Frugal decor?

walletgirl · 11-11-2001, 10:51 PM

I am looking for some frugal decorating tips and ideas. Some small things to accessorize my home.

Any ideas?

**KathiS** · 11-12-2001, 02:30 AM

I have a friend that made the cutest plant holders for her kitchen.She washed out small cans, that had held Campbell's Soup or veggies, and made sure to keep the label on them. She then nailed each can to a primative piece of wood. She would then tie a ribbon around the can and board and plant small plants or air ferns in the cans. They were so colorful and different. She always got comments on them from visitors. She also sold them at school fundraisers. They cost next to nothing and well really cute.

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-12-2001, 06:28 AM

KathiS, what a cute idea! I have done something with cans before myself. I peel off the label, wash & dry throughly. Then spray paint color of choice! They make great little vases or everyday supple holders! You can even get out your craft paints and paint designs on them.
Heres an idea I love to do with my kids. We gather twigs and cut them desired lenght with a hacksaw (any saw will do). Glue them around an old frame that your tried of! It makes a cute country/rustic picture frame!
Walletgirl,
Tell us your style of decorating, so I can help more!
Thanks
~Michele~

walletgirl · 11-14-2001, 09:55 PM

My style of decor is eclectic. lol
I like a touch of country, but am not into having my entire decor country. I love natural, but again..not a total household of it.

I have quite a bit of depression era furniture, a touch of art deco, some classic type, and some modern.

I have dressed things up with slipcovers, window treatments, pillows etc, but it still seems lacking.

Any tips would be great.

**MicheleMomof3** · 11-15-2001, 09:28 AM

Sounds like my house Walletgirl !! I call it Yard Sale Chic
Do you collect anything small? Teacups or things of that sort? You can choose a small sidetable to show them off. I collect teacups and Rooster & Chicken salt pepper figurines (yes Im nutty ). But I have small children so I took a 1x3 piece of board and made a small shelf that fits right on top of my window casing. I painted it to match my wall color. I tacked down a piece of screen molding to the front. That keeps things from falling off if the kids start their wrestling in the Living Room LOL I have 2 large windows in my living room and all my little things looks cute sitting the shelves. I think the shelves including the "L" brackets to hang them with cost me about $3 total for the 2 long shelves !!
Another suggestion.......candle candles candles! They always give a homey feel to any home. And use some unusual dish to display them on. I have a lasange pan thats bright and shiny. I bought some hunter green floating candles. I filled the pan with some water, dropped in the candles with some red rose petals and set it on my coffee table. I laid that cheap Christmas garland (like 9 ft. for $1.50 at Wal mart) around the outside edge and it looked so beautiful !! Also if you have an old muffin pan that you dont want, spray paint it a color that goes well with your living room. The small votive candles fit perfectly in the muffin holes!
I have more ideas but I will wait to see if you need them
Do you like a organized cluttered look in your things , or a spare look?

~Michele~

**pollypurebred39** · 02-28-2009, 02:55 AM

My Sister says her decorating style is Early American Yard Sale LOL!!!

**rainbowgc** · 03-01-2009, 01:53 PM

Everything can be painted, www.fabricguru.com has some fantastic prices on home decor fabrics if you can sew. Try to determine your style so you can be on the look out for things you need at thrifts, garage sale etc. Browse decor home sites - HGTV and DYI has some great ideas. Good Luck

**boysnberries** · 03-01-2009, 01:56 PM

I used pretty dishtowels as cafe curtains in my kitchen. I used a spring loaded curtain rod, curtain clips, and the towels to cover the bottom half of the window. It came out cute and frugal.

My mother has a stash of vintage linens that I"ll be using to make curtains for my upstairs bathroom.

**foxxyroxie** · 03-04-2009, 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

My Sister says her decorating style is Early American Yard Sale LOL!!!

That's my style of decoration too!!! LOL.

A few things that I've done:

After a day trip to the beach where I collected various shells, I glueded the 'clam' shell halves to a dollar store picture frame and filled in large gaps with the 'spiraly' shells. To fill in any remaining gaps, I thinly spread glue on the exposed frame (a Q-tip works good) and covering the spots with beach sand. It turned out really cute... and it's actually a craft that kids can do.

