High-End Look, Low-End Price

Cut Corners

Go for quality, not brands. Dolese finds sturdy, high-quality wool blankets in earthy colors at the army-surplus store. A fine wool blanket can cost hundreds of dollars, but he gets his for $15.

Shop import stores for deals. Dolese often cuts out the expensive middleman by going directly to import shops for funky finds. Check online or local yellow pages for stores in your area.

Use high-end accents to dress up budget items. In his kitchen, Dolese installed inexpensive cabinets and an affordable laminate countertop, then spruced up the look with high-end cabinet and drawer handles.