quick & affordable room makeover

A fun project popped up out of nowhere this week (which did wonders for my continued avoidance of our cluttered second bedroom) and was so successful, I just had to share. My sister and I were discussing The Nesting Place and I mentioned how inspired I felt to be more creative in the ways I decorate our little home. Well...my sister and her new hubby landed an awesome, albeit temporary, house to rent while it's on the market, and she started telling me how discouraged she felt because:
     - there's so little they're permitted to do (no painting, etc.)
     - they don't want to invest a lot of money in a short-term location
     - she felt overwhelmed because the house is so big, she didn't even know where to start
Sensing the opportunity for a sister-team-up-project, I immediately began trying to convince her that we could do something substantial AND that it would be both significantly easier and less expensive than she imagined.
We decided to focus on the rooms they live in most, in order of priority, and go with small accents that make a big impact but won't break the bank. Since her husband loves to cook, we set our sights on the kitchen/dining room area. Before pictures from two angles below:

This was also a great starting point, because one of their biggest eyesores/frustrations was the dining chairs' upholstery. A real steal off Craigslist, the set is beautiful and definitely made of quality wood...just styled to a *different* taste than theirs. Though a bit nervous about it, Carly agreed to us reupholstering the seats. We found a gorgeous bolt of deep red fabric at Hancock Fabrics that she knew the man of the house would be okay with...and to top it all off, it was 60% off! Once we had the fabric, it took less than an hour of actual work to redo all six chairs. Check out the before and after below (or after and before because I didn't think to put them the other way around)...amazing or what!?

Aside from chairs, we knew a few details would really add a lot for a little effort: window treatments (for the dining area & the kitchen sink), a rug, a nice centerpiece, and a few small colorful accents. We spent one afternoon searching for the best bargain pieces we could find then one afternoon to bring it all together. After photos below:

Clearly, I'm not a pro-home-photographer by any means, but it's quite the improvement, right? Considering that they aren't able to change the things that they'd really like to (wall color, countertops, cabinets), choosing a color palette they both like helps personalize the room and make it feel more like home but without a major investment in a temporary space.

Speaking of investment, here's the project breakdown. Sneak peek - it comes in under $150!
     New upholstery for six chairs = $30 (%60 off the original price)
     Area rug = $39 (the splurge with the $ saved off the fabric)
     Centerpiece = $12 total (placemat from Pier 1, vase/marbles/candle from Dollar General)
     Window treatments = $30 (two rods, two sheers, and the sink valence from Walmart)
     Candle tray on island = $7 clearance item from Pier 1 (candles to-be-added)
     Cookie jar = $14 from Walmart
     Window votives = $4 each from Pier 1
Total cost = $140

And the best news of all...her husband loved the surprise! Considering the time, money, and energy spent on this quick makeover...I'm counting it a success on all counts!