Every time I open my mailbox and find a new Pottery Barn catalog waiting on me, I do a little happy dance right there at our neighborhood’s mail kiosk. I’m sure my neighbors think I’m insane, but I’m also sure it’s not the first time that they have thought that about me.
I never actually buy anything at Pottery Barn. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of items we have in our home from the store, and most of them were given to us as gifts. You see, my neighbors may think that I am insane, but I think the prices at Pottery Barn are what’s really insane.
Why do I get excited about the Pottery Barn catalog then? Well, because I use it as inspiration, of course! It’s easy to get Pottery Barn style on a much more reasonable budget. Starting today, I’m going to begin showing you how, and I’ll have more examples in the coming weeks and months ahead. I think I’ll even make a little series of it.
In the most recent issue, one of the layouts I was particularly drawn to was this one:
I found a small bouquet of freshly cut pink peonies at the grocery store. I just bought one small bouquet since I wanted to put together a smaller scale version of the Pottery Barn arrangement. Maybe one day, I’ll plant some peonies in my backyard and I won’t have to buy the blooms at the grocery store. Sigh…
Next, I added a few handfuls of seashells to the bottom of a small, fishbowl style vase. I have a ton of seashells lying around that I purchased at my last trip to the beach, but you can buy them at craft stores or even dollar stores if you don’t have any on hand.
I filled the vase about three-quarters full of water and cut my flower stems so that the blooms were just above the top of the vase.
I am absolutely in love. The peonies are very fragrant and fill the entire room with their deliciousness. I rarely treat myself to fresh flowers, but I think I may have to start doing so more often!
Inspiration is everywhere – even right there in your mailbox. You just have to know where to look!
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I do exactly the same thing with PB catelog. There are so many good ideas for do-it-yourself projects. My favorite pb knock of is my kitchen table. I saved $1000 just by repainting what I already had! (there's a link to the table from my most recent post, if you haven't seen it)
I love doing the same thing, in fact last night, I was working on replicating some candlesticks I saw in PB. Who knows, I may end up liking my version even more!
ooh I love it! The odd thing is I have looked at this photo several times in the catalog and never saw the starfish in the glass container!
Can't wait to see your other pottery barn look a likes!
Happy Summer & Happy Decorating!
Oh, I bet mine will be in the mailbox today…..I too will do a little happy dance. I only buy things at PB at 75% off….have been fortunate to find some great things on clearance…but nothing Big. Love the peonies!!!
Suzanne
Nicely done! PS – just about every week, I buy grocery store blooms and turn them into an elegant arrangement. Sometimes, we just NEED to treat ourselves!!!
Glad to hear that I am not the only one that does a happy dance at the mailbox.
I like your version of the peonies much better:)
Whatan awesome idea…your arrangement is Just as beautiful as theirs…keep inspiring us
I love peonies. That looks great! Tomorrow, show us how to make the tandem bicycle thing:-)
I LOVE peonies, and I love the way you used the sea shells.
I always get the PB Kids catalog….need to request the other one too! 
Okay….THAT is FanTabUlous!!!! Lurve it! But wait, is that a BLACK end table with a BROWN couch???? I like that even more
Is the table actually black, or more of an espresso??? I am trying really hard to mix my browns and blacks.
Pretty! Plus it made me smile to see your PB-inspired bouquet on the same table as your PB design books.
~ Sarah
Why thank you girlie – for a truly wonderful, inspirational post! I will of course be making that beautiful arrangement myself!
Lindsay – thank you for sharing such a beautiful idea! I love the shells at the bottom. Peonies are my new favorite flower, so I'm going to try this.
Blessings,
Marie
http://emmacallsmemama.com
Great idea! Making flower arrangements seems so scary- but you make it look easy! Just followed your blog- especially 'cuz you'll be doing more of these kinds of posts I hope.
Great idea!! I will have to pick up some Peonies at the Farmer's Market.
I love that… I picked up two bags of seashells at the thrift store for $2.00. Can't wait to start decorating with them! And let's see a close-up of that wedding photo!
I love peonies…and they'll grow here. Wonder if I can do them in a pot so when we move, I can take them with me…
I too love peonies and have some in my flower beds. I really like the shell idea at the bottom – most people I don't think would have even focused on the vase in the picture – great job for you!!!
You said it girlfriend. Inspiration is everywhere. LOVE those pink peonies. Can't find them very often out in Cali, so I'll live vicariously. Beautiful !
Yes, it looks very Pottery Barn. Good job! Wonder if Pottery Barn knows how many of us just use their catalog for inspiration? I love that they have things on clearance sometimes, and I've done a good bit of clearance shopping there. But not much else–except as inspiration!
By the way, do you think that a lot of stuff at Target has (as I call it) "the Pottery Barn look"? My favorite thing is to find things on clearance at Target. Now that's geting into my comfort zone price range.
Very pretty floral arrangement!
I have a suggestion if you decide that you want to try to replicate the tandem bike art:
Muralists sometimes use an overhead projector (the kind that teachers use to project transparencies onto a screen) to project a small image onto a wall. If you borrowed a projector, you could hang canvases on the wall (pressed right up next to each other so they look like one wide canvas), project your image onto the canvases (you'd want to start with an image that is intact and not sliced up), trace the image onto the canvases, paint, and voila: art…in 20 simple steps
Absolutely love your flower/sea shell arrangement!
I love it! Love the seashells in the bottom and those pretty pink flowers! Thanks for Sharing!
I do the same thing with my PB catalouge!!! Peonies are my faves…wish they grew well in Central Texas.
It *does* look very Pottery Barn. So cute!
I too love peonies and Pottery Barn catalogues. Great post, and I agree it is economical and fun to find inspiration and try to recreate it. I linked to a similar post today, check it out. Unfortunately we have to get ours in store in Toronto (quite the drive) as they do not deliver here.
Beautiful arrangement. Very PB.
Peonies are my favorite – my eye was drawn to them in the photo first too. Beautiful!
Lovely! We did this for my daughter's wedding and thought it was so pretty!
Doing a lot with a little–I love it.
Sandhill Sis
http://reclaimsimplicity.com
love the shells in the vase!!!!! Great job
If you were to put this on a shelf or at least out of the way enough to make a statement without giving away the secret, you could do this with silk flowers and the "water" could be mineral oil. You could even do it "mini" size on a book case shelf or something.
Love this project! I’ve featured this post on my blog – feel free to stop by and grab an “I’ve been featured button” from our right side bar.
Post: http://sallyleebythesea.blogspot.com/2010/06/inspired-by-flowers.html
Have a beachy day…
Marie @ Sally Lee by the Sea
http://NauticalCottageBlog.com
I LOVE Pottery Barn too! On Sunday I went to their free ‘Decorating With Color’ class. It was mostly to showchase their new fall items, but they showed how to refresh your family room by switching out accessories such as pillows and botononicals, based on the season. They showed two completely different looks with warm, then cool color combinations. I talked to several women there and they agreed that they come for the ideas and inspiration. I bought two pillow covers for my couch, and faux pears for a glass bowl – and it’s amazing how much it changed the look. They recommended that we cut all our favorite pics from their catalogs, put them in a book or file – because after awhile you will see what styles and colors you are drawn too.