Allison and I did some very efficient shopping for her Home Makeover this week!
My happy assistant, Allison with the goods!
She could not believe that we were able to find nearly everything on our list in one trip – three stuffed shopping carts, as you can see.
We purchased bedding for the master and her daughter’s bedroom, bed pillows, sofa pillows, a pair of lamps, a throw for the sofa, a large piece of art, a tray, a shower curtain, bath towels, and a few accessories. A store like HomeGoods makes it easy to find so many things in one place!
After redeeming a gift card and getting a discount for opening a HomeGoods credit card, here was the grand total:
Even the cashier was smiling!
What a sweet deal! Allison had budgeted $1000 for the extra decor, so we came out well ahead. We still have to get an apothecary floor lamp and another pair of lamps. When I assist clients in shopping, I always bring paint and fabric samples to help us make smart choices – you would not believe what a difference it makes.
I sometimes draw a bit of an audience with my methods of “testing” new items while still in the store. I had Allison do a quick video to show you guys exactly what I do when I’m choosing store-bought pillows for a sofa:
Sometimes you need to “stage” your living room right there in the store – I do this with bedding combinations, too. Allison is excited about our finds, and so am I! Oh, and her new kitchen light fixture went up this week. Now we just have to wait for the rug and chairs to arrive. I’ve gotta run and get a new headshot made for the book today – let’s hope it’s a good hair day!
thanks for the video tips. i’m a pillow addict myself. guess i’m going to homegoods today 🙂 happy valentines day!
Good luck, Nancy! And don’t let it bother you if people stare when you are “staging” your sofa pillows in the store!
I too am a pillow addict! I have a basket of pillow covers that I rotate through the seasons, but now I’m thinking I need to make a trip to Home Goods! You can never have too many throw pillows!
LOVE the Jacobean print!!!!! I have very similar taste, so I am really stoked to see this makeover.
Love this Kristie! We do the same thing here–even drag around furniture to create our own vignettes to see what works. People are fascinated by it!
I do the same thing in stores! So glad I am not the only one who does this. I hate “return” errands. Huge waste of my time. Not to mention, it is so FUN!
Angela,
I am so bad about returns – hate it so much, I usually just don’t even do it!
Hi Kristie, Thanks for the tip. The timing could not have been better! As I type, I am sitting amongst a bunch of pillows I picked up a week ago and have been playing around with them in a couple of rooms. I found one I like with the colors of my new sofa and accent color, but it has the cream background vs. the white to match the trim and fireplace and does not really relate to anything else in the room. If Allison did not have the rug relating to the creamy color in the pillows, would you have shied away from them? The creamy background seems much more popular than a clean white. Happy Valentine’s!
Sat, I always try to pick fabrics with a background color (typically white or cream) that relates to the trim or background color of other surrounding fabrics or rug. And lampshades! If every white in the room is a creamy off-white, the one thing that is white-white sticks out like a sore thumb!
While I always knew what you meant when you said bring your stuff with you, seeing it happening live and in color via video helped cement it. Thanks for taking the time to do that, Kristie and Allison!
Your voice is completely different than how I heard it in my head. Off subject, I know. It’s very soothing. 🙂
Very southern, right? And just wondering, were you expecting it NOT to be soothing? 😉
Oh, and I LOVE that you are hearing me in your head . . .
Great video! I enjoy taking clients shopping & seeing their excitement as the items come together.
Thank you for that! It really helps. I will travel with my swatches from now on.
Ha ha, Kristie! Yes, I’m sure there are many of us who try to imagine what the Decorologist would say about our various decorating dilemmas. Thx for the video – fun to see the action and interaction!
That’s the best way to see if they are going to work together. Nice job!
I love the video! I just found your blog a couple of weeks ago. You have shared SO much great info! I like to stage stuff in stores too. People do look. 🙂 I LOVE that multi-color floral pillow. I may have to make a trip to HomeGoods today too. 🙂 Though, I am also a confessed pillow addict, and probably (definitely) don’t *need* any more pillows. Ha!
Pillows are like small rugs in that they’re such an easy and versatile decorative item. A few small tweaks and the aesthetic of an entire room can instantly change. Thanks for sharing
Great video tips .I love pillows.
How did you manage to bring those to home?, that’s a lot if things I guess
What about clearance? You should go to clearance sometime
Thanks for the video 🙂
Karen, the only thing that goes on clearance at HomeGoods are broken/damaged items! I do a lot of estate sale shopping and clearance shopping for myself, but most clients want NEW and undamaged 🙂
Great video. Thx for the tip. I just choose the new pillows for me and my husband. Thank you