HGTV Magazine July/August, 2019, Copy Our Cover - The Look for Less! Part 2

Hola!  Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this.  We had a stretch of good weather and I've been really busy with yardwork, including cutting grass that has been growing like nuts this summer (and now, autumn).  Geez Louise!  But for now, I'm sorta/kinda caught up, I'll be back at it tomorrow with my new boy toy (except I'm a old gal), a Ryobi battery operated 4-level 9 inch blade lawn edger that can dig down to a depth of 1.5 inches at its maximum depth.  I ordered it online and it came last week, and I tried it out last Sunday on part of the concrete on the driveway.  I need a bit more practice in order to keep it standing up at a 90 degree angle, I may need to shorten the handle down a bit to get better control.  I've never worked with a tool like this before, it's very powerful and was a little scary/intimidating at first!

So now I'm going to finish Part 2 of the July/August HGTV Mag copy our cover.  Late but now's the time to be shopping for these items, lots of deals to be had out there that weren't available earlier!  What's left to shop for, the pillows and one oar featured in the photographs:

Bicycle on Beach pillow:  $48 (16" x 16" wool)
Aqua Knot pillow:  $47 (20" x 20")
U.S. Power Squadron flag:  $19 (16" x 24")
Oar:  $94 (24" length)
Anchor pillow: $53 (18" x 18")
(Prices above from the HGTV picks)

First up, the oar.  I found this option online at Target for $19.99 (pictured below), the Pillowfort Blue Oar Plaque, dimensions 29.5 inches long, 4 inches wide at widest point, 2.12 inches depth at maximum depth, MDF composite:

I found this cute oar at Hobby Lobby online, Nautical Striped Wood Oar Wall Decor, for $9.99 (on sale now, was marked down from $19.99, pictured below), dimensions 28 inches long, 4 3/4" wide at widest point, 1/2 inch maximum depth, unspecified type of wood:

And now, we come to the throw pillows.  Oh my - so many possibilities and selections to have presented to you, and it's just a matter of individual preference when all is said and done.  Here are a few of my choices:

From Bed Bath & Beyond, this decorated on both sides red/white/blue cutie, Nautical Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow, $24.99 ($19.99 to Beyond+ members), 19" x 19":

Also from Bed Bath & Beyond, another decorated on both sides pillow in red/white blue, Anchor Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow with rope trim around perimeter and embroidered red rope design on the back, $19.99 ($15.99 to Beyond+ members), 20" x 20":

Another Bed Bath & Beyond find, the Destination Summer Anchor Stripe Throw Pillow in red with navy corded trim, $19.99 ($15.99 to Beyond+ members), 20" x 20":

From Better Homes and Gardens online, the Beach Bicyle Decorative Toss Pillow in red (the bike), grey (fence, rocks) and shades of blue, $12.87, 18" x 18":

And back to Bed Bath & Beyond, the Nautical Compass and Anchor Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow in a sort of dusty aqua color, decorated on both sides, $24.99 ($19.99 to Beyond+ members), 19" x 19":

The final item on the list, the U.S. Power Squadron flag, is $19.00 for the 16" x 24" size.  I wasn't able to find anything remotely similar for the same or lower price.

Tallying my picks:

Total $377.84 (compare to $1,556):

Belham Living, its Chippendale Deep Seating Whitewashed Porch Swing Bed with Cushion, $237.00 (free shipping)
U.S. Power Squadron flag, $19.00
Red metal side table,  Mebane Metal Side Table by Wrought Studio (Wayfair), $54.00
Nautical Striped Wood Oar Wall Decor (Hobby Lobby), $9.99
Destination Summer Anchor Stripe Throw Pillow, red anchor, blue stripes on white background with navy blue corded trim (Bed Bath & Beyond), $19.99
Better Homes and Gardens online, the Beach Bicyle Decorative Toss Pillow, $12.87
Nautical Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow, (Bed Bath & Beyond), $24.99

Stock for next summer.  I wish I  had a porch to hang such a swinging day bed from!  Or to be able to figure out a cost-effective way to hang one inside my Shezebo.  But then, I'd probably sleep my summers away outside rather than pay attention to the never-ending yardwork chores!

HGTV Magazine July/August 2019 - Copy Our Cover, The Look for Less!

Hola, it's that time again, to challenge my online shopping skills to find the look for less.  Sometimes, I can't find a better price for the same or similar object I'm hunting, but that's not too often.

