HGTV "My Favorite Room" - The Look for Less Jan's Way! Part II

Hola!  Part I has my picks for the sofa and the floral print chair.  In Part II, I'm presenting my picks for the area rug and the coffee table.

To refresh, here is the beautiful living room of Charlotte Smith from "atcharlotteshouse.com" blog, and the items that HGTV picked out to duplicate part of the room in its March 2019 magazine:

In the first part of this post, I showed you my picks for a less expensive green velvet sofa and a pink/red/green floral print arm chair.  Now the area rug and the coffee table!  

The Rug

HGTV's pick was a 8' x 10' reasonably priced wool rug with tassels (the rug in Charlotte's Smith living room has tassels) at $420 from birchlane.com.

From Rugs USA, this is the Marrakesh Shag Rug, hand-knotted 100% wool in the 8' x 10' size, $296 with free shipping.  The color is a creamy white with what appears to be black to create the diamond pattern and tassels.  Pictured (partially) below:

Also from Rugs USA, a version without the hand-tied tassels in the Tuscan Wool Moroccan Shag Rug, 8' x 10', $286. Pictured (partially) below:

There are also options at Overstock.com for lower prices (some under $200), but it's hard to tell in some cases if they're black and white/cream or a grey color and white/cream.  Here is one option in wool and one in synthetic (a lot lower price):

NuLoom Handmade Moroccan Trellis Wool Shag Rug, ivory/black, 8' x 10', $409.99

Strick and Bolton Saura Moroccan Trellis Shag Area Rug, made from polypropolene, white/black (?), 7'10" x 10', $179.99

The Coffee Table

I love, Love, LOVE Charlote Smith's coffee table.  It looks like a vintage or antique brass table, or it is a very good reproduction.  Even the thick glass that tops it has the hexagonal shape!

I think HGTV's pickers did a great job in selecting a good match for that great coffee table, and at a reasonable price, at $251.  The metal work on the lower part of the table echos the duplicates the hexagonal shape of the original and the design of the legs is very similar.  I also appreciate the use of the brass finish.  Isn't it funny how just a few years ago, NOBODY wanted anything BRASS in their homes.  Now it's once again the rage :)  Only goes to show you, decorate for yourself, don't just follow the latest trends. Classics like brass, polished nickle, black, white and marble are timeless.  

Now - to the hunt!  When I started looking around, I found that the coffee table in question looks like, or possibly even is, a vintage LaBarge brass crafted table.  It's still a mystery to me who LaBarge was (I didn't come across any biographical information) and when he produced his (her?) furniture, although I have seen references in passing to "Hollywood Regency" style, which was a popular design look in the 1930's and 1940's.  

 In any event, looking around, I found examples of alleged original LaBarge tables that look similar to the table in Charlotte Smith's living room that are priced over $2,000!  The table below costs $250 (with free shipping within the United States) and is used - I have no idea if this is a reproduction or if it is an actual LaBarge table, and if it is an actual LaBarge table, it could be worth a lot more money.  I found it online at Etsy, "Vintage Regency LaBarge Brass Hoof Coffee Table with Glass Top."  Look at those feet!  Pictured below:

I am wondering if Charlotte Smith's table may be an original LaBarge that had the animal feet removed?

At $250, my first selection costs $1.00 less than the Joss and Main "Jaidan" table HGTV selected as a great look-alike.

The next table I selected isn't a vintage offering, and maybe not to everyone's (or anyone's?) taste other than mine, but I thought it would work well in the overall design even if it isn't very faithful to the original table:

Found at Amazon, the 9081240gl 18"H Contemporary Style 5 mm Clear Tempered Glass Top Hexagonal Champagne Finish Metal Base Living Room Coffee Table, by Major Q, $169.80 with free shipping.  Table is 34" x 30".  Pictured below:

Differences:  No lower tier of beautifully sculpted metal curves around the hexagonal shape; the glass top is inset into the metal, not resting on top.  However, the glass is hexagonal in shape, not round like HGTV's selection.  The style is modern, not traditional, but I could see this design working in many different decors since it's very clean and sleek.  The metal finish looks somewhat "antique" or "vintage" too - it's not bright, new shiny brass.  I like the mellow look.

And here's a look within a look for less: The same table design by a different manufacturer, ACME, is available at Target on sale for $127.99, reg. $159.99 and at that these prices it will come with free shipping.  Even not on sale, it's nearly $11 less than the Amazon option.  

