As someone who just bought a house in the DC area, she is totally right. Find an agent you 100% trus

Nestled in Washington, xian china one day tour D.C., Sara Azani s gorgeous condo is a stylish blend of modern luxury and rustic charm. Vintage-inspired pieces—like a cozy blue sofa with nailhead trim and dining table made from reclaimed wood—exude warmth. Embracing the crisp white space in her home, Sara uses it as a blank canvas, adding splashes xian china one day tour of color and texture through rich rugs, bold pillows, and elegant gold and silver accessories. Although it all looks super-luxe, xian china one day tour as the woman behind High Fashion 4 Less —a blog focusing on fashion-forward style on a budget—Sara s design aesthetic reflects her sentiment that style should not be a privilege.
Sara transformed her condo into a place where form, function, and style meet. As a Sustainability Consultant, she works from home, and her lovely abode is both an office and space for entertaining friends—essential in maintaining work-life balance. Sara s smart and thrifty aesthetic is evident; she patiently spent two years fully decorating her home, discovering high-quality yet affordable pieces from HomeGoods, local vintage shops, estate sales, and even Craigslist. We re thrilled that Sara has opened her doors of her home to The Everygirl as she shares her inspirations and tips on styling with intelligence.
Right out of college, I worked as a Real Estate Sales Representative for Ryan Homes. I was managing new home sales for a townhome community. I won rookie of the year while working at Ryan Homes and sold over $13 million worth of new homes in two years. After two years of working every weekend, I decided that it was time to actually live my life. The idea of working a 9-to-5 job and also pursuing my masters was more appealing to me. After interviewing with a number of consulting firms, Booz Allen proved to be a great fit. They value a work-life xian china one day tour balance xian china one day tour so that gives me time to pursue other passions and hobbies of mine, like fashion and home décor.
The environment has always been a huge part of my life. The concept of reuse and recycle is one everyone should adopt. My previous experience in Real Estate took me out of my comfort zone. I was always a shy person, so the idea of speaking to strangers that would come into the model homes was intimidating. After a few months, I was able to come out of my shell and become more outgoing. At my current consulting job, I do a lot of client presentations and debriefs, so it s no time to be shy.
I work from home, so every day is pretty different for me. Typically, I start my mornings around 9/9:30 (I am definitely not a morning person) with some coffee and  The Washington Post . Then, I spend an hour or so responding to work e-mails and scheduling client conference calls. During xian china one day tour lunch, I head to the gym for Body Pump or Pilates. Then I come home, make lunch, and continue working on client work. I always take small breaks to check up on the blogging world (tweet, post a picture on Instagram, read unread posts on Bloglovin ) and also do some home searches for my real estate clients. After work, I usually meet up with friends xian china one day tour for dinner/happy hour or I invite them over and cook dinner. xian china one day tour I'm all about cooking quick and healthy meals! Lately xian china one day tour I have been obsessed with the blog  Cook Smart  and the meal plans they offer.
I started my blog over three years ago and was truly inspired by my family and friends to do so. I always had a lot of people asking me who I was wearing or how much I bought the item for. I decided it was time to share my bargain shopping secrets xian china one day tour with the public and also provide tips for readers on how to style a fashionable look on an affordable budget. I never believe in overpaying for something. Part of the thrill xian china one day tour of shopping for me is finding an amazing deal! I am a huge fan of stores like HomeGoods, T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Loehmann's, and Nordstrom Rack, and I often turn to those retailers for affordable, high quality pieces.
My condo now was previously owned by a good friend of mine. He is a real estate developer in the Washington D.C. area. When I visited his place a few years back, I instantly xian china one day tour fell in love. I told him that I was considering moving from Rockville, MD to Washington D.C. and when I did, that he would have to help me find a place exactly like his! He said he would, and I thought nothing of it. A few months later, he told me had found the perfect place for me; Little did I know that it was his actual place since he was recently engaged and getting ready to move into a bigger place. I was ecstatic and the negotiations in price began right away. ☺ I had lived in a studio for five years, so I knew that I wanted a one-bedroom so I could have a separate space for entertaining. That is probably one of the most important things I looked for.
