Beautiful job, Roarah, and congratulations on your decorating "cents." Your post title caught my eye because I'm putting together two bedrooms on a budget. I'm finally wrapping my head around the fact that we're empty nesters and I'm giving myself permission to change up our sons' old bedrooms to something less teenager looking for guest rooms. This weekend I got a headboard along with a solid brass bed--headboard and footboard--all for $20. I can't wait to distress the wooden headboard and paint the brass in ORB. Have a CL nightstand and a dresser my brother gave me for one room. And for the other room, I'll use the pieces my boys left behind when they took what they needed for their current places. Posts like yours are inspiring--thanks for sharing your pics!!

Our dining room is pretty much furnished from consignment shops and online auctions.
Our 9 1/2-ft dining room table & chairs are hand-carved mahogany and from a local consignment & antique shop. (BTW, those are dog toys on the rug there).

We wanted something vintage to store some of our wine, a few Waterford decanters, etc. and found this old, hand-carved bookcase from India at another place.

I have 15 sets (mainly partial) of dinnerware, and most are from consignment, garage sales or Goodwill, as well. In the pic below you can see some of my Franciscanware, Cottageware and Fruitware collections, almost all of which has been found at one of the above places.
{{!gwi}}

I'm actually very proud of how this room is furnished and how much money I saved in doing it.

Our foyer is furnished with all consignment shop pieces.
This rustic hutch with leather hinges on it's doors:

I've gotten to the point where I NEVER buy art, dinnerware, or furniture (except upholstered pieces) new if I can help it. I take my time and scour the consignment, garage sales and thrift shops first or wait until the right piece shows up at one.
Lynn
Lynn

I am Craigslist JUNKIE! I have done alot in my house with used stuff.

My guestroom was the last room I did and I had no money left! The dresser came from my grandparents. There is also a great mid century modern desk on the other wall that belonged to them. The beside table is from CL. The door used as a headboard came off the side of the road. I wish I had a finished picture but this is what I have on hand, looks plain! I have a bunch of cool vintage art on the walls.

In the kitchen, I got some great quarter sawn oak antique chairs from my parents. For the artwork, I found this board under the porch at my parents and painted and distressed it.

I got my favorite part of my kitchen from CL. I got the sink and the faucet from CL for around $90 for both. I got my granite from my parents house. I just had to pay a bit to get it cut down to size.

I decorated my closet with used things too. I painted an dresser that was my brothers and replaced the handles with old metal hose faucets. There is an old school chair. I painted an old mirror and used reclaimed cedar boards to build the shelves (not in picture)

betsy I can not wait to see pics of your finished rooms! I never thought of spray painting a brass bed but that is going to be great!!!

Lynn your home is so filled with character I love your dinning room very elegant, even with the dog toys!!!

Ava, great job on your kitchen it is green and beautiful the granite is lovely and what a big closet you have. I wish i could "decorate" my closets! Your parents have wonderful taste!!!

can someone please tell me how you get the pics to show inline with the text.. I looked at the faq page and did not find this info.

Love the great ideas, I could browse 2nd hand stores everyday if I didn't have day job : )

Mellyc, I opened up a photobucket account and downloaded my pics, then on the far right hand side of the photo i wish to imbed is a "share this photo" window. Go to the 3rd option "html code" Click on this to copy and than paste it in your follow-up window. It will only show as the address in the little box but when you go to preview your message it will be seen. Sorry I know others could explain better but I hope this helped cause I love pictures:)

Than you very much!

My Dining room table and chairs, were just what I was looking for and found on CL. I had a set that worked great in my previous home, but wanted something like this. DH agreed only if I could sell our set, which I did without a problem.

My daughters' bedroom, entirely furnished with craigslist and ebay:
Before pic of the french provincial furniture that all my little friends had as a child and I desperately wanted, but my parents had no money and couldn't afford to buy it.

And the after pic:

The little green upholstered chair was also bought on CL. The dresser, mirror, and highboy dresser were bought on CL for $150. There is also a desk that isn't pictured. The pair of twin beds were won on an auction on ebay for $139. We live in central NJ, and the beds were located in Philly. We drove there for the day and took our daughters to the Camden Aquarium. The beds will always have a story and a memory attached to them now. In my opinion the furniture that is purchased today is just lacking in quality. I would much prefer to buy solid wood furniture second hand and spruce them up.

Love all your finds! I would be so happy to find such terrific things, especially the dining tables!

Polly, fun story and your girls will always remember. I remember where my bureau came from-my mother and I went up to the attic of an old antique store (grew up west of PhilaPa) and found it. I am sure she got it for pennies. That is my first memory of browsing antique stores and probably why I still love to do it. You did a marvelous job on the room and probably laid the foundation for your future deal-finders as they grow up!

Hi, thrilled to see this thread. My DH and I have just entered the empty nest stage, and I am planning to redecorate to suit our new situation. (I think it will help me not miss my kids as much too!)

My very best CL find, a cherry bedroom set. Woman who was selling it said it was her Dad's "old" bedroom set. Yes, it was old...it's solid cherry. It was a few years ago now but I think I got the bed, nightstand, dresser and mirror for just under $200. Honestly, it might have been less. I remember being amazed and really happy!

This is one of our spare bedrooms.

roarah- I have been very blessed with a large closet. I never thought about how odd it was to decorate it! haha But I would give it to someone else in a second. I do not have a lot of clothes and have only 2 pairs of shoes. I would like a bigger shower than closet and I hope to make that happen some day!

polly929- I had a Basset french prov set growing up. I was a tomboy and the room was pink with flower things. It really grew on me though. My mother is saving in the attic for when I have kids. The set belonged to her growing up. Its still in great condition. I think knowing it was hers before made me treat it with respect while it was mine.

Love this post! Almost my entire house is 2nd hand, CL, yard sales, salvage or other. If it's been reno-d it was by DH and I thru Ikea or other box stores.

This is a section of the kitchen that was reno'd using a corner base cabinet and upright pantry cabinet. I did some switching around on the base so we could put the mini-fridge in there, and my step-father made the cabinet doors. The upper cabs were new from Ikea, I just didn't add the doors. I also got a new butcherblock top at Ikea. This whole area cost me less than $200.

This is what it looked like when we moved in.

polly, I had a similar set and my mom is holding onto it for me but our rooms are small so not sure if it will fit my daughters room but seeing your set makes me want to try to squeeze it all in! You did a beautiful job it will become an heirloom for fuuture generations.

Whitdobe, your guest room is so much nicer than my master bed room. Very elegant!

Pesky I love your desk pantry conversion!!! Very clever and your lr is lovely! May I ask what is the blue on the walls it is very soft!

Thankyou I love seeing all these rooms!!! Hope we see more!