Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

| By | | 255 Comments

Buying Fabric At Mary Jo’s Near Charlotte

Earlier this morning we mentioned that we slipped through Mary Jo’s fabric store outside of Charlotte, NC again (read about our first trip here) where they have bolts of discount fabric stacked higher than my 5’2″ self.

Mary Jos

We thought it would be fun to share what caught our eye along with what we actually bought since some of you guys might be on a fabric pilgrimage of your own. And the good news is that a lot of this fabric should be sold by multiple places (although MJ’s prices are hard to beat) so if you see something you love, I’ve tried to include as many details as possible so you can sleuth it out online or in a local place near you. Enough jibber-jabber. Here we go.

The first fabric that caught my eye was this pretty yellow & gray ikat loveliness, and at $13.98 a yard (down from $35+) you could reupholster 2 dining chairs for under $15 (manufacturer: Richloom, style: Modesto, color: Charmom).

Gray Yellow Fabric

This red and blue floral-but-not-stuffy fabric also struck me as fun yet sophisticated thanks to the color and intricate pattern. It was also $13.98, so you could make a great little headboard out of it for under $28, assuming you need two yards (manufacturer: Richloom, style: Cornwall, color: Garden).

Red Blue Fabric

And then we have my favorite find: this gorgeous oversized medallion fabric with tons of texture, color, and associated cheerfulness (I stood there and grinned at it like a crazy person). Oh as for the details, the manufacturer was Richloom, the style was Brompton, and the color was Citrin.

Fabric We Got

This designer suzani fabric was on clearance for $16.98 a yard (down from $50.95 per yard!) and I couldn’t walk out without one yard of the one I loved best. After vacillating between each bolt (I love aqua and greeny-yellow but in the end thought the gray one with the greeny-yellow detail might be the most versatile) we left with one yard of the one on the right. I actually have plans to use it for some giant wall art – kind of like a tapestry. So more on that when I get there.

Mary Jos Fabric

We didn’t find any curtain fabric (boo) but we talked about a few ideas on the ride home so we just have to sleep on them a bit more to decide which direction we want to go. Then you know we’ll blog about every last detail (I’m guessing in at least 1,500 words, because we’re anything but concise).

But now let’s switch gears to our Pottery Barn Outlet trip in Gaffney, SC (also mentioned in this morning’s post). Here’s the rundown of what we saw (and the one item that we couldn’t leave the store without). And so sorry about the terrible pics, my camera battery died so I took most of them with my phone.

First we have this charming little jewelry box with pretty gray-purple velvet lining and a crackled metallic leather-ish exterior. At $34.99 (down from $50) it still wasn’t cheap enough for me, but it did look like something you’d pay $75 for at Anthropologie.

Jewelry Box

This cool upholstered bar stool was $149 (down from $229) but I snapped a photo more for the DIY idea than the notion of actually buying this specific stool. Places like HomeGoods and Target and Garden Ridge sell extremely similar stools with basic brown upholstery on top for under $50- so you could get this look with a quarter of a yard of fabric and a staple gun (just unscrew the top of the stool from the underside and staple the new fabric nice and tightly before putting the seat back on).

Stool Fabric Idea

These pretty tiered plates would look sweet on a kitchen counter (or party table) full of goodies or fruit. I forgot to note the price but I think they were $14 or $19.

Tiered Plates

This big round mirror looked Restoration Hardware-ish and would be one of those pieces that makes a room. It was also marked down by almost $100 (from $279 to $194). Still steep but pretty darn gorgeous.

Round Mirror

This window-looking mirror was $208 (down from $299) but for a dark room that’s missing a window (like a basement) or even a large span of wall that could use some architecture, two hundred bucks is a lot cheaper than actually adding a window. Or you could use it as inspiration and DIY something with an old mirror from a salvage yard and some add-on mirrors.

Window Mirror

John died for this oversized clock but after drawing a blank when it came to where the heck we’d hang it we decided to leave it for the next person. It was marked down from $249 to $124. Still semi spendy, but this is another one of those room-making things.

Giant Clock

This is also a photo that I took more for the idea than the concept of buying this specific item. This charming chalk board easel might be something we could DIY someday (it was $169 down from $199, but I bet the materials would be substantially less expensive if someone were to make it themselves).

Chalk Board

These urchin bowls were textured and fun (priced at $9.99 each, down from $15).

Urchin Bowl

I wish I could have taken a picture of this out of the box (none were on display and I cracked a box open but it was disassembled). Apparently PB sells a pink kids version of a Dyson vacuum complete with realistic sounds and little beads that jump around when you push it back and forth. It was $24 (down from $50) and I actually debated it for the bean (it’s a lot cheaper than a real Dyson and it never hurts to get the young ones into cleaning from the get-go) but the car was pretty packed already (baby stuff + dog stuff = tons of stuff). So we left it behind.

