Saving Money; Interior Design. Bookshelves, Cushions, and Blues

So, now that the holidays are officially over, and our tree is gone, our decorations are back in the red and green bins, and the house is swept, here are some of the money saving projects I completed.

1. Cushion for bench. (More to come, for dining room)
*We bought this awesome bench from Ikea. I wanted pops of color (kelly green) in this room, so we opted for the awesome green bins. After the holidays, Joann's had a ton of fabric on ridiculous sale. I scored this for $4.99 and bought an egg crate mattress cover from Target for about 25 bucks. I'll be able to make 3 cushions from the egg crate, which is awesome. (Foam is CRAZY expensive!). Granted, using egg crates is a bit weird because the foam won't be entirely perfect, even if you cut it perfectly. But, the price is right. I wrapped the fabric around it like a Christmas present and I just used safety pins on the bottom to keep it connected, and voila! An awesome homemade cushion that perfectly matches the look I was going for in the room. Total cost is less than $15.

2. Bookshelf glory. Again, cheap yard of fabric from Joann's that I love because it matches the "winter surf" paint on the walls. Brad removed the back from the Ikea bookshelf and stapled it on, replaced the back, and Perfection! Total cost, $5.00

3. Ok, this isn't especially crafty, but this is our new living room! Mix of blues. LOVE IT! Don't you just want to hang out, socialize with great friends, or cuddle up with a puppy and a book and a warm blanket? There's another reclining leather chair in the other corner. Like butter. I can't wait to watch snow fall out the window and to one day put a real woodburning fireplace where the wave picture is now. So cozy.