In the first six months of marriage, merging lives and "stuff" has been a fun, but ongoing challenge. Namely, how do I decorate our apartment in a stylish, cozy and affordable way without making my poor husband feel like he's living in a girl's apartment.

(Rule #1: Limit the usage of pink. Obviously.)

Today's task: Incorporate hubby's coffee table with a touch of shabby chic style that's not so feminine he feels like he's looking at a home you'd find on Lifetime: Television for Women.

Get the Look (for cheap!):

1. Chevron Table Runner: I got this from the awesome website Very Jane that has AWESOME daily deals...cheap, and I mean cheap. It was only $11.99! (I liked it so much I bought three different colors)

2. Flower Tray: It's actually a cheap picture frame from Michael's that I unscrewed the back off of so that it would lay flat, and I bought a .50 piece of printed card stock to put in the frame for a little style. The frame was only $7.99, and bonus...I opened my Michael's iPhone app and used a framing coupon, so it was only $5!

3. Bird Tealight: I got this adorable tealight holder from Crate & Barrel for only $7.95.

4. Antique Frame: Only $2.99 at Hobby Lobby. The adorable married couple in the frame? Of course, that's us. :)

5. Hydrangeas: These aren't real...but in real life, they really don't look super fake! They were $5 at Michael's (I used a coupon again!), and then I took an old mason jar I had laying around, wrapped it in burlap, tied it with jute ribbon, and bam...can't even see the fake stem hiding beneath!

6. Books: I just picked two books I already owned that were a good color to complement the decor and took the covers off of them!

TOTAL COST: Less than $35!

Finding a look that both my hubby and I can live with: PRICELESS.