Really Cheap Decorating Thread!! - Page 2

[lil_earthmomma]

Yay for decorating on a penny!!! :


Everyone always thinks I spend spend spend because my house looks so nice! Little do they know that a lot of it comes from the dump (they have a trader shack where people put their unwanted stuff!) the thrift store and hand me downs.

My couches are hand me downs from my Grandmother. They are dark brown leather and SO comfy. Brown is so great for decorating with too!

Yesterday at the trader shack I found a bunch of old fashioned glass milk bottles in different sizes. I grabbed them and I'm using them as vases! They look so pretty with the wild flowers and lilacs that ds and I picked!

I also came across the coolest wall hanging at the thrift store for $2!!! It's hand made and very interesting, with all sorts of funky beads and patches of colorful textured material! Like a crazy tribal quiltish thing! I'm going to hang it in the toy room!

Now that the weather is good, I'm going to get a huge canvas and some paints and let my ds's walk all over it and put their hand prints all over it. Maybe metalics, like silver, gold and bronze with some mossy green thrown in...

[rachelmarie]

I've been thinking about getting a big canvas and some paints. Ds does some really awesome paintings so I am thinking about letting him have at it with "real" paint and a big canvas. Of course, I could also just frame what he has done already, in similar frames, and group them above our couch.

Another thing I need to do is cover some (ugly) throw pillows my mom gave me. I just need to go buy fabric and get out the ol' sewing machine!

I love the ideas given here already! I know I'd like to see pictures of your "cheap" decorating if anyone is willing to post them. (Pretty please? )

[hopefulfaith]

Originally Posted by jtsmom

I have found, for me, that the best way to decorate is to not decorate. I have the tendancy to overdo things, and not in a good way. And stuff ends up looking weird and cluttered and not good. I find that it is better for me to get rid of everything I don't love and leave things bare until I find something I do love. Right now, I don't have a rug on my living room floor or anything above my couch. Because I can't find the exact right thing that I love that I can afford. So those areas stay bare.

Also, I have removed everything from my home that brings bad memories. I make sure that anything I look at in my home makes me happy and brings good memories to my thoughts. A simple, clear home that is clean is all the decorating anyone really needs. That's where I started. And anything that gets added is well thought out and has to be: affordable, have some sort of personal meaning to me and my family, easy to clean....

I cut wildflowers and weeds in the summer to bring life into my home. I use canning jars and old cans with the labels removed to put them in. Or a drinking glass. Whatever works. Any kind of green growing thing can work.

This is me, too!!

[bigteamug]

I've been wanting a carpet to go under the dining room, but then again, I don't really want a carpet, I want a floor cloth (painted canvas w/ protective clear coating like wood floor finish over the paint). Much easier to clean.

But I couldn't find a big enough, cheap enough canvas. Someone ( I think on MDC) talked about using painter's drop cloth to make a couch slipcover....:
one 12 oz 8ft by 11 ft canvas drop cloth is $26. I might even use it unpainted, just to have something under there....

now all I need is some cheap paint from the mis-tint section and we'll be in business...

[happyhats]

I'll have to go to my hardware store and look for similar, bigmugtea! I've really been wanting to get a rug for my living room and bathroom. I would also really like something for my kitchen. Maybe one or two of these would be enough for my tiny apartment! You've given me some great inspiration there, and it will be especially handy since I have a little one!

I know that lowe's will sell samples of their paints, an eight ounce jar, but I'm not sure if it's cheaper or not.

[MamaFern]

Originally Posted by bigteamug

Someone ( I think on MDC) talked about using painter's drop cloth to make a couch slipcover....:
one 12 oz 8ft by 11 ft canvas drop cloth is $26. I might even use it unpainted, just to have something under there....

now all I need is some cheap paint from the mis-tint section and we'll be in business...

that was me im going to be using a bunch of them for different things in my house!

[lovebug]

i will be back! i have some ideas

[sabrinat]

Thought of some more things I do. If I'm at a thrift store and I see a lamp I like that's not the right color, but I love the shape I just spray paint it. Paint is a wonderful thing. Also sometimes rewiring a really nice lamp is still cheaper than purchasing new. Yesterday I found a bunch of assorted glass vases at GW, I also have some glass spray paint and I'm going to paint them to add interest. Most of them were under $1/each. Picture frames are always in abundance at thrift stores. Find ones you like and spray paint them. It's cool to have a collection of different frames unified by color.

[rere]

This is the thread for me!:My entire house is hand me downs and I love it!I'm proud to not be a huge consumer.Maybe I'll take some pics(It's dark and rainy here today though).I would LOVE to see pics of other people's low budget but loved homes if anyone wants to share.

Now I need to go back and read the whole thread.

[Just My Opinion]

Love this thread-- most of our stuff is second-hand, with some new (inexpensive, think ikea throw rugs etc) peppered in. I think we have a pretty decent place, though I wouldn't mind some higher-end (though secondhand would be fine!) pieces.

Let's keep this thread going. I am wanting to *spruce up* and change around a few things - I typically try to do it once a year or so.

