The way it was...Country Living 2007...favorite house...

I have kept this issue of Country Living for one piece - the home of Theresa Smith in Kentucky, who transformed a double wide (28 x 72 foot) mobile home into a fabulous home.  Not only is the kitchen nothing like a cookie cutter kitchen, she painted the whole place white with the exception of her office done in bright red.  I love it when people take something so ordinary and turn it into extraordinary. I have photographed the best here and still love to look at this piece for inspiration. You will too -

Issue from June 2007

Who needs a McMansion?? This has 4 bedrooms
and is 2,016 square feet - Theresa ordered it with
as few walls as possible to keep it light and airy

I still can't believe this is the living room! Fabulous!
Theresa's ingenious use of wood, lino, crystal, metal and marble
is unlike anything I have seen -and the pediment is so unusual
here above the sofa instead of curtains. None of the
windows have curtains, they have metal swirly things (I
have no idea what they are called!!)
Theresa is the master mixer of textures -

This kitchen is so unique - Theresa Smith had all the standard
cabinets taken out and put in her own idea of what would work
here such as a retail shop table and antique vintage cabinets-on the
right shows her collections of white antique ironstone and the
industrial sink and faucet - notice the metal all over mixing
with the wood (note the window above the sink and
the decorative metal accent used as 'curtains')

Close up of the fab kitchen details-she also added an outdoor
wire metal table with glass top and chairs for eating

The red office and details on the left of  the sun room on the
above right; note an actual front porch here!! So cool -

The master bedroom in all white with superb use of textures here
giving the room a truly vintage feel - metal, glass, pearls, marble
crystal and her grandmother's collection of beads, pearls, hats and bags

Theresa's husband Craig makes and sells
candelabra's like this one shown - so unique

Close up of the bed and side tables

(all images photographed and edited by me)

(original images Keith Scott Morton)

(original article written by Jill Kirchner Simpson)

Would you do a transformation like this? Could you?

I would LOVE to live here - what are your thoughts?

Design DO or DON'T?

Enjoy the weekend!

Don't forget to check out my SHOP and contact

me for online styling for your home!

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Gotta have these...on a budget!

As promised, I am bringing you more home decor products from big box stores for those of you who still want chic without the high cost.  I look through some decorating magazines and wonder who is spending hundreds of dollars on a lamp because I know its not me!  Well, if you can afford it, great, if not, there are always creative ways to find out how to stay on trend within a budget.  Happy weekend and happy shopping!

Thank you Amazon for this affordable room divider screen -

so pretty and affordable at $61.20 - info here

Gorgeous yellow and white duvet cover from Target

and it costs $29.99 in Queen - go here

Pretty bottles for fall decoration won't set you back, but

will add some color to your kitchen - from Big Lots, these

are just $4 each -

How pretty is this light for your front door or porch from Lowe's? -

This is only $32.98 and will add some chic to your house; go 

here 

I hope you like my picks and again, I am not paid for any endorsement, 

this is strictly my own opinion and recommendations to help you find 

great products for the home that don't cost a mint.

Thanks for stopping by!! Have a great weekend! ;-))

(images amazon.com, target.com, biglots.com and lowes.com)

Need help decorating? I can help! Email me for my rates at

monacointeriors76@yahoo.com.

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Gotta have these...! (on a budget)

Here are my picks for this week's items that I gotta have, but, on a budget. 

I will be honest with you - I am tired of seeing decorating items to buy in sleek magazines that just cost too much money. Not many people have $1,000 to drop on a sofa, let alone any other piece of furniture. Re-use pieces, paint them, decorate them, anything you can do to recycle will cost you far less money. So, I thought I would highlight items from big box stores - K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Target. You can find virtually anything for your home and it doesn't have to cost the earth. Good taste is good taste is good taste, no matter what. So, tell me, do you agree?  Does it seem like magazines are pushing really expensive items in the middle of a deep recession?

A great big red clock available at Target for $28.34 -

this is a price cut -

This gorgeous graphic comforter set from K-Mart is available

in both Full and Queen for $29.99 - and it is on trend -

Ok, this is my favorite - a PINK SLIM TV! This is available

in pink, white and purple for $209.98 - it is 32" and at 

just 2" it is ultra slim. I have wanted a white TV for ages -

who wouldn't love to get rid of the black 'carbunkle'  TV (as I 

call it) dominating your living room?? 

(images Target, K-Mart + Wal-Mart)

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend

on home decor items.  It is no wonder thrift, consignment and second hand

stores are doing so well right now, especially in the Northeast US.  Next week,

we'll explore other big box stores and what they have to offer for any 

budget. 

Let me know your thoughts - thanks for stopping by!

If you need help decorating on a budget, please contact me for my great

pricing and first time customer discounts.

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