Sex and the City 2 Design Envy

If you haven't seen Sex and the City 2 yet, I highly encourage you to. While it pales in comparison to its predecessor, seeming more like an extended episode than a movie, the set design dazzles. The luxurious apartment scenes leave you wishing you had a "Mr. Big" budget to redo your own home with such fabliss-ness.

Much of the story line actually centers around a couch, believe it or not. This gorgeous, custom sofa from Montauk Sofa is done in a luxurious blue wool-mohair fabric. After checking the website, I know this couch cost at least $6,000 before tax. Holy price tag! Let's take a minute to gaze at its wonder...

And now... let's think about how we make this a real-world reality. Now, I'm sorry. But, I don't have $6,000 to blow on a piece of furniture. I don't care how fabliss it is. So let's see how we can achieve a similar look without blowing our savings...

Fabliss Fake:

The Crate and Barrel "Nines Apartment Couch" @ $899. Buy this in the dark charcoal color for all the SATC2 drama without the dramatic price tag.

If you love that SATC2 navy velvet enough to spring for a pricier purchase, take a look at the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams "Liam Sofa." Depending on the quality of fabric you choose the price varies, and their couches typically run between $1,500-3,000. But with a lifetime guarantee, you'd be hard pressed to find a better quality + price combination.

For an even cheaper option, pick out a dazzling blue velvet from your local fabric store and redo an old sofa of your own. Upholsterers can take your existing pieces and reinvent them. This is the new "green" remodel and is often cheaper than purchasing new duds.

Of course... once you have the perfect couch, you'll need some perfect pillows. Make sure you check out www.etsy.com as we mentioned in the last post. You'll be sure to find pillows worthy of an SATC2 moment.

The Boring White Couch Experiment

Let's talk couches. I love the look of a crisp, clean, white couch. It anchors a room and brightens it all at once. But, when the time comes and you lose your patience with your living room's look, how can you spruce it up without busting your budget? With couches running upwards of $2000, you certainly don't want to replace it on a whim! So what can you do? This got me thinking, and before I knew it I was on my way to IKEA for a field trip and experiment.

THE CONTROL: Boring white couch. Only $699 at IKEA!

THE VARIABLES: Pillows and blankets galore! All under $39.99/piece

THE HYPOTHESIS: For a few measly bucks, we can brighten up our living rooms and our lives. Bold splashes of color will be our keys to success!

THE RESULTS:

Fabliss Couch #1 - Black and white with a pop of color and LOTS of texture on the pillows. Pairing houndstooth pillows with a polka-dot blanket gives it a daring sense of mismatched chic.

Fabliss Couch #2 - A cozy, less formal option with a blanket that screams "warmth and comfort!" Pull colors from the blanket to go wild with variety in tone and texture. A mini-bolster breaks up the monotony of square and rectangular pillows.

Fabliss Couch #3 - This look infuses on a bit more color and pizazz by using bright, patterned pillows and a deep blue blanket. With the over sized gray pillow, you have many comfy naps ahead of you. A textured white zebra in the middle of the couch breaks up the midnight blue.

THE CONCLUSION: Our hypothesis is confirmed. Using color and pattern yielded big changes without the big budget. With all items purchased at IKEA, you can bet these accessories are a great deal and won't leave you pinching pennies. Dare to mismatch prints to get a bold look. Your boring neutral couch will be turned upside down!

So there we have it. A little mini-experiment at IKEA that yielded big results. The next time you get down in the dumps about your boring, neutral couch, go crazy with accessories! Save a few bucks and brighten up your life!