Money Can't Buy You Claaass....

image via Zuniga Interiors

I can't believe I'm quoting the tone-deaf, albiet fabulous ex-Countess from Real Housewives of NYC, but it seemed fitting for the title of this post.

image via blogs.babble.com

I'm currently helping my mother re-decorate the beach house. It's my first real "design job" and I'm loving every minute of it. While beautifying,  I'm also trying to convince her to "simplify" which is never an easy task. She came into her own in the height of the 1980's- the decade of STUFF and worse yet, KITSCH.

The beach house Master Bedroom Before Shot.... 
After Shots to come soon....

While I am helping her decide what to keep and throw out ( a concept that resembles pulling teeth) she keeps saying, " Oh, I can't throw that out, I love it and it was really expensive." Which brings me to the one of the best design lessons you can ever learn.

JUST BECAUSE IT WAS EXPENSIVE, DOES NOT MEAN IT IS CUTE.

We all struggle with this. Whether it's by decorating our house or ourselves. 

Sure, the sweater that you payed $700 for at Saks is MUCH cuter than that thing you bought on a whim at Forever 21 for $22. Right? 

The answer is no.

It always drives me mad when someone comments on how cute a home is or how well someone dresses when it's stuff that has been thoughtlessly put together from one expensive place or another. 

The best design comes from mixing high and low. Like that $1,000 Hermes throw on the thrift store wingback chair you bought for $60. That's when you find the most fabulous combinations.

For Instance, Today at brunch, Mom and I got on the subject of a console table for the beach-house master bedroom. She told me that she had seen a really cute (read: pricey) industrial table at Restoration Hardware.

via Restoration Hardware

Said Table

Price Tag: $995

I offered a more reasonable alternative. 

Look at the these two options from Home Decorators.com

 Option 1

Price Tag: $449

Option 2

Price Tag: $449

So, To Recap: We get the same style for almost half the price.

(Note: She chose option 2)

I am a huge fan of Kyle's blog: Knight Moves and she is always showing new ways to find great style at a bargain price. 

Her master bedroom below

image via Knight Moves

I am in no way advocating that you stay out of pricey home shops or never splurge on beautiful pieces. 

If you love it, because YOU LOVE it and not because it's pricey, then splurge. But don't forget to spice things up with a fun Etsy piece or thrift store find.

Those are the best kind.