While many people hear the word "designer" and think, "You want me to spend that?!", here's a dirty little secret: Designers know their way around a big-box store too. "Sources like Ikea, World Market, and Target work for people on any budget," says Brenham, Texas-based Holly Mathis. That wisdom paid off when Holly, a single mother, was looking to make a fresh start with her two sons and stumbled across a bungalow for rent near her youngest boy's school. While the 1890s home was at the top of her price range, it had soaring 11-foot ceilings, sun-drenched rooms, and original flooring. So Holly went all in, with the knowledge she'd have to cut some corners when it came to furnishing the space (while simultaneously facing the challenges associated with living in a rental). Now, Holly says it's "one of the loveliest homes I've ever lived in—a special place for us to land." Here's how a rental filled with economical hacks and chain-store finds looks like something straight out of her designer portfolio.