The Latest: Sep 17, 2013

Old signage is a familiar sight at salvage shops and flea markets. While most might walk past this dingy exit sign, John was able to give it a bright future in a few hours, for about half of what a new reproduction would cost. From John: Yesterday, I found this great — but beat up — vintage exit sign. Today, I cleaned, sanded and repainted it, replaced the colored filter with clear plastic, and added colored bulbs. My boyfriend attached the (still functional!

While shopping for a bulletin board to hang above my home office desk, I was shocked to discover how much this home office essential can fetch from some decor retailers. And adorned with something special like an ornate frame? Forget it.

Lizzie described her budget as “less than a shoestring,” so when she found this old rocking chair at a clearance yard, she snatched it up. She sanded the seat, arms and back (taking off several layers of skin along with the peeling varnish) and painted them in a quirky neon turquoise (an unexpectedly and fun choice). Looks like her risk paid off. Lizzie obviously has a history of scoring great deals.