My next selection is a pair of nesting tables, also from Amazon, the Geometric Glass Nesting Coffee Table in gold finish, by WE Furniture (Walker Edison Furniture Company), $195.69 with free shipping.  The larger table is 28" diameter and 16" high.  Pictured below:

Differences:  Many!  The larger table is 28" diameter and 16" high. This is noticeably smaller than the original table at about 34" x 30" (depending which line you measure width on) for the glass top, or any of the suggested substitute tables.  The smaller table in this set is 18" diameter and 12" high.  The smaller table should fit underneath the larger table, adding an extra design/visual dimension depending upon how it's turned; and in a pinch, even though it's small, it can hold drinks and a few plates.  

In Part III, I'll share my selection of throw pillows.  I looked everywhere, and came up with six potential options.  But preferences for prints is very personal.  The ones I picked may turn a lot of people green, and vice versa, LOL!  I'll post Part III tomorrow.

HGTV "My Favorite Room" - The Look for Less Jan's Way!

Hola everyone.  I received the March 2019 edition of HGTV Magazine in the mail a few days ago and started paging through it.  I savor those magazines like fine wine, which for me is a $12.99 bottle of Beringer White Zinfandel :)

The very first room that was in the article "My Favorite Room," garnered from the favorite rooms of bloggers from around the internet, caught my eye.  It just looks so "summery," comfy, and pretty.  Here's the two page spread on that room.  The first page shows the existing room; the second page shows some items selected by HGTV to recreate the look in your own home.

To save you some time from having to greatly enlarge the print (like I need to) in order to easily read it, the items shown in the "get the look" page are:

Art:  "Apple Tree," by Hagermann, 36" x 46" scroll, $189, styledeviestore.etsy.com
Chair:  "Hadley" polyester and wood chair in azaela, $899, potterybarn.com
Coffee Table:  "Jaidin" 18 1/2" x 32 3/4" diameter metal and glass table, $251, jossandmain.com
Pillow:  Floral 17" x 17" cotton pillow cover, $40 each (times 2), whitlockandco.etsy.com
Rug:  Twinar 8' x 10' wool rug, $420, birchlane.com
Sofa:  "Milo," 80" wide velvet sofa in emerald and washed pine finish, $1,895, onekingslane.com
Total cost for items listed:  $3,734

I did not include the basket and faux plant ($155 for both) or the five-pointed star paper lantern ($34.50 for one) in my hunt.

As always, I thought - no way would I pay $1,800 plus for a sofa or $899 for a single chair! I think I can do better, at least on some of the items, without sacrificing the look.  So I set out to recreate my own less expensive version of Charlotte Smith's (atcharlotteshouse.com) much admired living room!

My Sofa Picks

First thing I shopped online for was the sofa.  The article noted that the original was an Ikea sofa, so I headed there first thing.

Sadly, I didn't find anything remotely similar in green velvet to this sofa at the Ikea website.  So, I headed next to All Modern, because the sofa's style reminds me of mid-century modern to contemporary, and they have great stuff at All Modern, at great prices!

I fell in love with the Mercury Row Dupuis sofa, at 80.3" in  emerald green velvet.  It's got a reversible bench seat, which I prefer because if three or four people are squishing on the sofa nobody has to sit on a crack in the cushions!  I also like cushions that I can regularly rotate/flip.  Two back cushions cut down on hitting one of the cracks between the cushions and the two side cushions are a good size.  Also noted is the modern "tuxedo" style where the back cushions and arms are at equal or nearly the same height, similar to the original sofa I'm trying to duplicate.  Back and side cushions are also reversible.  Currently on sale at a hefty 42% off, price is originally $1,497, sale price is $799.99 plus free in home delivery. Pictured below:

Differences:  Not a two cushion seat nor a three cushion back; arms are not as wide nor inner angle slanted as much; and legs are gold finished metal bracket shape, not wood.

At a slightly higher price of $860.99 on sale plus free in home delivery (42% off original price of $1,497), Mercury Row also offers a similar look in a larger sofa in the Dupree sofa at 85".  The Dupree has three reversible back and bottom cushions and two side cushions, in emerald green velvet, and warm brown stained wood legs.  Pictured below:

Differences:  Three seat cushions, not two; side cushions are square, not rectangular and not as generous in size; not a "Tuxedo" style sofa (where back cushions and arms are nearly the same or equal height); and inner arms are straight up/down, not angled inward like the original.
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The Arm Chair

Finding arm chairs is easy.  Trying to find an arm chair covered in a print that is similar in color tone and pattern to Charlotte Smith's chair and in a style even remotely resembling the style of her chair:  HA!  I failed miserably, I admit it.

