Hello Odi et Amo readers! I’m Laura of JourneyChic, and I’m so flattered that Averill asked me to participate in this series. Moving from our 600 square foot single-floor brownstone apartment in Boston’s hip South End to a nearly 2,000 square foot 3-story townhouse in a suburban enclave of the city was quite a switch. The previous owners of our home left us all of the builder basics to contend with: loads of bare windows (not even the hardware), giant mirrors glued to the bathroom walls, no toilet paper holders or towel rods, and what seemed like miles of beige paint.

While I would love to spend all my money on high-end items, the need to furnish a much larger space has forced me to seek out stores that will allow me to achieve the look I’m after without breaking the bank. In addition to staples like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Target, here are some stores and online shops that are helping to turn our house into a home.

1. Country Curtains for window treatments.

Don’t let the name fool you. This Massachusetts-based company has stores in several states and in the past two or three years has added more modern prints and styles to their repertoire. Sure, if you want lace café curtains, they have those, too. Here are some of my favorite styles at the moment. The “Linen Dot” pattern is in my bedroom, and I have “Castlehead” valances in my kitchen/dining room. While not inexpensive, the quality is excellent and provides a custom look without the custom price tag.

2. JC Penney for window hardware.

When I was little, I loved looking through my grandma’s JC Penney catalog. It was as thick as a phone book, and when I finished with the toy section I promptly headed to the home section. Thinking back, the selection was pretty horrific; think ruffled everything and fuzzy toilet seat covers. Fortunately, the selection has improved a lot over the years, and they’ve developed a great, inexpensive selection of modern window hardware that’s almost always on sale.

3. Pier 1 Imports for global accessories.

Sadly, Pier 1 has closed several of their stores in the past year and they don’t offer online shopping. If you have a store in your area, it’s worth a look. I’ve found some great deals for our home – a rug, wall décor for our mantle, decorative plates, and more. Some of these items may no longer be available, but there are oodles to choose from to add a little global pizazz to your home.

4. Ballard Designs for indoor/outdoor rugs.

If it wasn’t for the blog world, I’d never know about Ballard Designs. I’m so glad I found them! Our entryway is outfitted in two indoor/outdoor rugs from Ballard that I scored at a deep discount. They’re quite rugged and have stood up to my cat’s scratching. The selection of patterns and colors offers something for most tastes at good prices. Here are some of the patterns I love right now:

5. Lewis & Sherron for fabric.