Hi, my honeys! I know just how hard it is to furnish a home and surround yourself with things you really love, especially if you're on a limited budget! That's why I've created this post to show you things in your home you should splurge on and other items you can save some coin! Having a healthy balance of high end and affordable items in your home will help you create a space you love while providing you with the most bang for your buck!
SPLURGE: SOFA
How many times have you gone to a furniture outlet looking for the cheapest couch money can buy? I have! You pick something out that you can tolerate and "make cuter with throw pillows," but you don't love it. You get it home, and it's not quite as comfortable as the store model that's been sat on 5,000 times. You use it for a couple of years, and it's already showing tons of wear. You put throw blankets all over the rough spots on your couch, and eventually, you get fed up and leave it on the curb, only to hit up another furniture outlet again. I've done this. I was this person, but I've changed my ways. My sofa is now my number one splurge in my home!
Let's face it, you use it everyday. It's essentially a focal point of whatever room it's in, and it's a place where people gather often. Why not spend a little money on getting a QUALITY piece of furniture that will last you years and years?! Look for high quality fabrics like full-aniline leather, stain-repelling or resistant fabric, or even a tweed or textured fabric that can withstand some wear and tear. Look for solid wood legs and feather down filled cushions with extra foam cushioning.
Do your research! That's the number one piece of advice I can give you when you're looking to purchased a quality sofa. Read reviews, ask social media friends for their recommendations or opinions on brands, and compare sizing, prices, and features that different brands offer. The more informed of a decision you make, the happier you'll be in the long run with the purchase you make. You'll also be able to justify the splurge price when you factor in all of the quality features of the sofa. Here are a couple of quality brands and sofas I really love!
Why I love them: They offer free shipping/delivery on all orders, so you don't have to pay a pricey truck delivery fee like many brick and mortar furniture outlets charge. All of their furniture comes with a standard 1-year warranty and a 30 Day No Questions Asked return policy. You don't pay a restocking fee, but you are on the hook for return shipping. Still not a bad deal. If your sofa arrives, and you don't like it after trying it for a month, you have the option of returning it. Many furniture stores do not have this option. We bought a sofa from Macy's a few years ago, and they had a 3-day return policy--THREE DAYS? It started sagging in three weeks, and there was nothing we could do at that point. Anyway, I particularly love their Napa Leather Sectional Sofa, so much so we ordered it! They use full aniline leather from Italy, which means each sofa is entirely unique because it will show off natural marks of the hide. This will help to disguise pet scratch marks down the road, and the sofa will patina with age and look even cooler when worn in if that's possible! Poly & Bark will also provide you with leather samples if you reach out to their customer service. The price of their leather Napa Sectional is $2,450, and they also offer financing with Affirm right on their website, which we were thrilled about. Any store that offers financing is a plus for splurge items because you don't have to spend all your money in one chunk. Click on the photo to shop. Note: This is an affiliate link, and they gave me a discount code for you for 10% off - Use code "Erika10" at checkout for 10% off your total purchase, and read my full review HERE.
Why I love them:
Each piece of Burrow furniture is handcrafted from sturdy, sustainably-sourced hardwood and scratch- and stain-resistant, non-toxic fabrics. If you have pets or kids, THIS IS THE COUCH FOR YOU! They've also spent a great deal of effort perfecting the comfort level of their furniture. You want a couch that's sturdy enough to be durable for years, but you don't want to lay on a rock either. This is the happiest medium you'll find. The reversible cushions — one side tufted, one side solid — are made from their proprietary foam, formulated for lasting comfort. I love the options of tufted and solid sides of the cushions! There's also a built-in USB charge because, hello, it's 2018! And let's not forget about the scratch and stain resistant fabric--amazing! True story, I actually reached out to Burrow to ask to partner with them because I loved the company and their mission so much! So yes, they're an affiliate now, and I could not be prouder to talk about this brand. I'll be posting a full review on our new chair and ottoman from them very soon -- spoiler alert -- we love it!
SAVE: RUGS
What do you do if you have a total rug obsession?--asking for a friend! LOL! Well, you don't spend a ton on rugs because that way you can buy more! We've all had a bad spill on a rug and scrubbed until our arms fell off to remove the stain to no avail. I see beautiful Turkish and Oriental rugs online and I think to myself, "No, freaking way!" I cannot justify spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on high end rugs, because I know that our household is not able to keep a rug clean for long enough to justify the hefty price tag.
We have three cats, and they knock things over and cough of hairballs (gross, I know). Therefore, the rugs we buy are purchased at low prices with the knowledge that at some point they will have to be replaced. I try if I can to stay under $200 at all times for new rugs, and that is for an 8 x 10 rug. It's totally doable. I have a couple trusty websites that offer great rugs at majorly discounted prices, and I'm always on the hunt for a good rug sale. I'll actually wait months for a certain rug I like to go on maximum sale! Now, I don't fret when a spill or stain happens, because I know that I didn't spend too much, and I can find another at a great price! This also allows you to give the room a whole new feel with a statement rug!
AMAZON: If I don't buy a rug on RUGS USA, it's definitely Amazon! The prices are usually super competitive with RUGS USA, and for many items you get the benefit of free Prime shipping! There's nothing I love more than a cheap rug that arrives in just a couple days! Our upstairs jute rug is from Amazon. We have a 9 x 12 rug underneath an 8 x 10 vintage style gray and white one from Wayfair, which is also a great place to shop for rugs, but it's one that is often out of stock of popular rugs. You can check it out as well, but I'll tell you I do prefer Amazon and RUGS USA.
