Budget Design Challenge: Can You Style a Room for Less Than $1,000? I Did!

I love a good design challenge—and this one had me seriously second-guessing myself. The other night, Jack turned to me and asked, “Do you think you could design a full room for under $1,000?” I paused. Honestly? I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I mean, let’s be real—I adore designer pieces and have a gift for finding pricey pieces! But I also live for an amazing deal. So I opened up an empty mood board, started playing around… and within minutes, I had a full room pulled together that was stylish, cohesive, and—yes!—under $1,000!

Here’s the secret: the foundation of any well-designed room—budget or not—starts the same way. I always begin with the basics: a great rug to ground the space and establish flow. From there, I layered in curtains for height, art for personality, and of course, a bold focal point to deliver that designer drama. In this case, a graphic piece of artwork was the showstopper—high impact without the high price tag. Proof that you don’t need a big budget to create a space that feels elevated, intentional, and totally “wow.” This space may be wallet-friendly, but the look? All luxury!