Priced out of the New York City real estate market (they currently rent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn), Christina Salway and John Moskowitz instead invested in a charming though dilapidated little two-bedroom one-bath 1920s cottage in Sparrow Bush, N.Y. for their first home purchase, which they bought for $90,000. With a budget of $10,000, they did all of the necessary reconstruction themselves, except the re-roofing, which was done by a contractor. An equally tight decorating budget (they spent $2,352 in total) was stretched creatively, with purchases made through Craigslist, thrift shops and yard sales, donations from family and friends and finding things on the street — they became adept at discovering treasures in recycling bins and Dumpsters. Some of their cleverly repurposed finds include the kitchen's retro appliances (the vintage stove was bought on Craigslist), while the two stools, wood workbench and old wood locker were found on the street. The mismatched dining room chairs were also found on the street and simply given a fresh coat of white paint. Artwork in the hallway was bought on Craigslist, yard sales and thrift shops, while old valises were stacked to make a hallway table. All this was done on a schedule, too as the couple had a firm deadline to finish the work: May 23, their wedding day, which they eventually hosted at their cottage, with a large tent to accommodate their 150 guests. See more photos and read the New York Times article on their cottage here.
(photography by Phil Mansfield for the New York Times)