A young Minnesota couple let their love for Bugs Bunny, bold colors and local history guide their budget-friendly decor. Trips to flea markets and discount retailers keep this project affordable.

Produced by Carol Schalla. Written by Sara Reimer. Photographs by John Forsman.

Colorful Character

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006)

DARCY CHRISTOPHERSON had just finalized the blueprints for his family's new eastern Minnesota home when he got the call.

"Darcy, we have to redesign the house!" his wife, Kara, pleaded from an art gallery in Laguna Beach, California, while on a business trip.

"What are you talking about?" Darcy sputtered back.
Hanging on the gallery's plum-painted wall was a 4x5-foot tangerine and purple print of Bugs Bunny playing the piano. And Kara had to have it.

"The painting was fun and made me laugh," Kara says with a grin. "I decided this colorful, playful look was going to be the theme of our new house."

Kara's persuasive powers (and failure to mention the print's $2,600 price tag, a huge splurge for their tight budget) worked from 1,500 miles away. Darcy scrapped his plan to install glass walls as room dividers in the center of the house. Instead, he opted for drywall, giving the print a prime spot in their kitchen.

This willingness to compromise helped the couple furnish and decorate their new home on a budget (about $15,000 for 12 rooms). Despite splurging on a few key pieces, the Christophersons, both in their 30s, couldn't afford to deck their house in high-end decor. But they did have the creativity and resources to find cheaper alternatives, while incorporating their love of spunky colors, modern design and local history.

Related Links: