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Decor

My & My Designer Friends' Favorite Home Items Under $25!

May 25, 2021

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I love the excitement of a new piece of furniture as much as the next person--the right piece makes all the difference! But there is so much power in the little things, too. I've been on a personal mission over the last 3 years to only bring beautiful things into our home. Even the functional things should bring us joy, right? Especially? And with that, I've been finding so much joy in nailing the small purchases as much as the large purchases.

For instance, I recently purchased this Electric Lighter that is the coolest gadget, brings me so much joy and replaces all my other lighters because it will never run out! I wrote a whole post about the power of a Wood Pedestal. This Box Opener was a CHRISTMAS gift from my brother in law and I use it every day and every day in the office we talk about how great it is. The sound of our Dinner Bell around 6pm every evening, a beautiful Hand Towel that elevates the powder bathroom just enough. Serving in our Wooden Bowls that always receive compliments--it's ALL of these little things that make up a happy home life.

I was curious if a few of my friends also had an affinity for inexpensive (under $25!!), but home-changing items and they delivered!! Sharing favorites from some of my favorite people below!

1. Christine Higgs @_forthehome loves a good looking dish scrubber.

“My favorite household item is this cute dish scrubber from Grove. I love that it comes with the tray/soap dispenser and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye so you don't have to hide it! I keep it on our island year-round and replace the scrubber periodically. It's the only 'constant' thing in our kitchen besides our appliances. 🤣 Pair it with some lovely smelling dish soap and you can enjoy washing your dishes so much more!!” (I have this too, and completely agree!)

 

2. Melissa Coleman @thefauxmartha loves enamelware.

 

"I think I’d have to go with all things enamelware. It’s so affordable, functional, and beautiful! Falcon is my favorite!" (I checked it out, it's BEAUUTTTIIIFFULLL!)

 

3. Anthony @136home elevated his vents!

 

"This is one of my most asked-about and easiest DIYs ever. It's icing on the cake that it is super affordable for any budget. @136home home really is in the details. So when I found this gorgeous and budget-friendly solution to level up those builder-grade white vents that were all over my home I jumped at the chance to make em' shine. I transformed what was once mundane in just an hour into a big bold design statement - on a budget! I love my upgraded brass vent registers and they compliment my hallway gallery wall beautifully. I get so many compliments on them. You can too! Give this affordable and easy DIY a try. I promise you won't regret it. For more of my DIY, Design, and Home Inspiration head to 136home.com or @136home on Instagram."

 

 

4. Kirsten Grove @simplygrove has an eye for planters.

"Finding unique pots and planters for our beloved plants can bring an extra special touch to our homes. I’m in love with these simple, origami inspired wooden planters. The texture is spot on."

 

 

5. Mikel Welch @mikelwelch knows how to celebrate the every day.

“I’m a huge fan of speakeasies and craft cocktails. I love the attention to detail that bartenders put into creating tasty and eye-catching drinks. I noticed that whenever I’m in a swanky spot, they typically end up serving my cocktail in a fancy glass. After talking to a few bartenders, I found out that my drinks are served in a Coupe Glass. To my surprise, these “fancy glasses” can actually be affordable! My go-to is the CB2 Eve Coupe Cocktail Glass.”

 

 

6. Julia Tompa @jultompa loves an antique hunt!

 

"I got this old wooden mirror off of Facebook Marketplace for $20. It is my fave item under $25 at the moment as it brings a much needed warmth and charm into the living room to balance the modern lines of the bookcase. Love seeing it as soon as I enter in the house."

 

 

7. Nancy @__thenguyens knows the value of a beautiful catch all.

"This rope basket from Target is one of my favorite household items! The light cream color with the faux leather handles makes this a beautiful yet functional storage option that I love having in every room. I use them in my son’s play area to store toys, the living room for any knick knacks, and even in my closet for socks. A great affordable piece that I wouldn’t want to be without!"