Dyson Kids Vac

I could totally envision a few of these chairs painted white (or soft gray) with chic cushions at our future kitchen island (I love the idea of comfortable stool seating with a back). They were priced at $99 a pop (down from $200 each) but since we don’t even had an island yet (and there was no room in the car) I tearfully walked away.

Bar Stool Chair

These little silver ornament frames were just $5.99 (down from $10 a pop). Cute for adding family photos to the tree (and pics of your dog in a Santa hat if you’re weird like us).

Ornament Frame

I loved the idea of someone getting this faux sea fan “placemat” (it was made of flexible cut-out rubber) and then spray painting it a bold color (navy?) and framing it on a homemade burlap or linen backdrop. It was $9.99 (down from $16).

Faux Sea Fan

These cute braided red lamp shades could definitely add texture to a room in need of a shot of color or interest (they were on sale for $19 each):

Red Shade

This pretty pillow sham was so textured and tonal (priced at $32, it was still a little not-outlet-y enough for me thought).

Textured Sham

And then there was the lighting. Oh the lighting. There were so many great sales in that department I could hardly contain myself. Especially since our house has a whole lotta lighting to be updated. This charming bronze sconce with the oversized seeded glass bulb cover had me at hello (and it was just $39). But the color isn’t exactly what we’re going for (I’m an oil-rubbed bronze or silver/stainless/nickel girl lately) so I left it for the next light-hunter to pounce on.

Copper Light

But I couldn’t leave this baby behind. At just $29 (cheaper than most lamp shades and down from $80) this 8″ wide hardwired pendant will be perfect for over the sink when we start upgrading the kitchen.

PBLight Far

Everything from the mercury glass tone to the subtle honeycomb shape on the shade (you guys know we have a thing for bees right?) screamed buy me. So we listened.

PBLight Close

Which explains why these pendant photos were snapped at home (and not with my iPhone in the store). Now it’s just sitting in the playroom until the big kitchen makeover gears up (soon I hope, J and I were brainstorming stuff on the drive home along with writing our book – yes we had laptops charged and Microsoft Word open for most of the trip). So that’s what we saw while window shopping slash actual shopping. Any favorites? Have you guys seen anything lately that you couldn’t not buy? Let’s talk shop shopping.

Comments

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Of course! It’s not a road trip without the Burgsie. He had a blast at Matt & Kristin’s house (she has two bigger pooches that he loves) and got to run around a lot at Katie’s too. He’s my good little travel buddy.

      xo,
      s

  2. Ashley says

    I have that pendant from Pottery Barn! I have two in my kitchen and I LOVE them. I didn’t pay $80 but I didn’t pay $29 either so I am very jealous of that price! I can send you a pic if you want.

    Reply

  3. kelly says

    i WANT those lights you bought! love them!
    we just bought our first house and am so excited to see what you guys are doing with yours especially the kitchen!!

    Reply

  4. Sarah says

    That Cornwall Garden fabric is awesome. We’re probably taking an overnight to Charlotte this summer – maybe we’ll get to check out the fabric store.

    Reply

  5. Gavin S. says

    NO WAY!!! I was in Atlanta this weekend and driving back to NC through Gaffney on Sunday. I passed the outlets, but had no idea there was a Pottery Barn Outlet there! This is excellent news (if only I’d known two days ago!). Looks like I’ll need to plan another trip down there very soon. Glad you had such a swell weekend!

    Reply

  7. Amanda says

    I live in Charlotte…love Mary Jo’s and the PB Outlet! If someone would create a blog where they just take photos of what is in stock in those two stores each week I would be a faithful reader! Plus it would save me a lot of gasoline! Thanks for a great post.

    Reply

  9. Melissa says

    You’re not missing a thing with that little Dyson vac toy! It’s a piece of junk. Ours fell apart in a dozen different ways… very poorly made, WAY overpriced for the quality you end up with. One of the worst made toys I’ve ever come across!

    Reply

  10. Hilary says

    I love lamp. (It’s the first thing that popped into my head)

    But really, I LOVE anything mercury! I don’t know what it is… fancy yet casual, perfect for all seasons, cozy, shiny (what can I say, I like shiny things).

    PS – You have inspired me to paint our bathroom this summer. Thanks for all of your tips! I can’t wait to do it. I’m a teacher, so my summer is full of little DIY projects I’ve pinterest-ed (and thank you for that addiction).

    Reply

  11. Amy says

    I AM SO JEALOUS!! I’ve been wanting that mercury pendant (or any mercury pendant that’s not a lot of $$$)! Great find!

    Reply

  12. Samm Spangler says

    Wow!!! What a weekend and what amazing stuff you guys got!!

