Frugal and eco friendly ways to decorate

[~Megan~]

So share your ideas. I know there was a thread about this a while ago but let's get some more ideas.

We are moving soon and I could really use some frugal ideas. I really like earthy things with neutral colors.

So bring on the brainstorm!

[~Megan~]

We are a creative group! I know we have some ideas

[DalaiMama]

My mother has these great curtain rods that I want to duplicate in my house, and best of all, they're free! All you have to do is go out and find some big (curtain rod sized) twiggy branches. Wrap and drape soma fabric around them to make curtains, and either nail them right to the wall or hang them from curtain rod holders. They look really great once they're up, and everyone is always asking her where she bought them. :LOL

[rosie29]

Bumping up this very old thread! I'm sure there are some ideas out there, and with harvest time falling right about now, maybe people have some ideas for using produce, leaves, etc?

[BetsyS]

One of the most frugal and green things is to use found items. The whole "reduce, reuse, recyle", you know?

My mom is the queen of this. She has a very shabby chic style, which isn't quite my style, but it works for her. In the window of her family room, she has a piece of copper piping that is bent into a fun shape, then hung from the ceiling iwth cup hooks. From that tubing, she has hung various light-catchers with fishing line. They catch the afternoon sun, and they are very, very cool. She has a blown glass ball, a mirrored ball, a handcut mobile from a European friend, all sorts of stuff hanging. The copper pipe was from an old school project of my brother's, and the hanging objects were collected over the years (she's a big thrifter).

For just a little privacy in previous houses, I have hung cafe curtains on the bottom half of windows. If you can find vintage pillowcases, they are the perfect size for this, and you just have to split them and hem the sides. Very easy.

I have a sort-of traditional style. I like the look of old plates hung in groupings on the wall. They can be all mismatched, all one color but different, or all matching. I have some over my kitchen door right now, and I love the look.

I also like this show's ideas for simple window treatments. http://www.cutterstv.com/FYH.html

[Om Girl]

We're also moving the end of October into our first VERY OWN house!

Some of the things that we're doing is combing the lists at Craigslist for big ticket items like rugs and large mirrors. We've got a load of antique furniture collected from family and friends that wanted to get rid of them...we're going to utilize IKEA for DD's new bed (allergies). Other than that we've been using the 3 R's.

Whatever has been in storage for the last year is going to be gone through and we're taking half of it into the new house, as we haven't really utilized the seasonal decorating items!

We've been hitting up garage sales and finding alternative uses for items. We also have found a coat of paint and a piece of glass cut to fit will make any table look super spiffy!

For fall:

I'm collecting black walnuts (While they're green) and using them in glass bowls for decoration inside. I'll also be getting pumpkins and gourds to use in indoor decorations.
DD has a play table where she collects little items from outside and we use a little basket to display them in...
We also shop at the farmers market and pick up small baskets and other items for a small price to use around the house.

ummm...is this the kind of stuff you're looking for?

Also...ask around at paint stores, as they often have returned gallons of paint for very cheap! You can find some fun colors for random garage sale thrift find painting!

[PajamaMama]

My mother has these great curtain rods that I want to duplicate in my house, and best of all, they're free! All you have to do is go out and find some big (curtain rod sized) twiggy branches. Wrap and drape soma fabric around them to make curtains, and either nail them right to the wall or hang them from curtain rod holders. They look really great once they're up, and everyone is always asking her where she bought them. :LOL

Crepe Myrtle trees have good limbs for this, they have to be trimmed every year anyway.

[AngelBee]

:notes:

[texmati]

We just moved into our first house... and we've been painting up a storm. Our city has a waste reuse program where you can get free spray paint, cans of paint ect, that it would cost money to dispose of. It's really handy, and I wish more people would use it instead of letting those things go to the landfill.

Also check out habitat for humanity restores. They also support a good cause. And I love CL! Never pay full price for anything :-)

[caiesmommy]

We've just bought a new house and we're fixing it up right now and then we'll soon be decorating! I cant wait!...Im looking for cheap ideas as well...I've been really lucky getting alot of items from friends and family! Its great!...

[EmsMom]

HI, I wanted to add that yard sales can be a great place to find things for decorating. For example, nearly every yard sales has frames that you could fill with family pictures or pictures from calendars, kids art, etc. I even see the really big framed prints and if you hate the print, they are not expensive to replace in a nice frame. Nice vintage pieces of furniture often go for a song at yard sales. I have even seen boxes and boxes of wood flooring for sale. Once I bought a set of teak patio tiles at a yard sale and now I have this awesome looking patio in my yard. Some yard sale places are better than others. So you may want to try different neighborhoods. Also, there used to be a magazine around called Budget Living that had some fun decorating ideas on a budget. I don't know if it is still around but I used to get it at the library.