 

 

8. Colette Shelton @cococozy loves a Target find (that doesn't look like Target!)

 

"I’m all about adding life to a home! I love this wall-mounted stoneware planter by Hilton Carter from his Target collection. The textured concentric arcs look luxurious and chic. Style it in any room to transform a blank wall into an organic and elegant showpiece."

 

Now it's YOUR turn!! What's your favorite item in your home under $25?? It could be thrifted, purchased new, or a simple item that you recently elevated that makes your life feel so much more beautiful! Can't wait to hear!!

 

 

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  1. I added quite a few of these to my list of must-haves. My favorite under $25. is this toothbrush holder. Not only is it attractive, it is practical and keeps toothbrushes out of sight and away from spray products and other things that might be floating in the air. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Toothbrush. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M8GMUO

  2. +1 on replacing builder-grade vent covers and air return grilles. Since my partner and I are the least handy DIY people we know, one of our house projects this past year was simply and slowly replacing all of our vent covers and two air returns. We purchased from pacificregisterco.com They are pricier than the Amazon link on this post but they are made in the USA and the quality and craftsmanship are superb (and no, I'm not a spokesperson, just a happy customer). And there are so many variations and designs to choose from. We chose brass ones for our 3 bedrooms, coupled with brass switch plate covers from Rejuvenation--we are so happy with these small details that elevate the design of our interiors in a cost-effective way.

  3. None of those tan coloured links work on an ipad. The only way I can open the whole post is by tapping on the header photo. The read more link hasn’t worked for a while.

  4. A stand up, multi-person travel toothbrush holder has been a organizational game changer for traveling with our family of six. No more in/out for six separate toothbrush holders or rummaging to find them (all!) in the overnight bag. Since it stands up, it’s also somewhere clean for the kids to place their toothbrush vs. whatever potentially disgusting place kids will leave their toothbrushes in a strange bathroom. Our exact model doesn’t seem to be available anymore, but this is a link to something similar. https://www.amazon.com/Vsmano-Toothbrush-Portable-Toothpaste-Business/dp/B08G8WTW5H/ref=sr_1_32?dchild=1&keywords=Toothbrush+carrier+travel+triangle&qid=1621967636&sr=8-32

  5. I've been slowly changing out the toggle light switches in our house for Decora rocker switches. I don't know why, but they make me feel so calm and happy when I see them. At a few dollars a switch, they're really inexpensive for something I use so much! Plus, changing them out myself makes me feel incredibly accomplished for something so small :)

  6. Love the registers! I love finding hole in the wall thrift stores for art and home accessories. Some of my favorite shops are in Scottsdale and Carmel. I also love the ordinary,s hydraulonic acid & some of their oils. Their shop in soho is the absolute coolest. Love William Sonoma kitchen towels. Love this cool fabric shop in Tempe that has fabric ends, samples etc. Love gathering inspiration for one of a kind creations there. I recently came across thrive family wellness az and have started doing the coffee enemas that so many of the wellness resorts do. $17 for a bag of the organic green enema coffee. All of my hormonal acne is gone and my complexion is dewy and glows. It took a few weeks.

  7. Phillips hue white ambiance bulbs! They are led smart bulbs that work with our apple products and run about $22 each. We’ve been collecting them slowly over time and I love that I can change the kelvin tone of the bulbs whenever I want. I also love being able to just ask Siri to turn the lights on/off, it’s so handy when you’re already in bed but realize you left the kitchen light on, or when it’s dark and your coming into the house with a load of groceries.

  8. I hang my dog’s leash on a black cast iron dog-shaped hook I found on Etsy. It’s so cute and makes me happy every time I use it, which is at least a couple times a day.

  9. I really love a good decorative tray find! Hearth and Hand has some good ones at Target right now for 19.99.

  10. I just moved to a new house so I have more! Snap on outlet nightlights. There are a few brands and it makes those new unfamiliar hallways easy to see for little ones (and me) to find my way in a new house at night. I got my pack of two for around $27.

  11. Potey plant pots from amazon are some of my favorite. Clean and beautiful, most are less than $30.

  12. The best coupe glasses come from thrift stores for under a dollar a glass. Beautiful, vintage coupe glasses.

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