Thinking Outside the (Cheap!) Box

Quite some time ago I watched a decorating feature on a TV show (I can’t remember which one…).  In it, the decorator bought everything for a bedroom makeover…at the Dollar Store!  I was blown away by the end result and creativity of this woman.

I often think of something she said while she was shopping, “Take the item off the shelf and envision it in a different environment.  You’ll be surprised at how good it looks somewhere else.”

I remembered that as I walked into Liquidation World on Saturday.  The sign on the door had my heart racing – “BLUE TICKET SALE – 75% OFF LOWEST TICKETED PRICE!”.  Oh boy…I love a good sale.

I went right to the area where I saw the blue tickets.  Of course it was not real pretty…and it was a mess… But the “thrill of the hunt” kept me moving.

This box caught me eye…only, really, because of the word “Apothecary” (Which, by the way, I cannot pronounce correctly!).

I opened the battered box and dug the thing out.  The plastic orchid was hideous…

I need to take a slight diversion from the story to share my personal philosophy on something.  I do love finding a good deal on something.  However, I don’t believe that the only motivation for a purchase should be its price!  I, personally, don’t want to surround myself with cheap things that look…well…CHEAP!!!  Also, there are pieces that are best (and most wisely purchased) as “investment pieces”.  I also don’t want to buy something because of its amazing price and then never use it.  Even though the price may be right…it becomes a waste of money when not used.

O.K. enough of my soapbox…

I’ve been eyeing for ages the cool things that Pottery Barn does with Apothecary Jars…

(Photo by Pottery Barn – You can purchase these there for $39-$69)  – Talk about a versatile piece of decor!  You can use it in your bathroom for soaps or rolled up washcloths, in your dining room with flowers, in your living room with beach decor…  The options are endless!

So, using that as my inspiration, I filled mine with some Epson salts (a GREAT alternative to white sand…), a few plaster moulds of seashells and starfish I had, and a few sprigs of fake greenery.

 

(And maybe next week I’ll put in some real fern leaves floating in water.…)

So bless that decorator woman’s heart for encouraging me to give a battered old box in a messy store a chance.  I’m enjoying my new $2.50 purchase!

Linking Up:

my repurposed life

at home with k