Furnishing Our Foyer on a Budget

If you follow me on Instagram, you're probably already privy to my need for always getting the best deal ever. So, you may notice this is a recurring theme with each of my blog posts, as well. Since I really enjoy online window shopping (is that a thing?), I'm already aware of what certain items are priced at, from high end stores to bargain shops. Knowing what a "good deal" actually is, is key to getting one. Secondly, patience is most definitely a virtue, especially when it comes to decorating on a budget. I should also mention that this "budget" I keep referencing is usually all in my head. Sometimes I list it out on a spreadsheet that I keep in Google Drive, but mostly, I just like to get quality items on the cheap. It's fun for me. And the more money I save, the more things I get to buy. 

Now onto the foyer! It was naked, like most of our home when we moved in. My husband and I just brought his (enormous) sectional, that I so lovingly refer to as #hownowbrowncouch, and a small table for the breakfast nook.  Along with his bedroom set, that was pretty much it. 

We had an agreement with the previous owners when we bought our home - they could take the foyer chandelier that held sentimental value and they would leave us their PVC patio furniture. It worked out just fine, since the chandelier was definitely not our style, and we hadn't bought any furniture for the pool area yet.

The first thing on my list was lighting. It was embarrassing having visitors after dark because we had no light to turn on! Thankfully, I was able to find an orb chandelier at a pretty great price. I went with a brushed nickel finish to keep things bright and more modern.  Just a side note - all of these "before" pictures are going to be grainy and awful because it was pre-camera and pre-blog! But hopefully you get the idea. ;)

Now please, bear with me as I take you for a stroll down memory lane - it's dark and ugly - you've been warned. Above is the newly installed orb chandelier, which hangs just higher than 6 feet and 7 inches off the ground. I had my husband stand underneath it to make sure he wouldn't hit his head on it. It could be a tad higher for my liking, but he said "this is just fine, as long as I won't hit my head". Lol, okay!

On the wall to the left of the front door, I envisioned a console table with a bench or stools under it and a round mirror above it. I noticed a similar scheme with all of the pins I had saved on Pinterest, and those elements were all pretty consistent. 

I bookmarked this console table and continued to shop for similar items. A few months later, it went on sale, so I decided to just go for it. It was pretty easy to put together, but I've found that reading the reviews prior to purchase and assembly is extremely helpful! 

Next, I looked long and hard for the right mirror, but darn, those things are expensive! I needed a pretty large mirror (40 inches +) and I finally found one for $20! See how I transformed it in just an hour, here.

You know what else can be expensive? Stools! What in the world? Why am I being asked to pay hundreds of dollars for an x-stool? No, thank you! These cuties were speaking my language when I got them on sale for a whopping $17 each!

These folding bamboo sling stools and super light and versatile. They completed the look I was going for and I still think they are absolutely adorable! I even used them at my dining room table recently - you can see those photos here. 

Now I have a functional space that is fun to style for each season. I've linked up some of the items pictured here, below. I just love how welcoming our entry is now, and all for around $500, including the new door handles!

Let me know if you have any questions or comments in the comment section below!

Sending you sunshine,

Jessica