A Seaside Escape...

I had forgotten how nice a quiet, relaxing Saturday at home could really be.  To top it off, my hubby was away at a conference all week so I really didn't do much cleaning or cooking -- just a lot of shopping for home decor (and steals on my new love, Lilly Pulitzer pajamas at Marshalls!)  Our house has had a definite newlywed flare about it since we moved in, including my re-purposing of a reception hall arrangement as an accent in our bedroom.  We had a fall wedding with lots of reds, coppers, and chocolate brown, so I ran with that idea and decorated the bedroom with a hodge-podge copper and neutral theme.  After a year of staring at my husband's bachelor pad chocolate tab curtains and the giant leafy wedding arrangement, I had enough and decided to swap everything for an airy, beachy (but seashell-free) feel.

The only issue was a relatively small budget that I actually felt like spending -- $100 for accents, window treatments, pillows, and a throw.  After several trips to Marshalls, Kohls, and Target (three of my favorite local shopping destinations) I had some different options to compare.  Here's what I wound up with...

Two faux-silk window panels in "mineral": $34 from Kohls
Two candles and two accents: $25 from Marshalls
Wall decor: $12 from JoAnn, plus swapping two pieces from other rooms in the house
Two accent pillows: $16 from Kohls
One throw blanket: $0, a beautiful handmade gift from my grandmother-in-law
Total: $87 -- stayed within my budget and very happy with the results!

Here was my inspiration room:

With the husband being gone all week, I decided to get all my housework and errands completed during the week so that we could spend the weekend together (even though he's working on a church outreach project today.)  Seven loads of laundry, vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, and grocery shopping now complete, I think I'll relax a little in my redecorated master bedroom... or reorganize some bookshelves more likely... I'm not one for "relaxing" ;o)