I have this big table cloth I got at a thrift store, meant for a very large rectangular table with a pattern I LOVE. I was thinking of being industrious and sewing some throw pillows from it, however I don't have a sewing machine so it would have to be by hand. Now, I am decent at hand-sewing I just don't know if I want to take on that project LOL

Anyway just rambling. In dd's room for cheap art I got some wooden dollar store frames and framed some of her drawings, it looks very cute.

I also get elaborate, matted framed pieces at thrift stores for a few bucks and carefully remove the print if I don't like it, to replace it with another I like better (either out of a magazine, or a family picture, or a drawing of dd's). Then it looks like a professionally framed picture for a fraction of the price.

Again, great thread

[crunchy_mama]

Oh, I love this as well! I am not an expert, but do try!

I love, love, love the mini-blind--canvas shade idea that is totally awesome! I really wanted canvas shades for the bedroom, but even totally scouring everywhere couldn't find an affordable option! I just got a headboard from Craigslist- it was $50, which is not a steal, but way cheaper than the new options($300-$400 for everything new I found- I have a king size and have been looking for used ones for 2 years now- even for ones that had a good style but needed to be repainted and no such luck!- I live in a rural area though and not as much good stuff around here!) With the redone mini- blinds the room will start to come together more! I just need different dressers! I want to just find some nice old ones and paint them,but dh is way opposed to me painting furniture(I have had some not come out too well ). I need to sell the ones I have first to make the money, but then what the heck do I do w/ the clothes in the meantime? I bought some antique ones at a flea market- so it would be much better if I sold them - as I would make a lot more money on them then it will cost to replace them.

I know this probably isn't an option for everyone, but we have a curtain/bedspread outlet in town. They have really nice curtains for much cheaper. I bought a few pairs at their regular price- which was steal awesome for what I got. However, the best deals I got was on the clearance rack- they have lots that are marked at $4- sometimes that is a pair, but a lot of times it is singles. These are very nice, often the length is off a bit- like 1/2 inch but they are in great condition or there is a spot the size of a pen-point. I got curtains for the bay window(which is huge-14ft long) for $20, just had to hem them-

Also it is great to use the material for fabric as well. I bought one curtain and deconstructed it and recovered a chair and will use the remaining to cover a bench cushion(dh is building me a bench) and then cover 2- large throw pillows I got at a yardsale($2 each). I buy all my pillows at yard sales and recover them as the pillow forms are outrageous- so the uglier the pillow the better as it is cheaper! WE used to have another source for cheap fabric- from the leftover yardage from the uphostery factory, but it went out of business. I have scoured yardsales and thrift stores, but no luck there.

Dh is opposed to a lot of the really crafty things I like, he things look like crappy old things, so I have to compromise on new(ie from Craigslist) and older repurposed items.

Ironically I am looking for some items to hang on the living room wall as well! I also need items to fill a big shelf in the dining room, but I haven't found anything that has spoke to me yet, so it is mostly bare. My mom bought me an antique chiming clock that i love, but it is way too ornate and the wood is too dark, so it just doesn't look right. Another thing I need to sale to find one that fits the room better.

[rere]

Ok so I decided to take some photos even though it's all gray today.They're not too good but you get the idea anyway.

So here's a set of my hand me down house(well the living room and dining room).We're not fooling anyone but I like our house and it keeps getting better the more decluttering I do.

[Just My Opinion]

Originally Posted by rere

Ok so I decided to take some photos even though it's all gray today.They're not too good but you get the idea anyway.

So here's a set of my hand me down house(well the living room and dining room).We're not fooling anyone but I like our house and it keeps getting better the more decluttering I do.

How cute! It looks cozy and warm and just, real. I wish the pics were higher quality though so I could see the nitty gritty

[rere]

Originally Posted by Just My Opinion

How cute! It looks cozy and warm and just, real. I wish the pics were higher quality though so I could see the nitty gritty

The nitty gritty...
Sorry,I know how you feel.The "nitty gritty" is the best part of looking at folk's pics.

[highlandmum]

I love the ideas here!!!:

[Oriole]

I pull over to cut flowers on the side of the road. Free and beautiful.

[Kristine233]

I can't be the only one who has turned flat sheets into curtains? I have many rooms outfitted this way. I'll have to take a picture when I get a chance, lol.

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by Oriole

I pull over to cut flowers on the side of the road. Free and beautiful.

Dh does this for me! He always knows not to buy flowers, but find them free. I saw some really pretty ones the other day, but couldn't find a good place to pull over!

I wouldn't mind making curtains out of sheets, but I am not the best sewer and I have never seen any in a decent material - you know something that is not 70s or just plain white and mostly see-through. I would love it if I could, material is always something I am looking for and I just don't have much luck finding cheap things.

[rere]

Originally Posted by Kristine233

I can't be the only one who has turned flat sheets into curtains? I have many rooms outfitted this way. I'll have to take a picture when I get a chance, lol.

I turn flat sheets into everything.They are basically my go to for anything I'm going to sew.And I always keep my eye out at the thrift store for nice ones.


The latest no cost decor is my daughter and I are making lanterns out old cans.It's a pretty fun project for her.

[Just My Opinion]

I wish I could sew

I am really good with a staple gun though I am recovering some kitchen chairs with that cool tablecloth material I mentioned above.