1. It's hard to give a specific answer to that one George, because it will depend on your circumstances. We once rented a fully furnished apartment, because we were new to an area and weren't ready to decide where we wanted to live for the long term. That worked fine for the time, but I never felt happy there - because I felt like I was living in someone else's home. I'm most comfortable in a space where the style matches our tastes. And if you shop carefully, you can get the look you want very affordably.

      Best of luck to you!

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