Living room décor you’ll love for less

One of the first things people say when they walk into our house is that they love our living room– and they wonder how much it cost to decorate. When I tell them everything was bought secondhand or from a discount store, they don’t believe me! Your living room (or den, or family room…) is one of the most important rooms in your home, so make sure you spend time making it a place you will enjoy being in. Here is a run-down of my living room, and how I snagged such great deals on everything!

PILLOWS

Pillows are life. Just kidding- but they’re pretty important. Adding some funky pillows onto your sofa or chairs will give your room a warm, lived-in vibe, while still looking put together. (Tip: If you have dogs like I do, make sure all of your pillows have a cover that can be zipped off and washed!)

Some of my favorite places to snag great pillows are stores like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Tuesday Morning. Another great option is IKEA, where you can buy the pillow stuffing for just a few dollars and then choose multiple covers that you can mix and match. I found my tapestry-looking covers at a salvage store nearby!

Browse some similar to mine here or here

SOFA

So, here’s the deal on my sofa… It was free. A friend of a friend of my mom’s was interested in buying a new sofa but needed to get their old one out immediately. We heard about their situation through word of mouth and they said if we picked it up that day, then we could have it for free… And you better believe we were there within minutes.

While we lucked out on that, many social media sites have outlets for people to trade or sell furniture for super marked down prices. If you offer to pick it up that day, you’ll usually find people are much more willing to work with you on prices.

IKEA has a similar couch, if you would rather go that route for a similar style

COFFEE TABLE

Let me tell you, this gem is heavy. Dang heavy. The wrought iron base has a great, almost gold rub on it and the glass top is thick and has a beveled edge. This table came from… wait for it… a yard sale. More like a charity sale, but you get the picture. Probably the best $15 I’ve ever spent, and it will last us a lifetime. When you see those annoying flyers on your car for the local charity sale this weekend, it might be worth checking out.

Check out all the thrift stores near you! America’s Best is one of my personal favorites

BOOKS, PHOTOS, DVDS & MEMENTOS

Everyone has those little things that mean a lot to them, but no where to show them off. Our built-in shelves are the perfect spot for showing off your belongings and also having a neat place to store them. I did some Pinterest hunting on how to style a book shelf (it’s harder than you think!) and went to town. (Get my inspiration here!)

Featured are some of my favorite cookbooks, DVDs we may never watch again, and family photos. The iguana was from one of my boyfriend’s fraternity adventures in college, and for some reason it’s meaningful to him… I don’t ask questions.