I’m so excited to bring you this column, which is about decorating virtually, but it’s also the wonderful journey of how Kris Ward was able to furnish her home for less than $1,000 — and discover her style along the way.
It started with a phone call. Kris was a previous client of mine who called to tell me she had bought a home on Prince Edward Island. She would be starting fresh — she had a bed, TV, desk and computer. That’s it.
She was excited, but very nervous as she was starting with nothing and facing an empty house. How was she going to furnish it and what would it cost? She had no idea what her style was and worried that I would not be able to help her decorate since I am in Ontario.
No problem, I told her. We could do it virtually and we would go on the journey of finding her style together.
I looked forward to the months ahead. She, however, couldn’t imagine her home filled with furniture and items that she loved, because she had no idea what she liked. Still, she put her trust in me, which made the process so much easier and fun.
Follow along on her year-long journey of decorating virtually and see how finding her style has brought her joy, peace and a beautiful home.
First, meet Kris:
Where to begin? So much to do!
Once Kris had moved in and had a chance to breathe, we had many conversations about the big task ahead. She couldn’t get her head wrapped around furnishing her empty home without a big budget and without knowing what to buy.
Our plan was created. She would scour Facebook Marketplace, yard sales and thrift stores and we would furnish her home $20 at a time.
Like most homeowners, she thought that to furnish her home and have it look stylish would require a big budget. Not true! She had a lot of patience, a computer and a car and was totally up for the challenge.
Texts started to come in a flurry, virtual meetings in stores and at yard sales were commonplace. Bit by bit, piece by piece, a few dollars here, a few dollars there, we were building her home — and having a ton of fun doing it.
I’d like to give you a sense of the spaces and what we created in this room-by-room look at her home’s transformation. A home doesn’t have to be filled with expensive things to look beautiful and give you pleasure. As Kris learned, money doesn’t buy design; it comes in gathering pieces that call to you.
Before … Take a tour of Kris’s upstairs before we decorated it:
After … And see how it looks now:
Living room
Kris looked at this large, open space and had no idea what to buy and where to put her new pieces. She was used to putting her furniture up against walls and was confused because she couldn’t do it in this space.
We wanted to create two areas: a little reading nook by the stairs and a more open, larger space for relaxing and entertaining.
She found a fabulous wing chair ($90), vintage dresser ($45) and retro suitcase table ($40), all on Facebook Marketplace, and suddenly she had the foundation for her reading nook. We used dollar store wreaths as art, outlined by a vintage frame that was headed for the garbage. Unique pieces of pottery, purchased at yard sales ($20 for a box of about 20 items), line the dresser top to finish off the space.
The look we created is simple, yet stylish. Total budget: less than $200.
With the larger, more open space, we again turned to Facebook Marketplace and arranged the TV on top of a vintage dresser ($40), which was also great for storage, and placed it on an angle in a corner. A rug was placed in front of the loveseat ($60) and a coffee table ($25) was added. A large basket holds extra throws.
Another chair ($60), along with an ottoman, was angled to create a cosy, comfortable conversation area. Kris loves entertaining her family and friends in her new living space. Again, less than $200 spent.
Kitchen
One of the first things she did when she moved in was to remove the upper cabinet over the peninsula. It took up so much visual space and once removed, really opened up the entire kitchen.
Kris really lucked out and found this lovely kitchen table and chairs for $200, which turned out to be her most expensive furniture purchase. She painted the walls and we added live-edge shelving with treasures that she found at yard sales.
As you can see, she really likes the white/cream look. We have a dresser under one of the shelves and she is currently on the hunt for another dresser to place under the other shelf. All in all, she is very pleased with her country kitchen.
Master bedroom
Kris has never had a master bedroom that she felt was calming and serene and that looked good. She knew the feeling she wanted and, for her, a white/natural colour theme was it.
We used interesting pieces to accomplish her look: a vintage large window as her headboard ($30), a dresser for her tv stand ($70), an old chest that was repainted and a wooden barn door to complete the room. And she wanted white sheer curtains so they could blow in the breeze. She also changed out the closet door to update it.
Dressing room
A dressing room was on her wish list. She claimed one of the bedrooms and piece by piece we pulled together a fabulous space. The already-white units she picked up at yard sales ($72 for all three), the wicker chair was free at the side of the road and the rug ($5) was added. All shelf accessories were purchased at yard sales or thrift stores. It’s a perfect space for her to get ready for the day.
Guest room
Kris couldn’t wait to put together her guest room for her family. She wanted it to be a place where they would feel welcome and comfortable. Gathering everything for this room was both fun and stressful for her, but once she saw the room come together, she was thrilled with the way it turned out.
On the road… to a barn filled with wood
Kris was out and about one day and called me in excitement. She had found a gem on the island. Ian is a collector of barn doors and pieces of barn board. He has a barn filled with items and I was lucky enough to see it virtually. I was so excited at what I saw because I immediately saw the possibilities for her home.
We assembled a few barn doors of various sizes that we were interested in and found creative ways to use them. We also had Ian cut down a piece of barn board that would become a small table in the guest room. We added hairpin legs and voilà! It’s a fabulous table that will be well used by Kris’s guests. Cost for all these wood pieces? About $45.
We also gathered pieces of barn board that would make perfect shelves in the kitchen.
In this video, Kris shares her journey:
This whole process of decorating virtually surprised Kris and, to be truthful, it surprised me as well. Not the virtual aspect, as I’ve done that many times for clients, but who would have thought we could furnish and decorate a home for just under $1,000 virtually?
As you see, it can be done.
We have some finishing touches to work on, such as artwork for the walls, and then we will move to the exterior front porch and back deck areas. I don’t know about Kris, but I can’t wait!
I hope this project inspires you and helps you realize that having a beautiful home doesn’t necessarily equate with the amount of money you spend. My design mantra is to surround yourself with things that you love, and you will love your home.
