I was going to wait until next week to write this post, but with so many amazing sales going on for 4th of July and Prime Day around the corner, (Target and eBay getting in on the action this July 15th) I had to act fast.
I recently sat down with my talented cousin Liz of Liz Pensiero Staging + Design to talk about decorating a new space on a budget. She’s on a budget for her staging clients and IMO is an expert at getting that bang for your buck. My own home is a constant work in progress and my little sister is about to close on a condo this month (so proud and excited for you Katie). We love Liz’s style and had a few questions for her. Check out Liz’s tips below along with some pretty sweet sales (practically every store has a 4th of July sale going on now). Don’t forget to shop through the Rakuten and Drop apps to earn cash back rewards. I’ll post my referral codes at the end!
Me: What are your go to places to shop on a budget?
Liz: Wayfair, Amazon, Target, Houzz, Joss&Main, Etsy, West Elm & Pottery Barn sales, and Red Bubble for fun art. There’s also great finds on Facebook marketplace. Don’t be afraid to buy second-hand. Sometimes it’s fairly new furniture, but people are moving and it doesn’t fit their new space.
Me: You should totally have an occasional tag sale when you need to change your staging items.
Liz: I’ve heard of someone doing that! It might be something I look into.
Leave a comment if you think Liz should too 😉
Me: What items are worth the splurge? Which can you tend to save on?
Liz: I like to splurge at Anthropologie and they have great sales (50% off right now). You’ll want to splurge on items like a sofa and mattresses (Earn Drop points when you buy a Casper or Wave Mattress through the app this 4th of July). Also bedding in the master bedroom. You don’t have to splurge on kids or guest room bedding, but it’s definitely nice to have it in the master. I like Crane & Canopy and Serena & Lily. There’s even good finds at Bed, Bath & Beyond. You can definitely save on dining room chairs, rugs, and headboards shopping at Wayfair.
Me: What are some inexpensive items that help enhance your space?
Liz: Throw pillows, blankets, seasonal vases and florals, frames, dishes & dining ware from Home Goods or Wayfair. Also fun artwork from REDBUBBLE or Etsy. Etsy has everything.
Me: My husband might freak out if I come home with another throw pillow.
Liz: Laughs. Yea, Keith told me I’m not allowed to bring home anymore either!
Me: Are there any trends to follow (or not follow) right now?
Liz: I’m seeing wallpaper make a comeback. They have removable temp paper now, which makes it easy and more affordable to install. You can buy it at Etsy, Target, and Home Goods. Also gold and brass bathroom and kitchen hardware and accessories. In terms of trends not to follow? There aren’t really any I don’t like, but trends are trends. You could be sick of it in a couple years. My advice is to stick with traditional, never fail classics for your permanent and expensive items (sofa, kitchen cabinets, countertops and tiles in the kitchen and bathroom) and then add trends with your accessories (temp paper, pillows, throws). You can easily change accessories or the hardware on your kitchen cabinets.
Me: Is it ok to mix and match metals?
Liz: Totally ok to mix and match.
Me: What if your design style is all over the place? I seem to like different styles and I’m not sure if they go together. My Joybird sofa is mid-century modern, but I also love the classic and traditional bedroom set David’s mom let us take from their guest room.
Liz: There’s really no rules. It’s your home so do what you want! Try starting with one jumping off piece (like your sofa). It also helps to pick a color that becomes a thread for the rest of the home. So if you like different styles, that’s ok. The pops of color in each room will help tie it all together. It’s ok to mix styles, fabrics, and metals.
Me: I think Katie plans to remodel the kitchen. Any suggestions?
Liz: She’ll definitely want to keep resale in mind. Hardwood floors and white cabinets. They don’t have to be super expensive cabinets either. We had a good experience with Express Kitchens. I would splurge on nice countertops. Quartz is really pretty. The glass subway tile backsplash or white with gray/black grout is nice too. This will keep it traditional and classic for resale, but she can add pops of color with accessories and buy nice hardware for the cabinets.
Me: Will you write a guest post about staging for resale for My Wealth Road? And send some design picks from your favorite stores?
Liz: I’d love too!
Keep an eye out for more of Liz’s tips and follow her on Instagram @lizpensierostaging to see before and after photos of her work.
Liz also asked how I liked my Joybird sofa. Sharing some details below.
I was really nervous buying our sofa online. What if I don’t like it? What if it’s uncomfortable? We just sold our condo (wasn’t planning that). What if the sofa doesn’t fit in our new space? Joybird didn’t disappoint, but just in case they offer a 365 day return policy (click here for details). We ordered the Serena Sectional (picture below from website) with the kid friendly Safeguard fabric in Sunbrella Premiere Fog. David loves the comfort and look of the couch. Of course he could do without my throw pillows!
Joybird is offering 30% off. There’s 0% financing available (need pre-approval). Enter for a chance to win $1,000 towards shopping when you subscribe to email.
Earn cash back when shopping 4th of July sales with Rakuten and Drop!
Pretty much all of the stores mentioned above have sales going on for 4th of July. Click the links to see what each is offering. Better yet, download the Rakuten and Drop apps to see what sales are going on and shop through the apps to earn cash back rewards. Sales and cash back? Sounds like a win-win to me.
Use my bonus referral codes to sign up!
Use code 02yoc when signing up for Drop. We’ll both get $5 when you link your first card. You can also participate in the give $5, get $5 referral program when you sign up.
Use this link when signing up for Rakuten. I’ll receive $25 and then you’ll receive your own referral link to share and earn cash back. Just click on the “refer and earn” link =)
