From online shopping to sifting through bargain bins, there are great deals to be had when searching for home decor items. When the process works in your favour, the experience and information needs to be shared. I want to share with you some of the great deals I've come across lately.
My chaise
If you are a regular reader of this column you'll probably remember I've always dreamed of having a chaise lounge. It's the kind of decadent furniture item that one dreams of having but never treats themselves to. Since we've moved into our condo I found enough space in my new office for this coveted piece of furniture. My search for a chaise began online on Kijiji.
I searched that site for many weeks and did find a few antique chaises that I really liked but then it was a matter of driving to the location to pick it up and our vehicle isn't big enough for that. As well, I really wanted a chaise with storage to house office supplies, and I didn't come across any antique ones that had storage.
I started to search online for a new chaise and found one on Walmart.ca. The chaise had storage and great script fabric and could be set along the wall in either direction because it didn't have any arms. (Some chaises have an arm on one side, which limits the placement.) The fact that this chaise had storage was a huge plus for my home office. There can never be enough storage. At $299 (plus tax) the price was right and the shipping was free right to my door. How can you beat that deal?
The only glitch is it wasn't sold in stores, it wasn't in stock online and from the customer comments on the website it appeared it hadn't been in stock for a very long time. I checked back week after week to no avail. I really wanted this item so I put on my clever cap and did some research on the piece. I found the website of the company that made the chaise and ended up emailing the company to advise them of the situation. A few days later, it was in stock! (And is still available as of the writing of this column.)
I ordered my lovely chaise (which came with a bolster cushion) and it was delivered a week later by courier. It came in one large box and was in two, easy-to-assemble, pieces. The whole bench seat top lifts up on a lid support bracket for storage beneath. It actually holds quite a bit of stuff. I absolutely love it. It's the perfect place to sit or lay and write a letter or read a book.
The lesson here is that persistence pays off. Also, don't wait to treat yourself to items you'll enjoy. As long as you don't put yourself in the red you should indulge your decor desires.
Twist of fate
It just so happened the fabric on the chaise matched the script fabric on a pair of curtain panels I had purchased at Bianca Amor's Liquidation Supercentre last year, which were hanging in our bedroom. When I purchased the curtains I had shortened them to window length to accommodate the baseboard heater below the window. I used the leftover fabric to make toss cushions for the living room. With the chaise in place in my office I moved the drapes from the bedroom into the office and put an extra cushion from the living room on the chaise.
It all came together so beautifully it was as if I bought a matching set. The curtains, by the way, are grommet panels and were around $30 for the pair at the time I purchased them last year. I also purchased a great decorative rod there for around $15. The lesson here is the item you desire might be right in your home. Shop at home before heading out the door.
This was very serendipitous even though it took more than a year to come to fruition. Patience when decorating is definitely a virtue. Often, the right item will find you. Whenever I pass this little vignette in my office, I smile with satisfaction.
I hope these experiences give you some ideas and information that will help in your decorating adventures. If you come across any great finds, please email me. I'd love to hear from you.
Connieoliver2014@gmail.com