    That large bronze sconce looks almost exactly like what i found at a garage sale over the weekend (and when i saw it was only $5, i paid and ran out before they could change their mind)… sadly, it didnt fit my decor either (sad face), but then my fiance had the AWESOME idea of spay painting it oil rubbed bronze with a $3 can from Home Depot and it worked PERFECTLY!! Seriously such an amazing match with all my other nick-nacks…

    Just an idea for next time in case you find something that you’re world will not be complete without, think spray paint!!

    P.S- You guys totally rock for keeping up with the blog while on vacation! Props to you!
    -Samm in Dallas

    Reply

  13. Ally says

    how do you guys get away with all the pictures insides stores? workers always get mad at me when i take a picture!

    camera phone? how do you do it?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I usually use my big camera right in front of everyone! Haha. Once I did get asked not to take photos in a Restoration Hardware Outlet but other than that people just look at me and walk right by. Maybe I have an innocent face? Or they’re all staring at John holding the cute baby?

      xo,
      s

  14. laura says

    I LOVE the pendant! Part of me wished you would have bought the place mat too….I can totally see what you were envisioning! :)

    Reply

  15. Carol N. says

    If the pendant goes missing from your ‘storage’ room, it will be over my sink. GOOD GRAVY THAT IS TO DIE FOR!!!!!!

    Reply

  16. Ginger Dunham says

    I have been trying to no avail to locate the fabric that you bought. I love it and that is what I am looking for. Any ideas?

    Reply

  17. Stephanie says

    I’ll have to check out MJs next time I’m in Charlotte! Ditto on the $15 IKEA easel and continuous rolls of paper that other commenters have mentioned…our toddler loves it and we use our “art” for wrapping presents and making greeting cards (and really large numbers for her birthday party). http://southfeasterdelphia.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/birthday-party-1/

    Not sure what possessed me to go to West Elm between paydays, but I had to buy these metal straws anyways:
    http://www.westelm.com/products/metal-bendy-straws-c038/?pkey=e%7Cmetal%2Bstraws%7C32%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C24%7C%7C1&cm_src=NLASEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Common%20Rule%20Top%20Wide%20Kitchen-_-

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The top is from H&M and the bottoms are from Carter’s. I know because I just did our post-trip laundry and they’re nearby. Do I get points for that?

      -John

    • Amanda says

      H&M sells baby clothes? I had no idea… now I have to go check it out. Do they have a good selection?

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Only certain ones do, and it’s so much fun! In NYC and here in Richmond there’s a huge selection but I think it varies by store. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  23. Aimee says

    Ahhhh! The silver picture frame ornaments. If I lived anywhere near there I would be on my way. Every year a scavenge around the internet looking for good deals on those.

    Reply

  24. Heather says

    LOVE LOVE LOVE the stuff you did buy! (Although I do like the fabric with the aqua more… but the design is so cool!)

    Charlotte (and it’s surrounding cities) is just the best =)

    (I was born & raised in charlotte, so I might be a LITTLE biased…)

    Reply

  25. Annie says

    Great finds! Can’t wait to see how you did at Goodwill. I LOVE Goodwill. As long as we are talking shopping, we saw a sideboard on Craigslist the other day… sort of a furniture purchase gone wrong, actually… but it was a great adventure! Oh, and I just found your blog the other day and must say I love it.

    Reply

  26. Kathryn says

    I’m loving: the medallion fabric you chose, the clock that John drolled over, and that pendant light. OH.EM.GEE! Adorble. I love these type of posts. They are fun. (P.S. I am from Charlotte and I MUST check out this fabric store! Have you ever been to Front Door Fabrics in Charlotte? I love them, too.)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hmmm, we think we actually went to Front Door Fabrics last time we visited Charlotte. It was really fun (assuming we’re remembering the same place).

      -John

  27. Ashley says

    Another option for an easel is Michael’s (go figure). We got our 4 y.o. niece an easel from there for $30 and it had a dry erase side & chalkboard side, plus a roll for paper on top. We painted the frame to personalize it.

    Reply

  28. Hayley says

    I haven’t read through the posts, but, I do remember seeing a similar, unfinished chalkboard/painting easel (sp?) at Ikea for around $15. That might be even cheaper than DIYing it.

    Reply

  29. Jennifer says

    Did you notice if they still had any of your nursery fabric left? I’m short several yards and sometimes visit Charlotte. That looks like a fantastic store!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Unfortunately we didn’t spot more of Clara’s nursery fabric (neither the crib skirt fabric we bought at Mary Jo’s last year or the curtain fabric that we bought here in Richmond). But there was so much there we didn’t dig through every pile. So maybe there’s still hope!

