Cost-effective moves in the kitchen include using ready-made cabinets, natural butcher block countertops and inexpensive backsplash tiles. Lowry continued the same paint color palette, adding in Sherwin-Williams Fawn Brindle for the cabinets, which she painted herself. The artwork and vintage pieces, the high backsplash and the brass hardware elevate the look of the value-engineered kitchen.

“When collecting art and furnishings, I like to keep a story in mind,” Lowry says. For this Hill Country cottage near a lake, creeks and rivers, the story was rustic and romantic.

“I typically lean toward vintage photos, and I looked for vintage lake photos,” Lowry says. “One thing I like to do is buy a digital download online, print it locally and put it in a vintage or ready-made frame. It makes it look custom for an affordable price.”