My sister, Elizabeth, asked for a little help tackling the last undecorated room in her home: a 4’ x 6’ sunroom.  Elizabeth, an actress and screenwriter, wanted a comfortable place to read scripts and memorize lines.  She requested a mid-century modern style that would complement her adjacent office.  The room is not weatherproof, so we chose items that would not be ruined by sun damage or dust.  Our maximum budget was $600.

We found the armchair and ottoman on craigslist for $100.  The chair is a mid-century reproduction from Urban Outfitters, so we aren’t worried about abandoning a valuable vintage piece to the elements.

We purchased a 3’ x 5’ grey and white chevron rug for $80 from Potted, a fabulous garden store in Los Feliz.  Our big budget splurge was a Modernica Case Study ceramic pot and Brazilian walnut stand, which we found on sale for $120.  The Case Study planter is manufactured locally in Los Angeles.

Our next stop was the Rose Bowl Flea Market—bright and (too) early Sunday morning!  But we can spot a bargain even with bleary eyes.  We found the mid-century wicker hanging lamp for $10 and a black metal magazine stand for $15.  We stopped by an estate sale near the flea market and picked up the lucite side table for $45.

We bought the plants at Elizabeth’s favorite nursery, XOTX TROPICO.  We chose a Tricolor Dragon Tree for the Case Study planter, which has beautiful red, green, and yellow striations, and a Tillandsia Cyanea in a small square planter for the side table.  The plants were $90, and the small pot was $7.

The lamp needed rewiring, so we bought a swag kit from the hardware store.  We also gave it a fresh coat of white paint.  The sunroom does not have electricity, so we tacked the electrical cord around the window frame and into the office.  The supplies added up to $15.

The project total came to $482, well under our maximum budget. As soon as we put the finishing touches on the sunroom, Elizabeth’s pooch gave our design the most important seal of approval!