Get the Look for Less: Room & Board Dining Room

Do you love having a designer look in your home but absolutely loathe dropping boatloads of cash to get the vibe and style you want? Wish you could afford great pieces from high end stores like Room and Board, but your wallet is already crying because you don’t have the cash? Want to take your dining room to a whole new level of style without breaking the bank? Never fear! I’m here to show you how to get the look for less! 🙂

For this month’s Get the Look for Less post I was wondering what kind of space to do. I usually have a rotation of what brands I pick (it’s Room and Board’s turn!) but it’s always a bit random when it comes to the actual room I choose to do. I realized that I haven’t done a dining space EVER (what?!). That had to change. So as I was browsing Room and Board’s awesome inspiration section I found a space I just absolutely loved. The modern vibe, the clean lines, with bold pops of indigo, green and coral. There’s a bohemian/Scandinavian vibe that I’m just swooning over so I knew this would be the perfect space to recreate on a budget. (And can I just say ‘hello gorgeos’ to that beautiful fiddle leaf fig??) I would have one in a heartbeat if I could be sure that I wouldn’t accidentally kill it in a week.

Now here’s the fun part! Take a look at my budget look-alike finds below and tell me what you think. I’m really excited about the pieces I found and they are guaranteed to save you cold hard cash.

Room and Board Dining Chair Look Alikes

The look of these modern Room and Board molded plastic chairs with chrome legs is just so fun! I love the clean feel and the hip vibe. But at 400 bucks a chair, buying 6 of them to go around my dining room table isn’t really feasible. I found a cool alternative at Wayfair, which has a similar white molded plastic bucket seat and fun metal legs. You can 2 chairs in a set for under $200 – now that’s a much better deal! And I actually like the detailing on these legs better than the R&B originals – the added geometric shapes just adds so much dimension!

Room and Board Dining Table Look Alike

If you’re going to have a dinner party, you need a great table to congregate around! I love the strong clean lines on the Room and Board table and how the metal legs contrast with the rich, warm wood top. But almost $1,300 is a lot of cash to throw down, even for something that you use daily. I found a great look alike over at Wayfair – similar modern metal legs and a wood top that brings warmth and visual interest to your dining space.

Room and Board Vase Look Alike

Every table needs a good vase (or two or three!). A tablescape always looks more inviting and put together when fresh blooms are included. However, I don’t think I could ever, in my life, ever spend almost 200 smackeroos on a single vase. Nuh-uh. No way, no how. However, West Elm has a very nice selection of white ceramic vases that you can pick up for less than $40. So go ahead, grab a few and decorate your dining room!

Room and Board Area Rug Look Alike

A comfy and easy-to-clean rug is key in any dining room. I love the light neutral color of the Room and Board rug – it’s the perfect jumping off point to design your eating space! However rugs get pricey real quick. Cut down on the cost but keep the same feel, material, and size by going with a rug from Rugs USA. Ahhh, my wallet is sighing in happiness.

Room and Board Art Look Alike

Add in some art for an instant WOW factor and bring any accent colors you want in your dining space into play. I’m totally digging the bold indigo feel of the Room and Board abstract art pieces, but I can understand how 600 bucks a pop for 3 pieces will put a big hole in your budget. I found an independent artist on Etsy who sells these beautiful art prints for (literally) a fraction of the price and you can customize what sizes you get. Win-win.

Room and Board Pendant Look Alike

When you have bold art and furniture in your space, it’s okay to go a little more low-key with the lighting fixtures. A neat, neutral drum shade pendant is a great choice for a dining room – it’s simple, yet pretty, and not too overwhelming on the eyes. This linen drum pendant from Room and Board is fairly reasonable, however, I was able to shave off half the price with my Wayfair find. Score!

Room and Board Planter Look Alike

Bring a little life to your space by adding some greenery! If you are a green thumb, add some of your favorite plants, flowers, or shrubs. Plant killer (like me?) – opt for harder-to-kill succulents or even go for faux plants. You’d be surprised how real they look nowadays! Regardless of whether you choose real or fake, you need a smart looking planter to put them in. White ceramic is clean, classic, and looks great in with number of design styles. $300 for Room and Board’s version is a little steep, so I cut some money off that number with an exact ringer from West Elm.

Now it’s time to add ’em up!

If you were to purchase all of the Room and Board versions (including 6 chairs and 3 pieces of artwork) the grand total would come to $7,075.00 before tax. Ouchouchouchouch. Nope. No thanks. I want that money IN my wallet, thanks very much! Now, if you were to purchase my look alike versions (again, factoring in 6 chair and 3 artwork purchases) you would come to $2,101.80 before tax. Badabing badaboom! Isn’t that SO much better?? That’s a savings of over 70%! Yowzah!

Of course, remember you can always save even more money when you buy pieces slowly over time, scour Craigslist, Goodwill, and garage sales, and wait for your favorite stores to have things go on sale. You absolutely can have the look you love for less! Happy shopping!

What’s your favorite piece from this Room and Board dining room?