Thinking outside the box, we found this folding screen at Home Goods for $90. It's made to sit on the floor but it's the right size, has some character, and with a little paint could work in our space. Why not put it on the wall? (We had already taken it apart and sawn the legs off by the time we took this picture.)
We painted the 3 sections of the screen, put the wrought iron back in two of them and purchased a painted iron piece for the middle for $30 at Kohls (we felt that putting the wrought iron in all 3 would be a little monotonous). Total cost of the project, including paint was $130.
So... next time you're shopping, look at things with a creative eye. Is that REALLY all it can be used for, or can you make it work as something else?