Here's the July/August 2019 HGTV Magazine cover:

And here's the "Copy Our Cover" page:

The HGTV items chosen total $1,556, broken down as follows:

Daybed from Ballard Designs:  $999 (with cushions)
Red Aluminum Side Table:  $296
Bicycle on Beach pillow:  $48
Aqua Knot pillow:  $47
U.S. Power Squadron flag:  $19
Oar:  $94
Anchor pillow: $53

So settle back on your comfy chair/sofa/daybed/porch swing/porch daybed and follow along!

The Porch Swinging Day Bed

Yes, it's day-bed size, not a typical porch swing that I equate more to the size of a swinging 2 or 3 seater bench.  The original is from lowcountryoriginals.com, and after closely scrutinizing the HGTV cover photo, I think it's the "Bed Swing with "X" Sides and Back," outer dimensions 88" x 44"; inner dimensions 76" x 41".  It comes in two different woods and a variety of different stains.  It is not indicated whether the bed cushions and bench seat are included, nor is the price indicated.  That means it's probably expensive :) 

I limited my selections to porch swing day beds.

HGTV's Ballard Designs pick (pictured above) was - I believe - the "Sunday Porch Swing" (with cushions) for $999, but at the time of writing this entry it was on sale for $749!  Although it isn't clear from the Specifications, I believe the outer dimensions are 65" x 32" and the inner dimensions (the "mattress size") are 59 1/2" x 29 5/8".  The dimensions are quite a bit smaller than the original, but probably more in keeping with the size of swing most people would buy for their porch.  It comes with a "deep cushion seat" (mattress), 3 back pillows and 2 bolsters, and in two finishes:  Graywash or Whitewash finished Eucalyptus wood. 

Below is the Belham Living Cottonwood Deep Seating 64" Porch Swing Bed with Cushion, $429 with free shipping (presently on sale for $420).  Only the seat cushion is included, it is gray with white piping.  The outer dimensions are 64" x 28", seat dimension is 60".  The finish is "driftwood." Made of Eucalyptus wood, with "X" crossed back pattern and slatted sides, I feel the design and the clean lines (although not the size) are closest to the original swinging day bed from Low Country Originals:

Even more budget-friendly, but a slightly more petite size, is also offered by Belham Living, its Chippendale Deep Seating Whitewashed Porch Swing Bed with Cushion (pictured below), currently offered at $237 with free shipping.  The bench cushion/mattress is included in the price (bolsters not included).  The dimensions are 63" Long by 30" Deep, whitewashed finish of Eucalyptus wood. 

The Red Side Table

First of all, I investigated the table on the cover, which was listed in the "Sources" pages from selamatdesigns.com.  Sure enough, I found the table, here's the link to the Regeant 4-Season Side Table in Antique Red.  It is powder-coated aluminum in "Antique Red."  Please note that at the time I am writing this blog entry, the "manufacturer's suggested retail price" is $158.  It's size is 19.5" Wide by 19.5" Deep x 21" High.

That means that for the IDENTICAL TABLE that HGTV found at the Well Appointed House website at $296, you would have paid almost twice the MSRP.  Nice mark-up!  And it got worse.  At Finelinens.com, the IDENTICAL TABLE was listed for $446.  I found prices exceeding $600, and none lower than $296 for the IDENTICAL TABLE.  Now I think that's just ridiculous. Why would anyone pay $296 or more for a table that was suggested to be sold at $158, and cost maybe half of that to be manufactured?

Do you think I could find a red aluminum side table to match the one in the HGTV cover?  Nope, I didn't.  But I figured I could find something in red metal (or could be spray-painted red if the size/shape/material were otherwise right), in a round shape, for less than HGTV's pick at $296.

Pictured below is the Mebane Metal Side Table by Wrought Studio (at Wayfair) in red, made of iron, dimensions 16.25" W x 16.25" D x 21" H, on sale for $54 with free shipping. 

How about two for less than the MSRP on the original side table?  They don't come in red, but spray paint doesn't cost much - 2 cans max in your choice of red rust-resistant outdoor paint (maybe $8) should do the trick.  Also found at Wayfair, pictured below are the Latitude Run Melway Metal Side Tables, the pair for $105 with free shipping.  Made of iron.  Dimensions:  Large given as 16.5" x 14.35" x 21" High, and the smaller table given as 14.25" x 12" x 20" High - but I don't think the height can be correct because it appears more than an inch shorter than the taller table in the photograph.  Plus:  They are six-sided (although not the seven sides of the original cover table) and you can put one on either side of the swing bed to hold beverages or a book/magazine. 

Continue on to Part 2 to see what I found for the oar and the pillows.