[***Heather***]

I pick up little things when I'm out for walks. I have stacks of flat/interesting stones on my balcony. They look really nice beside terracotta pots. I also have small stones in a basket or glass bowl. I picked up seashells when I was on vacation. I also pick up acorns and wildflowers.

I save interesting jars. Use them to store beans, rice etc in my cupboard. It's so pretty to see when I open the cupboard. Jars also make nice vases, pencil holders, acorn holders etc. :lol

Furniture:
I have a simple sofa table. It was made from a 1'x6' board. Legs were added with scrap lumber. The whole thing was sanded and varnished. It's a little tipsy on it's own, but I have a small living room so it's pinned against the wall with the sofa. My Dad made it with scrap lumber so it was free.

I like looking for stuff second hand. I detest particle board. If you can find some good decent wooden furniture, you can usually sand it down. Something ugly becomes beautiful!

I get material second hand. Just last spring I found a bunch of sheets that looked like they've been stored for a couple decades but never used. I like to call it my vintage material. :wink I'm making a quilt with it. I've also used it to cover second hand footstools, make curtains, a knitting needle holder, and throw pillows. I've framed some... It's really pretty.

I used recycled paint when I repainted my kitchen/DR/LR. It's cheaper, better for the environment and low VOC. (this brand was anyways)

Years ago, I bought a bamboo rod from a garden centre to use for a curtain rod. Cost less than $2.

I have simple tealight holders my Dad made. Blocks of wood, sanded, stained with shallow holes drilled in them to set the tealight in.

Usually, I just try to keep an open mind with I go to garage sales, thrift shops etc.

Someone in my family made a set of wind chimes using old silverware left over from a garage sale. :lol

[beansmama]

well i don't have any really creative ideas - and i didn't read all the posts so it might have been said already -

But the most frugal AND eco-friendly way to redecorate is to buy used, especially from your local thrift stores! Then you are recycling and saving stuff from the landfills...

Also, chances are most of the stuff has already off-gassed so it should be pretty "healthy" as well.

And if you find funky wooden furniture you can always splurge on low/no VOC paint to give it your own style!

Have fun :D

[selkat]

A friend of mine does amazing things with fabric. And, not sewing it, just using it like wallpaper. She's very artsy, and I'm not so much, so I've been afraid to try it, but it looks awesome. They have their bedroom painted a really simple creamy colour, but the main wall (which kind of acts as the headboard for their bed), is covered in this gorgeous fabric she found in someone's recycle bin. It looks really neat, and cozy.
I'm also on the lookout for some branches to use as curtain rods - too bad I live so far north that our biggest trees are only about 10 feet tall, and it has taken them 100 years to grow that big. I can't in good conscience take a branch! I've been watching the ground a lot while hiking with the dogs. :)
I made a neat mobile/sun catcher by winding thin wire around different pieces of sea glass and stringing them on a piece of driftwood. Depends where you are for that one, I guess, but you could always use interesting stones, wood pieces, acorns...

Anyone have any ideas for a curtain in the shower? As in, we have a window in our shower. It has a hideous curtain, made of plasticy fabric that is falling apart. I don't want to use an actual shower curtain. It's about 3 feet square. We have a hemp shower curtain - I was thinking of using hemp again? But, does anyone have any suggestions for cheap hemp or sailcloth. Online sources are best, we don't have any fabric stores up here.

Katia

[BetsyS]

My mom has a window in her shower, and she put a real curtain there. Then, over that, she took a clear shower curtain liner (which you can get at the dollar store or Target or wherever, but definitely less than 5 bucks), cut it down to size, to cover hte window with about 3 inches overlap on all sides. She hung that in front of the curtain. I *think* she has a double rod in there to hang the curtains on, but you could use a spring rod inside the window for the colorful curtain, then an outside mounted one for the plastic.

[Staceyy]

You can change the whole look of a room by just rearranging the furniture. Also, never throw anything away. Years ago, I bought a reversible comforter for the bedroom. I've used both sides to change the look of the room and years later I bought a duvet cover. At the rate I'm going, I'll use the same comforter for the rest of my life! Store things you tire of and years later bring them back out.

Cardboard tables are inexpensive, all you'll need is an inexpensive table cloth to cover. When my sofa and chair began looking a little soiled, I covered them with slipcovers and new throw pillows. Handmade afghans look pretty and add color to the living room or bedroom.

You don't need a headboard for your bed, hang a few pictures over the bed instead and prop your pillows with shams up against the wall.

If your carpet looks soiled in a certain spot, buy a throw rug to cover.

Buy traditional furniture and you'll never have to worry about keeping up with the latest trends.