Spend wisely

Caroline made careful choices about when to save and when to splurge. In the living room, she slipcovered a beat-up leather armchair with inexpensive white canvas, and then paired it with a more expensive silk throw pillow. She also took extra time to paint the insides of her bookshelves darker than the walls to provide a contrasting backdrop for her creamware collection.

• See more of the makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.