The Gathered Home

A Blog about Finding and Making

Dining Room Updates: Budget Breakdown

by 44 Comments

Have you been following along with my month-long dining room makeover?

a-bold-amp-colorful-dining-room-makeover

Layer 1: Chard Walls & Black Brick Fireplace

Layer 2: Sunburst Medallion & Honefoss Mirrors

Layer 3: Black & Leopard Chinese Chippendale Chairs

Layer 4: Floral Curtains & Bokhara Rug

Today, I’m very excited to give you the full, no-holds barred budget breakdown: blogger bares all!

a-bold-amp-colorful-dining-room-budget-breakdown

*Today’s post may contain affiliate links.If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission. You can read my full disclosure here. I hope you all know by now that I do only share things I really truly love!

Wall color: “Chard” by Martha Stewart Living, $24.

Fireplace: basic black, Glidden flat paint. Home Depot: 1 gallon, $20

1. Brass curtain rod – Home Decorator’s Collection 66-120” in brushed brass, $27
Curtain ring clips – Target: 3 packs of Threshold Drapery Clip Rings in Antique Brass, $21 (similar here)

2. Curtains – DIY: Waverly Spring Bling in Spring, 6 yards & Roc Lon Drapery Lining White, 6 yards – provided by Fabric.com, however, the total = $106

3. Gold sunburst ceiling medallion – DIY: Folk Art gold metallic acrylic paint, a few dollars.

4. Midcentury chandelier – Craigslist: $35

5. Honefoss mirror installation – Ikea: Honefoss mirrors, 3 packs, $45

6. Vintage Dixie Chinese Chippendale Chairs – Craigslist: $125 for the chairs + table, but I was able to sell the table for $175, so a profit of $50.
Black paint – leftover Glidden flat black from the fireplace, free. Painted with the HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer. Tutorial here.
Chair fabric – Braemore Jamil Natural, 3 yards, around $100 with shipping

7. Vintage Burl Patchwork Parsons Dining Table – Craigslist: $100 for the table + 6 chairs, but I was able to sell the chairs for $100, making the table free.

8. 8×11 Bokhara rug – “borrowed” from my parents, free.

Accessories: Pottery Barn brass candlesticks (Goodwill: $8), pair of brass swans (Goodwill: $4), huge vintage white pitcher (Goodwill: $4).

Are you ready for the grand total???

dining room makeover grand total

When I tallied up the numbers, I was shocked that I was able to accomplish so much for so little! (And in order to be as accurate as possible, I did include the cost of the curtain fabric in the total.)

I realize that some things in this makeover were very lucky breaks for me, like being able to “borrow” such a huge, fabulous rug from my parents! And I realize that my source for so many of the items being Goodwill or Craigslist doesn’t really help you in tracking down something similar.

However, I hope this breakdown and source list does help inspire you when tackling a makeover of your own!

 Here are my tips for room makeovers on a budget:

1. Paint is a high impact, low cost update.

2. Search out secondhand furniture that just needs a little elbow grease to become the star of the show. (I was able to make my furniture finds particularly thrifty by selling portions of each dining set to cover the cost of the rest of it!)

3. Don’t forget to look for lighting secondhand as well! (Of course, be sure the wiring is in good condition before you hang the light fixture! When it doubt, consult a professional.)

4. Shop thrift stores for unique accessories.

5. DIY the curtains of your dreams with a few yards of a fabulous fabric and a few hours of your time. (I could have surely found curtains for $100/pair, but mine are completely custom and in a pattern I absolutely adore. They “make” the room. So in my opinion, it is worth it to spend a little more on your own “custom” drapery!)

6. Snoop around in family and friends’ attics for hidden treasures. They might have something awesome tucked away. Or you could always swap home décor items with a friend if both of you want to try something new!

7. Finally, be fluid with your room design! Leave room for surprise bargains or finds to alter your original ideas – serendipity is my key to room makeovers on a budget!

 I hope you enjoyed this tell-all post! 

Brynne
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Comments

  4. Tasha A. says

    WOW! I love, love, love the format of this post and your beautiful dining room! This is blogging at its best! I can't believe the deal you got on that stunning mid-century chandelier. And I love that you are not afraid of color. Love it all!

    Reply

  12. Gretchen says

    This is such a beautiful room! It definitely doesn't look like a $350 room :). Great job working Craigslist of on the table and chairs!

    Reply

    • brynne@thegatheredhome.com says

      Thank you Gretchen! If I had just purchased one set, I would have spent money on the table and chairs, but because I bought two sets and sold the table from one and the chairs from the other, I can't believe I came out on top! It's a good strategy to save for the future!

      Reply

  21. Angela Santaniello says

    I can't even keep up with myself. I just realized I had been following along on your room makeover and then missed your final post. Gah. Anyway, I LOVE the colors and patterns you mixed in the room along with the bits of gold (you can never go wrong with gold). And your budget was pretty fantastic, too!

    Angela @ Number Fifty-Three

    Reply

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