Face it, creating a beautiful room can get costly…but cost is a relative term.  One man’s expensive is another man’s not expensive enough.  We have always operated on the premise that everyone deserves a beautiful home, regardless of where they are in life or what their bank account says.   You don’t have to buy top of the line, but you need to understand what you are compromising. You also need to have a discerning eye about the little things that can say knock-off or poor quality.

For example, a trip to a Dollar General yesterday meant a walk down the home décor aisle.  Right in the middle of everything, was a knock-off of the famous Anthropologie Primrose Mirror…THEE mirror of the past five years…particularly once it started receiving screen time on TikTok. Retailing from $600-1500 depending on the size, Anthropologie, stated the mirror was inspired by French Antique Gilt Mirrors seen throughout Paris. (even the so-called original is a dupe)  The Dollar General version was smaller but the quality wasn’t even close. The “gilding” was bright and shiny, the frame was plastic, in other words, the differences would have been obvious to anyone.  But a quick look online, finds many other Primrose dupes from Wayfair, Kirklands, Crate and Barrel, and more for a comparable look, similar quality, for up to 60% less.  But let’s be honest, as pretty as this mirror may be, if it has made it to Dollar General, you will be able to pick up one quite inexpensively at a future yard sale.

 So how to know if one should love or lose a dupe? Here are a few questions to ask. 

1. Does brand name matter to you? Do you like to name drop and can spot a fake a mile away. Then buy the best or you will never be happy, even if it means you must save for it.

2. Are the other items in the space of comparable quality? Quality does not necessarily mean the most expensive.  But the overall room will tell a story…does it say cheap or curated?

3. Is it an item that will get a great deal of use?  If the dupe has skimped on the elements that will give it lasting power, then go for the better quality. Ask questions about construction, materials used, frame quality, etc.

4. Is it purely decorative? If you didn’t say yes to any of the questions above, then go for that dupe and enjoy it.

5. Is time of the essence?  Often the original may become popular enough that the wait time becomes longer than you are willing to wait.   

6. Do you love change?  If you aren’t a person who loves things the same way for 5 or 10 years, then buy the darn dupe. The only thing worse than paying full price for the original is realizing how little you will get for it, when you sell it in a few years.

7.  Last question, is what you want, on the front end of a trend or toward the end?  Have you been lusting after this item for a while.  Don’t buy the original, it the trend is toward the end.

Bottom line, spend your money the way you want.  Don’t let someone make you feel bad about “settling” for a dupe or splurging on the original.   Buy it and love it…until you don’t. Here are a couple more splurges or saves.

RH’s Cloud Sofa-the Original-$10,000         Kova from Albany Park-$1200

Serena & Lily Ventura-$4300                                       Wayfair Llandel Chandelier-$220