Find a good real estate agent! xian china one day tour There are so many agents out there that do not always have the best interest of their clients at heart. I would also advise them to save save save! Rather than spending money on depreciating assets, focus on building a savings so you can make an investment that will have a high return.
In the beginning, I found myself rushing the process and buying items that I wasn't truly in love with. It took me a total of two years to fully decorate my home. I decided to take my time and not hurry the process.
The least favorite thing about my home is that it does not have an open kitchen. I love entertaining xian china one day tour and having friends over so an open kitchen would have been a better set up and more conducive to socializing.
You re a self-proclaimed bargain shopper and are best known for showing readers that high fashion looks are attainable on a low budget. How does this translate into the way you style and decorate your home? How do you define your decorating style? What are your sources of inspiration?
My decorating style is rustic-chic. I love mixing rustic, vintage, and modern pieces. I am mildly obsessed with HomeGoods so that definitely played a large role in helping me stay on a budget. The store also served as a big source of inspiration for my home. I was recently chosen to be a blogger for the new HomeGoods blog launching in the spring—a total dream come true! I am beyond thrilled and can't wait to provide readers with some great inspiration and home décor tips. I also turn to the sites Design Sponge , The Little Green Notebook , and MadeByGirl for more home décor inspiration.
Be patient. It's so easy to want to rush the process and get everything done at once. If you're patient, you can score some pretty awesome deals. Go to Goodwill stores, estate sales, garage sales, and most importantly, HomeGoods.
My dining room table. I had been looking for a rustic wood table for some time so as soon as I spotted one at a local D.C. store, Miss Pixies, I immediately fell in love. The table was made from reclaimed wood from an old barnyard so it had so much charm and character. Since my condo is very modern, I wanted to incorporate a more vintage and rustic piece into my home.
Bed linens. You spend the most time in your bed so splurging on linens that will last and help you sleep better at night is worth the investment. One piece I recommend xian china one day tour saving on is your couch. There are so many amazing couch options on Craigslist, too. Some of them are in tip-top condition while others might just need to be re-upholstered. To me, the two most important things about a sofa are comfort and shape.
The biggest challenge that I have encountered through the design process is that everyone has an opinion. xian china one day tour I would buy pieces that my parents or sister were not too fond of but now the pieces that I went with are my favorite ones. While it's nice to get a second opinion, go with your gut, you are the one living xian china one day tour in that space, xian china one day tour not them.
I love having a blank slate to work with. What's great is that I always have the option of adding xian china one day tour splashes of color through xian china one day tour various accent pieces that are not a permanent fix. I love the white, crisp, sleek look of my white walls, xian china one day tour and if I want to make it feel cozier, I add color and texture. Since my style is constantly evolving, I don't like making any permanent changes.
I am big on working with neutrals and whites as my base. When you have a neutral base, you can work with more colors. I try to keep the colors in the same family, whether it's golds, xian china one day tour blues, or reds. The trick is to not use more than three to four colors in your home. You don't want to have more than a few focal points of prints and colors because then visitors xian china one day tour will just get lost in the colors. You should only have a few pieces that stand out and complement the base colors of your home décor.
Travel. Travel. Travel. Traveling has been such a huge part of my life but I still wish I would have traveled more when I was younger. Sophomore year of college, I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and lived with a host family and was able to travel some. I highly recommend getting out of your comfort zone once in a while because it makes you grow and evolve as an individual.
As someone who just bought a house in the DC area, she is totally right. Find an agent you 100% trust or be prepared to be pushy and occasionally rude to get the agent you have to understand your wants.
Sara s place is cozy, spectacular, and chic all at the same time. Having our girl happy hours there is always a treat! She s got an eye for decor and a big, wonderful heart! Love this feature. Well deserved!!!!
I love Sara s beautiful home and her blank slate method of design.  As a senior at UMD graduating with a BS in Environmental Science and Sustainability in May, I m curious whether she is willing to give advice on working in the sustainability field?
Thank you, Sara!  I appreciate your response.  I have a few internships under my belt and am really interested in consulting.  Is there a way, if you don t mind, I could contact you to ask a few more questions?
Gorgeous home Sara! I love both your fashion and home style . . . and of course, you have very good taste in food sites too. Thanks for the shout out to Cook Smarts. We re really glad y