Written by Every once in a while, you simply need a change. However, completely redecorating your home isn’t the most frugal option. If you are looking for a fun project to work on, you can upcycle your furnishings and decorations while making use of what you already have.
Sew New Curtains
The curtains you have around your home can make quite the difference to the tone of your overall space. Changing out your curtains to a new color or new material can really transform your space. Since curtains can be pretty expensive, you should definitely consider making them yourself. You can have fun perusing the fabric store to get yourself some supplies or you can look around your home for some options. In fact, you can even use bedsheets to make your curtains! Making your own curtains is a great way to infuse your personality into your space. Plus, you can add your own flair to them and customize them to fit your style.
Replace Old Upholstery
Another great way you can change up your décor is by reupholstering your furniture. Changing the upholstery you have is another way to reinvigorate your space. Plus, you have the opportunity to make a completely unique piece. If you’re new to upholstery, then you might want to start off with replacing the upholstery on the seat of a chair. You simply remove the seat, take off the old fabric, fit your new fabric to the seat, staple it, and reattach the seat. It’s an easy process that can make a difference in your space. If you’re feeling confident, you can try other upholstery projects to change up more of your furniture. You can even get creative and turn a coffee table into an upholstered bench. The possibilities are endless!
Create Placemats and Coasters
Having placemats and coasters around your house, especially in the kitchen, is a great way to add something extra to your space. They are also great for protecting your wood furniture from scratches, water rings, and even food stains. There are many materials you can use to make coasters and placemats. For coasters, you can keep it simple and make some felt coasters or you can make some out of cork, wood, and even tile. Adding placemats is an excellent opportunity for you to display some of your personality. You could make a placemat by laminating some pictures you like or you can use some leftover fabric for a more simple option. As long as you create something that you love (and keeps furniture protected), you can use nearly anything.
Use Paint and Stencils
A great way to breathe new life and energy into your furniture is by giving it a new style. The simplest way to do this is by repainting your furniture pieces. You can try out a fun new color to add some interest to the piece or you can repaint it simply to keep it looking new. Paint is also a great way to make your furniture match existing colors in your home. To make it even more interesting, you can use stencils. Stencils are a great way to add a consistent design or pattern to a piece. They can be used on one piece, or you can use a stencil to repeat that same pattern on different furniture pieces around your home. When you do repaint, make sure you do all the proper prep as well as finish work. This will ensure that the paint job looks good and your piece will last longer.
Make Your Own Decor
To really add your own touch to your home, you can make your own décor. There is a lot you can do here. You can start by making some of your own artwork. There are lots of DIY wall art projects you can do to add a unique touch to your home. Consider making some colorful prints or incorporating a few plants from your backyard. Also, wall hangings are very popular and easy to make, and you could even make one practical. For example, a large decorative calendar on your wall will help keep you organized and add an interesting piece to your wall. Really, on this one, the only limit you have is your own imagination.
Upcycle Items for Organization
The one thing that every home needs more of is storage space. You can do plenty of upcycling projects to help you add more storage space and organization to your home. For instance, take small baskets and hang them on your walls to add more shelving space. Cereal boxes and cardboard boxes can be repurposed into desk and drawer organizers. PVC pipe can be attached to the inside of bathroom cabinet doors to hold your hair styling tools. Ice cube trays can be used to organize smaller items like jewelry. If you’re feeling ambitious, add more storage space by making an ottoman with a hidden storage compartment. Look around your home and see what items you could use to add a little more organization and storage.
Rethink Old Items
When you come to the decision to throw a piece of furniture away, take a moment to really think about its potential. Sometimes, an item can be transformed from ugly to chique with just a few changes. You will find that upcycling any item in your home into something new will be rewarding and fun. All you need to do is think about an older item in a different way. For example, you can take an old ladder and turn it into a bookshelf or you can make a new throw pillow out of an old shirt. Reusing items is a great way to have unique décor around your home and make better use out of the things you own instead of paying lots of money for something many people have.
There are a lot of things in your home that can still be useful to you if you give them a little attention and change them into something new. Your home can be decorated on a low budget using items you already have. By upcycling the items you already have, your home will be unique and you’ll have a lot more fun decorating it!
Giving your home a makeover? Look at our Decor Kits for affordable projects and inspiration!