Let’s face it: we all love the pricey stuff. It can be prettier, better made, and just more interesting than pieces you buy off-the shelf.
But you know how I value the high/low mix. And I keep turning to these three items as my favorite “lows.”
The ubiquitous gourd lamp has served us well. But aren’t we a wee bit tired of it by now?
What I’m NOT tired of, though, is color, ceramic, and a bargain on behalf of my clients. So I’ve been substituting Robert Abbey’s Genie Lamp for the double- or triple-gourd lamps of yore. (Usually for the nice round price of $184.91.)
The variety of base options — bronze, brass, and silver — means it works in almost any setting. It comes with the shade shown, but if you’d like the lamp to look more contemporary, replace it with a smooth drum shade and choose the silver base.
It comes in a variety of mouth-watering colors: blue, green, yellow, plum…we have three of them in bossy color’s world headquarters alone. (They’re not all the same color, though, natch.)
2. West Elm’s Antique Tiled Wall Mirror
I’ve used one of these over a custom-built lingerie chest, two over a Stickley dresser…when I find a way to use three, you’ll be the first to know.
It’s a lovely piece, and the details make it look special. It’s nice and big — 24″ x 36″ — and the price? $149.
Ok, this one’s embarrassing.
I walked into a new client’s house and noticed this table in their rather small sitting room. Long and narrow, this coffee table was the perfect scale for the space. The brown color was rich and interesting, and it mixed beautifully with my client’s eclectic collection of mid-century furniture and antiques. And it looks well made: the top has a center seam instead of a single veneer slab.
I was more than a little sheepish when I found out it was Ikea. At $199, it’s extremely affordable. (It seems outrageous when you’re walking through Ikea ogling double-digit price tags, but compare it to other stores, such as Crate & Barrel, it’s a steal.)
Give these inexpensive babies a look-see, then spend the money you save on something really special. Like a $10,000 sofa, maybe?
Quoted in publications from The New York Times to The Washington Post to Real Simple magazine, Annie Elliott is considered an expert in color, residential space planning, and telling people what to do in the nicest way possible. Her interior design firm, bossy color, is based in Washington, D.C.
