The landlord primed all the walls, trim and doors prior to us moving in. We agreed to do the painting if she paid for the paint and supplies and let us choose the colours.
The Living Room- After
Living Room Budget Breakdown:
Furniture-
The love-seat, chair, end tables and lamps (2 table and 1 floor) were all given to us by other family members. $0
The small dining table with 2 chairs, electric fireplace and bar cart (not shown) we already had but were not necessary to keep at our house. $0
The desk was our biggest purchase which we found on Kijiji. $100
The 2 faux leather storage ottomans we found at XSCargo for a steal. $39 each
The desk chair was a curbside find. $0
The 6 x 9" carpet was a remnant which I bought at Walmart. $39
Accessories-
The large frame behind the sofa we already had but updated the print inside the frame with some black and white photography from Michaels. $4 (after 40% off coupon)
I bought 2 of the pillows on the sofa from JYSK and the other ones (including the 2 pillows on the chair) we already had but weren't using. $3 (cushion covers) & $3.99 (cushion inserts)
The 4 smaller frames above the dining table were bought on clearance at Michaels. The larger of the 2 matts was also purchased at Michaels and the smaller matts were purchased at the Dollar Giant. The pictures within the frames were photos we took and printed off at home. $6.99 each (frames), $2.99 each (11 x 14 matts- after 40% off coupon), $1/pair (4 x 6 matts)
The blanket I bought on sale at JYSK. $9.99
The curtains and curtain rod I found (on sale) at JYSK for a steal. $10/pair (curtains) & $9 (rod, brackets & finials)
The black wood bowl on the dining table was bought at Walmart. $9.99
Most, if not all, the smaller accessories (pots, magazines, books, candles, Buddha statue, etc.) we took from our house. $0
The Front Entryway- Before
The Front Entryway- After
Front Entryway Budget Breakdown:
The 4 frames on the right of the door were bought on clearance at Michaels. The larger of the 2 matts was also purchased at Michaels and the smaller matts were purchased at Dollar Giant. The pictures within the frames were photos we took and printed off at home. $6.99 each (frames), $2.99 each (11 x 14 matts- after 40% off coupon), $1/pair (4 x 6 matts)
The carpet at the front door was bought at IKEA. $49
I bought the full length mirror and the boot tray (on sale) at Walmart. $8 (mirror) & $3 (boot tray)
I purchased the coat hooks at Michaels. $3 (after 40% off coupon)
The 2 smaller frames above the coat hooks we already had. The pictures within the frames were photos we took and printed off at home. $0
The Hallway- Before
The Hallway- After
The Kitchen- Before
The Bedroom- Before
The Bedroom- After
The Bathroom- BeforeThe Bathroom- After
The key to this apartment makeover was paint. A fresh coat of paint on virtually everything (including the kitchen counter) cleaned and updated it. To tie together all our miscellaneous furniture pieces we painted everything Swiss Coffee (CIL paints). Now even though the pieces are very different styles they all have something in common that unifies them.
Total makeover cost: $422.00
The Banker's Office Chair from Canadian Tire. A steal at $199.00 (currently on sale for $139.99). Adjustable in height and solid wood. 
The Tate Coffee Table in an oil finish from JYSK. At only $149.00 picture how good this solid wood piece would look painted either cream or black with a wood tray and accessories on top. 
The storage ottoman at XSCargo. For only $39.99 and available in brown or black faux leather this piece is perfect as occasional seating and hidden storage for any family room.
Last but not least, Kijiji is by far the best place to find those unique pieces with a little history available for an excellent price. It is an especially good place to find older solid wood pieces that you won't mind painting. For example, below is a picture of the solid oak dining table that my husband and myself found on Kijiji earlier this year.
