Belinda Salas is a savvy saver. She furnished her Marrero home with stylish, comfortable, solid-wood furniture and colorful art and decor that reflect her sparkling personality for an estimated $10,000.
As a pro-level thrifter with a keen eye for a great deal, Salas estimates that at least 90% of her home furnishings, pottery and collection of mostly original art were scored at thrift shops and roadside hauls.
Salas and her husband, Ray Salas, bought their circa 1960 ranch house in 2023, just two doors down from their daughter, after selling their home of 33 years in Old Gretna. The three-bedroom home on a quiet street is set behind a deep, verdant lawn of St. Augustine grass punctuated by an eastern red cedar tree (Juniperus virginiana) with an unusual bonsai-like formation and a tamarisk tree (Tamarix ramossima), also known as a salt cedar. Both species are uncommon in these parts.
The entry vestibule to the home is shaded by a clipped hedge of Japanese yew and guarded by a metal knight in armor, holding a halberd in one hand and a shield in the other. Ray Salas rescued the medieval warrior from a trash pile and painted him with black gloss…