I take quart and pint sized canning jars to decorate with. They make good storage jars to place on counters and shelves, vases for fresh or silk flower arrangements, to store doo-dads in other rooms such as Q-tips and cotton balls in the bathroom.

Old 'vintage' metal tins, flour sifters, speckled cookware, porcelain dishpans, cups/saucers, teapots make good containers for silk flower arrangements also.

Wicker baskets, old kitchen utensils, old hand tools (saws, drills) make good handing decor.

Hand embroidered pillowcases make good table clothes/covers. Just place longer table cloth on bottom and use the pillowcase for a topper. Placemats also make good doilies for end tables or dresser 'scarves'.

I took an older wooden high chair and repurposed it as a side table in my DBF's living room. On the tray (tabletop) displays his granddaughter's pictures (the 3 that used the high chair). Someday it might be the 'home' to a vintage or porcelain doll... or possibly the new home to one of their old dolls.

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 03-04-2009, 07:58 AM

I put things on the walls.
Like hanging a quilt I really like on one.
Had DH made me a shelf out of a long 16' piece of wood then I stacked decorative cans on it. I picked them up for about 5 to 10 cents a piece at yard sales and thrift stores. The stack goes up several feet high. a dab of caulk on the bottom keeps them from falling.
Pictures Pictures Pictures! Picked up frames for free off freecycle and put up a rogues gallery in my long hall. Dug out old family photos and put them up. Great Grandparnets wedding pictures, A big poster size frame with a college of my sons early years.
DH took pictures of his beautiful flowers and framed them up for our front entry hall.
Over my front door are the hats my grandfather used to wear in the different marching bands he used to play in. Theres one from The Milwaukee Policemens Band, the Miller Brewing Company Band and the Coles Brothers Circus Band. Flanked by a phot of him in one of his uniforms. His trombone hangs on another wall over my office door with sheets of music tucked up behind it.
Then theres my cookie jar collection up on dozens of other shelves throught the house.

Yes, it is alittle overwhemling for some folks but others come back and bring things to add. I've been given dozens of tins from friends and several cookie jars.

Laurie in Bradenton

**Momto2Boyz** · 03-04-2009, 08:05 AM

I have never heard of Early American Yard Sale, but I love it! And I definately fit into that category!

I love b & w photos, so I took a bunch of really goofy faced photos of my kids, and had Walgreens make them black and white, and blew them up to either 5x7 or 8x10, and picked up black frames at the dollar store. I made tan mats out of craft paper for them (think brown paper bag), and made a collage on my wall. It's cute, but part of it is the photos...they are really goofy!

My kitchen is done with a coffee theme, so I painted a mural on the tiles behind the sink with some cafe art, and coffee cups.

My biggest thing in my house is coordinating paint colors. I change up my colors all the time. That seems to be the cheapest way for me to get the look I want (I get paint on the mistint rack at Lowe's for between $4-$10 a gallon).

The key is just to find things you love and find a way to use them in your house!

**ravenmaniac** · 03-04-2009, 09:11 PM

I have the hand me down eclectic style. The funny thing is most people who visit my home will compliment me. They say they love the feel of my home and how it is decorated. I don't know, I use what I like.

**lvngwell** · 03-17-2009, 04:37 PM

My home is full of repurposed and remade flea market and garage sale items. When I pay next to nothing for something I find it easier to rip it apart - redo it - and play with it till I turn it into something wonderful! Even my curtains are made from fabric remnants bought at a flea market for $1 a yard - and it was orginally $35 a yard! I have remade those curatins to fit three different homes and they are still looking good!

**MommyBliss** · 03-22-2009, 07:51 PM

http://www.nestingplacenc.blogspot.com Here is a neat place to find some info.

**foxxyroxie** · 03-25-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Laurie in Bradenton

I put things on the walls.
Pictures Pictures Pictures! Picked up frames for free off freecycle and put up a rogues gallery in my long hall. Dug out old family photos and put them up. Great Grandparnets wedding pictures, A big poster size frame with a college of my sons early years.

Rogues gallery...that's funny...I call mine the Hall of Shame...LOL