Live large, spend small

New home = blank canvas (Disclaimer: Not my apt:)

As most of you know, Dr. H and I recently relocated to a new apartment in Greenwich Village. Expanding by approximately 200 square feet and moving to one of Manhattan's most beloved neighborhoods, we, like so many other New Yorkers, are living at the tip top of our housing cost comfort zone (and consider it worth every penny!) The trade off however, is that when it came time to upgrade our Ikea/college dorm/parent hand-me-down furniture collection, sticking to a budget was an absolute necessity. Though I dream of a day when the "perfect piece" is more important than the "perfect price", today is not that day. Since I love to share all that's good and merry in my life, here are some of my decor shopping success stories. We managed to find awesome new furniture from both expected and unexpected places (online and in person) and who doesn't love a good deal!?

* World Market - www.worldmarket.com

Because no one wants to break the bank on decor "accessories"

Dr. H and I decided that we were going to keep our 2 couches, but spruce up the living room with new pillows, carpet, accent chairs and a throw (to freshen up our fading love seat). Worldmarket was the PERFECT website for decor accessories with quality not at all sacrificed for affordability. Their furniture also gets great reviews.

* Target.com

Who knew Target.com was this chic!?

I am a big fan of Target (or "Tar-sh`e" as my Nanny calls it!) but Target.com pretty much blew my mind. The selection of furniture, particularly accent chairs, not available in stores is bananas and free shipping/returns are more common than not. Minimal assembly and high quality fabric sealed the deal on my target.com love affair

 * Rugs USA - www.rugsusa.com

Something cozy under your toesies

You know what costs a lot of money? A new carpet costs a LOT of money, so thank you Pinterest for directing me to this amazing website. RugsUSA has a huge selection of rugs at every price point, in every size, color and print you can imagine. Shipping was fast and the site's frequent sales make the shipping cost a non-issue.

* Brooklyn Flea - www.brooklynflea.com

Winter Flea

Summer flea

Dr. H and I love a good flea market (for reals, my husband will willingly peruse a flea market... how lucky am I!?) and Brooklyn Flea is a very good flea market. Outdoors in Williamsburg and Fort Greene during spring, summer and fall, now indoors at Williamsburg Savings Bank, on our most recent flea trip we discovered the incredible Joel Voisard, a furniture craftsman who made us a custom wood kitchen table and bench which we absolutely love. Since Brooklyn Flea is populated by small business owners and artisans, prices allow you to get creative, go custom and purchase something one-of-a-kind, all while staying in your budget! (Also, lots of good eats to give you energy for shopping:)

* UrbanOutfitters.com

Come into my bedroom friend!

Another awesome store that's hiding all the good stuff online! Urban's online furniture selection is as hipster-chic as their clothing and in most cases, even more fairly priced. Our fold-out loveseat (the "Anywhere Sofa") has stayed with us for 2 moves and we recently added those pretty little nightstands to our bedroom.

* Other ways to save...
I'm by no means a professional decorator, but I've got a decent eye and a crafty mind. Some more ideas I put to work:

- By repainting two of our old kitchen chairs a funky purple and re-appolstering the other two a burnt orange, I was able to get "new" chairs for my kitchen, living room and desk for under $20

- I had my heart set on a big fancy bed frame, but those prices are a serious commitment. Ultimately we found an awesome headboard at Pier1 for a fraction of the price. In the end, not having a footer on the bed gives our colorful and glamorous comforter (HERE) more room to shine

- Pictures can be art. Get creative when it comes to covering your walls by mixing artfully framed photos from your own collection with other pieces you've purchased. This personalizes your space while still keeping it classy.