But I did come up with some options in a range of prices all costing less than the Pottery Barn "Hadley" chair covered in "Azalea" ($899), which I could not find at PB's website.  I found the chair, but not that particular upholstery option.  In any event, I just can't fathom paying more for a single chair than I'd be paying to "get the look" in an emerald green velvet sofa.

So, here are my less expensive chair options:

Simona multicolor floral linen armchair by Handy Living, at Overstock, $343.39 (on sale through today, but this chair is on sale at several different sellers online, all for varying prices).  Pictured below:

Differences:  Many!  It's a floral print but the "green" is rather grayed out; still, the background is white, but there's a lot of lavender in the floral print and the red/berry color is darker than either the "target" chair or the color in the "target" botannical print.  Still, it is a true arm chair; the back is nicely tufted, it has a true reversible seat cushion, I like the turned wood stained legs (although they're not Queen Anne style) and while not having the rounded shape of the "target" chair, it has nice arms and a good back, and looks like it would be in proportion with either of the "look for less" sofas I chose.  The price point makes this option very attractive.


My next selection is also from Overstock, the Candid Moment Ebony Chair by Skyline Furniture, currently $488.99.  Pictured below:

Differences:  Many!  I like the crisp white background and this floral print, while also featuring birds among the flowers, has a somewhat brighter color tone to it than the "Simona" chair above.  However, the green is definitely "greyed out" on this upholstery.  This style is more in line with HGTV's suggested substitute "Hadley" chair.  It has a tight seat, no separate seat cushion, and also features turned wood stained legs.  I'm not a fan, however, of tight seat furniture.  Being able to flip and rotate seat cushions extends their life, an option one doesn't have on a tight seat sofa or chair.

I found this option at Wayfair.  It's the Huntington Chesterfield Chair in "Creamy Ivory Multi Floral with Birds," by Three Posts, $206.96.  Pictured below:

Differences:  Many!  For one thing, this isn't strictly an armchair, it's a Chesterfield style which is a more traditional take on a Tuxedo style sofa, where the back and arms are all the same (or very close to) the same height.  But the colors are vibrant.  A visit to the website and use of the magnifying tool will help reveal the richness of the print. The colors are vibrant although again, there is little green in this print.  This is also a tight seat chair, no reversible cushion.  This print has birds included like both of the options above (I think of them as a bonus).  I like the richly stained turned legs, the nailhead trim and the tufted back.  This option also checks in at the lowest price of the three chairs offered as substitutes for the original.

Now, here's a different style chair but in the same material as the Chesterfield style chair above.  It's also at Wayfair, the Quinton Armchair by Andover Mills in "Creamy Ivory," $265.99.  Pictured below:

Differences:  Upholstery still is not as good a "match" as I'd like.  This does, however, have a reversible seat.  It also has the dark stained turned wood legs.  Sizewise, this is slightly smaller than the "Simona" chair (substitute #1 above) but I like the "Quinton's" proportions better.

The Art

I thought I would have a hard time finding something similar to Charlotte Smith's beautiful vintage apple botanical print, but I found it straight off!

Great Big Canvas offers this print on canvas, as framed and unframed prints, and as wall peels, in three different sizes.  The largest size, though, is 27" x 36".  The Etsy substitute offered by HGTV is 36" x 46".  The difference in prize, though, now that's pretty sweet!

The largest canvas size offered by Great Big Canvas (27" x 36") costs $117.49.

The largest framed print in standard black (the 27" x 36" print) is 34" x 43" and costs $172.49.

The largest size poster print at 27" x 36" is $27.49!  Frame it yourself or add a pair of poster holders and you've got the look, albeit smaller. Displays2Go offers a pair of black aluminum hangers, for instance, at $13.51 for the 36" wide size.  Shop around, prices vary greatly.  It depends upon the color, material and size.

I'm continuing this "look for less" in a second post covering the rug and the coffee table.  Because of the number of options for the throw pillows on the sofa, that will be in a third post.