Why I love them: If you find another site that offers such low prices and great sales on rugs you let me know, but so far this is the absolutely best website for rugs I can find! Often times, I'll find a rug I like on another site and check to see if RUGS USA has it or something similar. 99% of the time, I find the exact same rug for way less on their site! Throughout the year, they also offer big discounts on their already low rug prices. The lowest they go I believe is 60% off, and it does happen multiple times a year. If you can hold out for one of those 60% off sales, you'll find 8 x 10 rugs for under $200 easily! And we're not talking about cheap rugs that fall apart or aren't soft and cozy. They have QUALITY rugs at great prices. #notsponsored - but seriously, they should sponsor me because I've bought so many rugs!
SPLURGE: SHOWER CURTAIN
Yeah, I know what you're thinking..."splurge on a shower curtain?" Yep, and here's why! How often do you replace your shower curtain? For me, I think it had been 8 years before my newest one. It's protected by the shower liner and holds up really well over time. It's also arguably the biggest focal point in your bathroom. We have two very tiny bathrooms in our home, and I think making a bold statement with a beautiful shower curtain not only adds interest to the space, it also can conceal an old bath tub or ugly tiles until you're ready to renovate! When you put it into perspective, a fancy schmancy shower curtain is a whole lot cheaper than retiling your shower or refinishing your bathtub! Small bathroom? Ugly Tiles? Go for a bold one! Many retailers offer a discount code periodically, so make sure to take advantage! I'm loving the curtains at Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters currently! Here's my shower curtain and a few I am totally crushing on right now!
SAVE - Accent Furniture
Whether it's a side table or small stool, you do not need to spend a fortune finding accent pieces for your home. Whether it's side tables, poufs, or stools, you can usually find good deals on these smaller items! If you have a GoodWill near you, you can check to see if they have any vintage pieces or clearance Target furniture items, too! For accent furniture, though, one of my favorite spots to hit is TJMaxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls - you can typically find all kinds of accent pieces at great prices. Here's a few I found on TJ Maxx's website that I love -- click on the photos to shop:
SPLURGE - MATTRESS
I think it goes without saying that sleep is the most important thing to lead a healthy life. If you're not getting proper sleep, your mattress could be the problem! Whether you're big on pillowtop mattresses or memory foam, make sure you purchase a mattress that suits your needs. Many mattress retailers will offer a 30 night try-out period, so you can test out the mattress before fully committing to owning it for the next decade. Try to purchase mattresses only from places that allow you to try it out.
We have a Tempurpedic mattress, and I will tell you that nothing compares to it in my humble opinion. We have stayed at countless nice hotels with super great mattresses, but we still come back home to our Tempurpedic having missed it so much! I know they are super pricey, but thankfully there are always sales around holidays and financing options. This is not something you want to skimp on, so make sure this is one of the biggest investments in your home. Here is the one we have, and it's a great deal from Sam's Club! Sam's Club always has good deals on Tempurpedic mattresses, just a heads up!
Save - Bedding
I have a whole tutorial on making your bed look fluffy and feel super cozy here, but I want to point out that you don't have to spend a fortune on bedding! I love to use two down or down alternative comforters on my bed under a coverlet or tucked inside a duvet for that extra fluffy look! I found the fluffiest down alternative ones on Amazon and I'm in love!
I also love our master bedroom's cheap duvet cover! I don't ever want to spend a lot on a duvet cover because it's basically a glorified sheet! LOL Honestly, I can't believe some of the inflated prices on duvet covers! I love this one, also from Amazon.
You can also add a coverlet on top of the two down alternative comforters, too! For winter months, we have a velvet one, and for summer months, usually we'll just use a textured blanket! I love target for coverlets and blankets because they always go on sale, and I typically find the quality to be very good. Here are some coverlet recommendations:
As far as bed pillows go, make sure to hit up your local Marshalls/TJ Maxx/HomeGoods because they usually have a two pack of high end pillows for $19.99 or less! I usually grab the Ralph Lauren ones whenever I can find them because the quality is top notch!
SPLURGE - TV
For my final splurge, it's imperative you have at least one good TV in the home! Smart TV's are so awesome now because they're made with built in apps and features you used to have to buy extra equipment for like a Firestick or Roku. We recently purchased the Samsung Frame TV, and it comes with Amazon, Netflix, and all the other popular apps already loaded on it, so all you have to do is just sign up for memberships. Since we no longer need our Firestick or Roku device, it's less cords coming from the TV. In fact, this Samsung Frame TV is so epic that it only requires one total cord coming from the TV, and everything gets plugged into its box that it comes with that you can store hidden in your TV stand. We love the look of this TV because you can customize the frame (we chose white), and when you're not watching TV it looks like a piece of artwork! We ended up getting a great deal on it around Black Friday, and they offered a crazy zero interest for three years financing deal. If you only have one TV in your home, make it a great one!
I hope y'all enjoyed this post! Please don't hesitate to ask any questions about other items in the home you should splurge or save on! Also, some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. By shopping with my affiliate link, I make a small commission on your purchase. That commission helps me keep this blog running and provide you with great content, so any purchases made using my links are super appreciated! Let me know if you want to see more blog posts like this one!