A few weeks ago I was perusing the internets looking at pictures of bedroom boutique setups right? I saw some of the most amazing, most incredibly creative setups ever! Truly, I was salivating over some of the images and racking my brain over how I could implement some of those ideas on my lower than low budget.
My first thought was to try Ikea and see what options they offered. I've never ever shopped at Ikea but I've heard quite often how reasonably priced their stuff is. The only drawback everyone mentions is the DIY factor. I've also heard some folks say that for the money, the quality of the merchandise leaves something to be desired. IMO, that's nothing a few extra screws, some Gorilla Glue and an, electric drill can't handle, lol. So to the Ikea website I went and this is what I came across...
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| $155.96 (not including tax and not sure if this or any of the others is available for delivery) |
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| $151.93 |
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| $137.94 |
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| $211.94 |
These options are okay, but they're very cold and institutional looking. It also appears that some of the pieces may require that holes be drilled in the walls and being a renter; I can't go for that. Ikea also has a line of storage systems called Pax, Stolmen and Elga. I found the Pax pieces to be nice, but they're very bulky and my space is limited. The Stolmen system was nice and all, but the prices for those industrial looking pieces inspired the gas face. The Elga system pieces didn't inspire me at all.
With that idea down the drain, my next stop was The Container Store where I found these beauties...
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| $1,884.19 (not including tax and delivery) |
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| $1,165.12 (not including tax and delivery) |
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| $828.88 (not including tax and delivery) |
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| I thought this would work perfectly as a dual vanity/slash computer work area. The $908.39 price tag, however (not including tax and shipping), is beyond my budget. |
As much as I love these Container Store options for their functionality and adjust-ability, they are just too damn rich for my blood. I also love that they're freestanding, which means no need for power tools and holes in the walls. Additionally, they're a tad bit warmer than the Ikea options. I suppose that I could add some pretty fabric storage containers and hangers to add more warmth and personality, but I wouldn't be able to afford it once I got done paying for the "closets" themselves, lol. A girl can dream though :-)
So after more searching and restrategizing, I finally decided that I'd have to recreate the look I wanted with bookcases, fabric storage bins and a clothing rack. I scouted around and decided to hook four of these bookcases that were on sale at Target.com for $57.99. I also picked up five of these cute marble patterned John Derian for Target media bins that were on clearance for $4.89 each and this black Dolce desk that I plan to use as a combo vanity/laptop workstation. I'm also in the process of trying to find a good quality but inexpensive lighted vanity mirror for the desk. For those of you who'd also be interested in an inexpensive vanity mirror, I'll keep you abreast of my finds. Oh, I almost forgot the garment rack and velvet hangers I found. I absolutely LOVE these slimline velvet hangers! I found some at Dollar Tree a year ago and bought every single last one, lol. Clothes will not slip off of them, you won't have ugly dents in the shoulders of your blouses/sweaters/etc. and because of their slim design, you'll gain tons of closet space. You and your closet will stay winning!
I saved a ton of money shopping online through Ebates.com using their coupon codes and a store credit I had for a return I made to my local Target store. What's more is that when you spend $50 or more at Target.com, many items ship free. Need more good news? When you shop through Ebates.com you get cash back on all your purchases! Yep, I stay winning :-)
Now all I have to do is wait patiently for my new bedroom boutique design implements to arrive. I am so excited for this DIY project and can't wait to see how it turns out. I'll be sure to post pics of the finished bedroom boutique. Until then, ciao bellas!
