When I picked up this piece last week, I had no idea if I could actually remove the tarnish with my beloved Wright’s Silver Cream. I was pleasantly surprised with myself and my new little gem after I was finished polishing. And for $3.99, who could complain?

Don’t overlook a tarnished piece at a thrift store or garage sale just because it’s an ugly duckling. There are many people who would rather get rid of their silver pieces than put in the work to keep them tarnish-free (and when I say “work”, I mean five minutes every once in a while).

If you come across a cheaply priced item, check the markings on the bottom of the piece. Mine was marked EPNS, which means electroplated silver. It’s not as valuable as sterling silver (generally marked Sterling or .925), but it’s just as pretty, shiny, and collectible. Both types of silver should polish to a beautiful shine if it’s not scratched beneath the tarnish.

Have you ever been scared away from a thrift store purchase because you don’t know what it may become?

In case you are just joining the fun now, you have missed the first four parts of the series:

Part One: Identify Your Inspiration
Part Two: Identify Why Your Inspiration Photos are Inspiring
Part Three: Determine What Pieces Won’t Work in Your Household
Part Four: Determine How You Can Work With What You Have

Now, it’s time to pull it all together!

I’m getting ready to rearrange my living room to look more like my dream room.

Won’t my husband be surprised when he gets home from work today? 😉

I definitely have quite a few more pieces to acquire and my color scheme will be slightly different, but I’m really looking forward to the new direction I’m going to take this room. We’ll eventually need a paint color change and add additional curtains. That’s just something that’s going to have to happen over time.

Well, what do you think? Are you ready to make your dream room your own?