- Single mom and assistant principal,
Denise Winchester, wrote into our show.
And she's been sleeping in her living room
for the past 10 years
and has finally moved into her very own room.
And now she needs our help redecorating the living room
without breaking the bank.
So here she is now.
Hello, Denise. - Hi, Drew.
- [Drew] I'm so happy you came here.
- [Denise] Thank you.
- Now you have been sleeping in your living room
for the past 10 years.
May I ask why? - Sure.
A little over 10 years ago,
my daughter and I moved into our apartment in Manhattan.
It's a pretty tiny apartment, as they are in Manhattan,
but it has two bedrooms
and it also has what I like to call
the world's tiniest living room.
So, obviously, I wanted my daughter to have a room.
So she immediately, non-negotiable,
got like the good room, you know?
That's how we do, right?
But I saw an opportunity there.
And I said, "I'm gonna rent what would be my room,"
and that left me in the tiny living room.
And we're talking about a tiny box, right?
But when you're a mom,
especially a single mom,
you do what you gotta do, right?
Any parent does I think.
So I did it, of course, to save money for bills
and the necessities.
But I feel like, more than that,
I wanted to give my daughter like an awesome childhood.
Like all the New York City experiences
that I probably wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise.
I wanted to give her an awesome birthday party every year,
all the holiday events, and just everything.
I never wanted her to feel
like she wasn't worthy of all of that, because she is,
and I never wanted her to feel deprived.
And that's why I did it, and I would do it again.
- [Audience] Aw!
(audience clapping)
- Well, your daughter is here with us.
Waverly, hello. - Hi.
- [Drew] Hi, cutie.
How old are you?
- I'm 13.
- What does it mean for you
to see your mom make these choices?
- Well, I'm really thankful.
Like I'm thankful that I got to have my own room.
Like I've slept on the couch before,
it isn't really that comfortable.
And just to say that she did that for like over 10 years,
and that really made me really grateful.
Like she did that so I could have my room
and that just makes me feel really grateful for her.
(audience clapping)
The second that I found out that she got her own room
I was so happy.
I made her like a sign for her room,
like the minute that I found out she had her own room.
- [Drew And Audience] Aw!
- [Waverly] There it is. - [Drew And Audience] Aw!
(audience clapping)
- So in the hopes of creating this new space
that you so deserved and that you've worked so hard for,
what are your hopes in redecorating?
What are you looking for?
- Well, the room we've always had so much fun in
and we're fun people.
I feel like there's a space challenge.
That's just how it is.
It has like zero personality.
I feel like we have quite a bit of personality.
And it has no charm, no character, no personality,
and we're not comfortable there.
We're like literally physically not comfortable.
- You wanna be inspired by the space.
- Yeah, it would be awesome.
- And you want it turnkey and taken care of,
and given like the ideas,
and just to kind of magic wand it?
- Oh, please, yeah.
And I, obviously, don't wanna break the bank
and any inspiration would be so appreciated.
- Okay, well, I know a human magic wand.
He is Drew crew member and interior designer
to so many people.
If I listed their names,
like you would just freak out.
Mikel Welch, and he is gonna help us
design this space on a budget.
And I would love to see what he's cooking up
with this Design on a Dollar with Mikel.
Take a look.
(upbeat music)
- Hey, Drew, I am so excited
to create a beautiful living room for Denise.
But here's the thing,
I definitely want it to be functional
and it cannot break the bank.
I'm gonna hit up some thrift stores.
I'm even gonna do some online shopping.
This is going to be the best makeover
that Denise has ever seen.
(upbeat music)
Whenever you're doing a home renovation project
the most important thing is finding the budget
and definitely sticking to it.
Always try to shop for things that you absolutely love.
Whenever I'm in a thrift shop,
I give one once around,
then I go back again.
And if I really love it, that's when I pick it up.
One of the nicest things about shopping in a thrift store
is that you can find things
that are good for the environment,
but also good for your wallet as well.
So, for instance, take a look at this chair right here.
This is a beautiful piece
and you can oftentimes find really good bargains
on things that are current.
Hmm, this could work.
It's the lampshade that's the problem.
If I find a simple, white lampshade,
this gives her that bling that she likes, it's acrylic.
This is the answer.
I've got my big purchase here.
If you could just let me know the final number on that.
- [Cashier] Of course. - Make it a good one.
Drew likes a bargain.
- [Cashier] That is $25 today.
- You are speaking music to my ears.
That's a win.
So now that I'm back at the office,
there is one other place where you can go
and get a big bang for your buck,
and that's right here from your own computer.
When you're shopping, you need to find people
who do not understand the true value of what they have.
If I'm looking for a fancy, mid-century, modern sofa,
I will never write that out.
You need to stick to people who have layman's terms,
such as the word couch.
The person selling the couch doesn't know what they have
and you can typically get your price point much better.
Whenever you're shopping for items,
you wanna make sure that you actually go
and see that piece in person.
At least do some type of video call
so you can see the piece
and make sure that it's in good condition.
I can't wait to show Denise what we have been working on
in order to transform her space.
She's an amazing mom
and she deserves this makeover more than anybody.
But most of all, I think she's gonna be impressed
on how I didn't break the bank.
(upbeat music)