      -John

  31. Jordan says

    Fun!Fun!Fun! What did you think of the bower’s new pad (i am assuming this was your first time to see it in person, rather than on the blog)?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yeah, it was just as amazing as we expected! Driving there John and I said it would probably feel bigger or smaller (we just thought something would be different than the pics) but it was pretty much exactly what we thought it would be – big and gorgeous and so full of potential! And Katie is so modest when she says she hasn’t done much yet- the place is already so cozy and inviting than it was in those before shots that she shared. We had so much fun.

      xo,
      s

  32. Robin @ our semi organic life says

    I may have to go to Mary Jo’s before we move to Richmond while we’re close. I’ve never been to a PB outlet (yet!) but I have been to a Crate & Barrel outlet which was awesome. Can’t wait to see what your ideas are for curtains! ps. def. incorporating spendy in my vocabulary.

    Reply

  33. Niki says

    FYI: there is a PB outlet near Washington Courthouse, OH. It is located at the Prime Outlets, Jeffersonville. You may just want to google Prime Outlets and then search for the Prime Outlets closest to you. I’m sure that there are multiple PB outlets.
    I have never bought anything but ohhhh….how I’ve dreamed. I’ve already warned my husband that once we move and save some $$, he and his truck are taking a trip with me to visit :-)

    Reply

  34. Charity says

    I love that pottery barn outlet. I am from a town about 45 minutes from that outlet. Wish I still had a pottery barn outlet that close though! Love the pendent lights!

    Reply

  35. Margaret says

    I have the adult version of the pink Dyson. My sister bought it for me as a bridal shower gift. I cried when I opened it. Yes, I know it’s just a vacuum cleaner but it’s pink and super awesome. I would love to get the toy version just to have for fun :)

    Reply

  36. Karen Maia says

    Hi Sherry,

    I love the pendant! By any chance would you know the name of it?

    Thank you, Karen M.

    Reply

  37. Ana Silva says

    There’s so much shopping I want to do and need to do. I just need to find the time. With DIY work around the house and work plus finding reasonably priced things is hard to do. I will get there though. I did recently buy my master bedroom lamp from T.J.Maxx that are totally awesome! Chick and classy. I’ll show you soon.

    Reply

  38. jess says

    LURVE the pendant light and what a great deal! Congrats- scoring a bargain is like winning the lottery!!!!

    Reply

  39. Dara says

    I was given a copy of the Nest magazine with you both on the cover. I was so excited to see that you had a blog- and a baby! I would buy your book! You guys are so cute-and talented. I love your blog-it is so cheerful and smart and really lifts my spirits during a tough workday.
    You need an HGTV show!
    Dara Westerman

    Reply

  40. Allison says

    Next time you are down this way- you MUST go to the fabric stores in High Point (Furniture Capital of the WROLD!) One of my favorites is Leisure fabrics where everything is $3 A yard. Yes- you read that right. $3 a yard. Its the upholstery fabric from all the furniture manufacturers in the area.

    Reply

  41. Nadia says

    I die. Like seriously, I’m crying because I have been looking for the perfect ikat fabric and haven’t found anything in that gray/yellow scheme, but of course, I now see it DOES exist!!! I haven’t been able to find it anywhere yet though!!! Boohoo!!

    Reply

  42. Claire says

    I recently upholstered the lid of an old plywood trunk (that I’ve stored everything from Barbies to Babysitters’ Club Book in since I was a little girl) with a fabric that is almost identical to the ikat print you showed. I got it at a discount home fabric store in the Bay Area for EIGHT dollars a yard! Just need to add the covered buttons for the tufted look at it’s done.
    I love the medallion fabric you chose! I was really hoping you were going to tell us that it was the fabric for your curtains in the dining room. What a statement piece that would be to compliment your table!

    Reply

  43. Raven says

    Mary Jo’s is a relic! I live in Charlotte now but grew up in good old Gastonia and I swear MJs is world famous. There is another much smaller but equally fabulous fabric store called Modern Fabrics in Charlotte that you should check out next time-majorly discounted designer fabrics from Maharam, Knoll, DesignTex, etc.
    http://www.modern-fabrics.com/

    Reply

  46. Lisa says

    As a native of Gastonia, NC, I find it amusing that you visited Mary Jo’s! And even more amusing that two other people have commented on living nearby as well :)

    Reply

  47. Lili says

    Love that pendant! It would also be cool in our kitchen once we update = )

    Just last week I purchased a sofa at World Market. I’d been wanting it for a long time. It was marked down to $399 from $799 and I had a $50 off coupon!

    Reply

  48. Allison says

    Hey Sherry and John,
    Have you guys ever heard of richmond freecycle? You can become a member through Yahoo I believe. The group allows you to offer and take free items throughout richmond from other locals who are giving their belongings away. A lot of people offer up old furniture and materials that I feel you both would enjoy fixing up!Just thought I would share :)
    Have a great day.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we love craigslist and freecycle. We actually gave away our old mattress with freecycle a while back. Such a nice family came to get it!

      xo,
      s

Stuff We Love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *