Yo, Dummy! Shoulda DIY’d it! – Home Dec Mag rip off ideas

So we magically got a copy of the march issue of ‘House Beautiful’ today and for once I decided to flip through it instead of sending it straight to recycling.

Though there were a lot of pretty things, there were also a TON of things too easy to DIY rather than drop hundreds of dollars on.
Take this clever mail catch-all by Goodwin + Goodwin.

The description in the lower right tells it all. And it IS super cute for that command center corner of the kitchen… But at $95 it feels steep to me. You could craft your own, similar version using poster board for a few dollars. Ok, it won’t hold up for forever like a metal one would, but will you still really be that in love with a big red envelope on your wall in a few years anyway? I know my need for a refreshed space would far out weigh the durability requirement!

This lamp, oh my this lamp! It costs nearly $500!!! Stop. Go to goodwill and get yourself a ginger jar lamp for maybe a whole $5. Then stop at your local craft store (remember the 40% off coupon) and buy a can of white primer spray paint, plus some fun primary colors in acrylic paint and a glossy clear sealant. Go crazy on the lamp. Rub and buff some gold on the brim. Voila! You’d have an identical lamp for no more than $20.
Maybe someday i’ll be the lucky bum peddling over-priced lamps to fools, but for now i’ll just make my own.