It’s full steam ahead as we race to have everything finished by the end of next week! Oh man, did I just say ‘next week’? That’s like super soon!

I’ve been scouring second-hand sites like a crazy person and although it’s been slow going I’ve made some progress.

Of course, the problem with being on a limited budget and short time frame, is well, being on a limited budget and short time frame! Having one without the other isn’t too much of an issue, though when you put the two together it can make things really difficult.

You see, finding the right pieces at the right prices generally takes A LOT of time (ever noticed how long it usually takes me to finish a space?), and when you don’t have time it means many sleepless nights lying awake wondering what the heck you’re going to do! And not only are the more affordable pre-loved pieces harder to come by, they generally need the most amount of work. And what does work equal? Yep, more time – which I simply don’t have.

Of course, there’s always the option of compromise. That’s what I did when we staged my gran’s house for sale; an old sugar bowl to hold clipped greenery, a dated buffet base along the blank kitchen wall, a faded pillow slip in a frame as wall art. And there’s nothing wrong with that! In fact, that kind of expedient ingenuity makes me feel a little bit proud and can be quite inspiring, however I still had more time and money to stage my gran’s house than I do for this whole flip! And I really, really, really want to elevate this house. Not only for my friend, though also for myself.

Luckily, I’ve been super fortunate to have a few brands jump on board which is AMAZING! Not only will this help relieve some of my time and budget pressure though it gives me the chance to dress the house with a few beautiful new items (which is a pretty exciting thing for me!). Don’t worry though, there’ll still be plenty of budget-friendly ideas, DIY and repurposing going on! I know many of you appreciate the “real world” way I go about things here, and it’s incredibly important to me that I maintain this relatability. Just hope you can understand where I’m coming from.

Although the brands are being quite generous with their contributions (for which I’m endlessly grateful – will share more details soon!), they will still far from cover everything. So, as already mentioned, I’ve been on a mission to hunt down bargains wherever I can! Here are some of the pieces I’ve scored so far…

Chippendale Chairs

SET OF EIGHT CHIPPENDALE CHAIRS | $100

Yes, people, $100!

I happened to check Marketplace at the right time and these had just been listed. I thought the seller must be asking $100 per chair (which would have been reasonable given I know this style of chair usually retails for around $400 each) though it wasn’t clear so I asked the question and she confirmed it was $100 for the entire set of eight! Of course, my next thought was that they must be badly damaged however she assured me they were in great condition aside from a few scuffs here and there. When I went to collect them I wasn’t disappointed.

The yellow is pretty awesome though it doesn’t quite suit our theme, plus there are a decent amount of scuff marks, so I think I’ll paint them white. They will be used on the covered outdoor deck.

Bed Frame

QUEEN BED WITH MATTRESS | FREE

One of the bedrooms had a billiard table instead of a bed so I needed to source one. There are staging tricks where you can use wood pallets, trestle tables or packing boxes with an air bed on top however I figured it would just be easier to buy a super cheap bed. I put a “wanted” ad in one of my local Buy Swap Sell Facebook groups and someone offered this up for free. Not bad! There is a mattress too, just not in this shot.

Although it’s a decent bed it’s not exactly what I had in mind. Am thinking about painting it (possibly charcoal) and altering the head in some way to give it a more unique feel. Not sure yet, though am considering using rope somehow. We’ll see.

Sideboard

RUSTIC SIDEBOARD | $80

Affordable sideboards are one of the trickier items to come by. Because they’re generally quite large, usually with multiple drawers and doors, they tend to be priced relatively high. Was lucky to pick this one up from Gumtree. Initially I was planning on cleaning it up and changing the handles though when I saw it in person I decided I actually quite like it as is. It will probably serve as the TV cabinet in the living room. I’m still hunting for a second sideboard for the dining space.

Bamboo Shelves

BAMBOO SHELVES | $50

Admittedly this wasn’t an entirely essential item though it’s super flexible so there are plenty of areas I can use it, plus I’ve loved these forever and this one was priced just right! I found it on Marketplace and am thinking it may end up in the home office, sitting room or somewhere near the kitchen – not sure yet.

Bedside Tables

BEDSIDE TABLES | $40

I couldn’t go past this simple pair of bedsides which I found on eBay. They are dark stained veneer and my original plan was to sand them back to natural however it’s quite a big job given all the visible surfaces and at this stage I don’t think I’ll have the time. Instead I’ll probably just paint them (maybe green) and perhaps add a few brass corners. They will most likely end up in the master bedroom.

Rattan Drawers

RATTAN DRESSER | $65

This was another item I got a bit lucky with. Happened to notice it on Marketplace just a few minutes after it was listed. I’ve seen similar being sold from upwards of $300 so I jumped on it! This will be used in a bedroom or the sitting room.

There are a few existing  pieces from the house we’ll be using too…

Old Bed

I know this crappy single bed mightn’t look like much though I have plans to paint it green and add a statement headboard. This will be used in the smallest bedroom which I’m staging as a kid’s space.

Couch

Upholstered pieces are always the hardest when you’re decorating on a budget. Even the cheapest of new couches aren’t exactly cheap, and most second-hand pieces are stained or damaged. Fortunately there were already two of these couches at the house in good condition. Although they might not be what I would have chosen, they have simple lines and neutral enough dark chocolate fabric which I can easily work with.

Bed Base

I don’t have a shot of this bed stripped, however it’s just a basic mattress and base ensemble. I’m planning on making a large headboard and concealing the base with an easy DIY valance. It will be used in the master bedroom.

So, there’s still a bit to do though we’re definitely at the pointy end now. Can’t wait to share more as things progress!

 

Signature

Find all of the previous flip house posts HERE.

 

RELATED POSTS

Living Room RevealThe Flip House | Living Room Reveal Easy DIY Bed SkirtEasy No Sew Bed Skirt…from a Curtain Panel! How to turn a Basket into a LightHow to Turn a Basket into a Light Shade DIY Slipcovered HeadboardDIY Easy Slipcovered Headboard Tutorial…plus how to extend a low bedhead Rope Headboard DIYEasy DIY Rope Wrapped Headboard Tutorial