Lopsided Living Room: Budget Breakdown

Normally on Tuesdays, I share a short video recap of the previous DIY work week. However, since I just posted the big Lopsided Living Room reveal, I am going to spend this week sharing more about the entire project instead. As usual, I go into the One Room Challenge with the best intentions regarding sharing the in-the-moment details. During week one, I start strong. By week four, I’m still painting, and honestly, who wants to read a painting re-cap four weeks in a row? Not me.

The real magic happens in the last three days of the challenge when I am too occupied to pick up my camera. My brain is on overdrive, and the ideas come quickly and furiously. Problems are solved, and the room comes together. So, let us savor this downtime together now that the lopsided living room is complete.

Today’s post is all about how much money I spent, or in this case, how much I did not spend.

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What I Bought

While there are several items in the living room that I haven’t used before, I bought only a handful of items specifically for this project.

The Vintage Rug – $450

Andy and I had talked about getting a high-quality rug for the living room for a long time, but an investment like that was never in the budget. A large new or vintage Persian or Turkish rug can cost thousands of dollars. In fact, I just saw one online today for $12,000. I would rather go on several vacations than drop $12,000 on a rug.

So, I got serious about scoring a deal on Facebook Marketplace, and it was game on. It took about eight weeks, but I found the one–10′ X 12′ in dark neutrals.

That poor rug came with a dreadful stench, but with a lot of work, it’s now clean and fresh. It does have some very well-worn patches, but it’s likely over sixty years old. I’ll have some well-worn patches by then too.

Two Modern Chairs – $550

To add texture, I knew I wanted something woven with more of a mid-mod or Scandinavian feel. At that point in the project, the living room still felt very heavy and stuffy. I wanted to lighten up the area in front of the fireplace and draw the eye up to the mantel.

Since I did not plan to buy any new furniture, I was looking for a screaming deal, which meant fast furniture instead of well-crafted vintage. Even so, I searched Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for antiques first. Finding one chair was easy, but I needed two.

I ended up finding our chairs on Facebook Marketplace new. I bought them from a furniture supplier. I’m not super proud that I bought new knock-offs, but they are decently crafted, and they will last us for years. Also, they look pretty perfect in here.

Butterfly Drop-Leaf Table – $25

I called this table a drop leaf table, which it is. However, I found out via my friend, Brenda (Thank you, Instagram!), that it is specifically a butterfly drop-leaf table because of the shape of the wings that swing out to hold up each leaf. It is also called a gateleg table.

I found it at a yard sale. The seller described it as “an oldie,” and he is right! This style of table has been around since the 1700s. I suspect mine is from the early 20th-century, maybe older. The top was a mess–marked with a square patch of bare wood.

First, I broke through the remaining clear finish with Smart Strip. Then, I sanded it down 80-220-grit and smoothed three layers of Minwax stain in Provincial on top. I have not protected the wood yet, but I plan to use Waterlox as I did on our kitchen island.

Paint – $120

Luckily, I did not have to repaint any of the trim. I did a few touch-ups here and there, but that’s it. For everything else, I bought two gallons of paint on sale:

• Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams: Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel in a satin finish. (window sashes and bookshelves)
• Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams: Emerald Interior Alkyd in a matte finish (walls)

Now, I did spend about $60 on paint and samples that ended up being duds, but I’ll use them for something later, so I am not adding that into the total. I also had the faux bois colors and tools on hand since I started that project months ago. The two tables are painted Roycroft Bronze Green by Sherwin-Williams, and that came right from my paint stash too. I used the dregs of my can, thinned nearly in half with Floetrol.

Lamps – $90

The cute little brass lamp came from an estate sale. It was $15. The original fluted shade was not my style, so I bought a beige linen-look shade off the sale rack at Lowe’s for $4.

The floor lamp over the puzzle table also came from Lowe’s. It is black with the cutest little brass base and accents.

Total Cost

Now that you’ve read the details, here is the nitty-gritty breakdown:

• Rug – $450
• Carpet Cleaner Rental – $25
• Chairs – $550
• Butterfly drop-leaf table – $25
• Paint – $120
• Lamps – $90

Grand Total: $1260

It always adds up to more than I thought I spent. (Wishful thinking!) However, for a room and project like this one, I feel like I made the most of every dollar. I would love to hear your thoughts. If we were comparing apples-to-apples, would you have spent this money the same way or differently? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.