The Frugalista – In the Beginning...

Fru.gal.ista: a person who is fashionable while being thrifty...which is really just a polite way of saying that I adore all things pretty and I am CHEAP!




Fru.gal.ista: a person who is fashionable while being thrifty…

…which is really just a polite way of saying that I adore all things pretty and I am CHEAP! And to be perfectly honest, I have no shame in that!  In fact, I was born and raised to be a Frugalista!  My incredible parents taught me to believe that living in luxe has nothing to do with the amount of money in your bank account.  It is about surrounding yourself with items that you love and using a little ingenuity when doing so. They always encouraged me to express my creativity through art and proudly displayed it throughout their home as if it were gallery worthy (even when my medium of choice was crayons or finger paints).  We spent many weekends when I was a child at flea markets, garage sales and even doing a little “curbside shopping”…well before it was “the cool thing to do.”  But they always had an eye for style and an imaginative way of reinventing, repurposing, and remaking unique pieces that tactfully struck a unique, high/low balance throughout their home. And now, when I visit them in the house that they have proudly owned for 30+ years, every piece indeed tells a story…even if that story is how they only paid 5 dollars for it!

My design philosophy has been carefully sculpted by my parents, but also influenced through life experiences.  And after joining Benjamin Moore’s design team in 2004, I quickly realized the power of colour and how inexpensively paint can transform virtually anything.  Just when I think I’ve done everything possible with paint, I’m inspired by something new (whether it be fashion, travel, cuisine etc.), and sure enough another DIY project comes to life.  So, join me on my journey of inspiration, where I’ll detail project ideas and prove that Frugalista living is living without any limitations on your creativity, regardless of your age or size of your wallet!

Happy Painting and Decorating!

Leigh-Ann