I love harvesting new home decor ideas from
Pinterest and Instagram. Skimming images of high-end houses can be incredibly inspiring—assuming you’re in the right mood. My favorite part is zooming in on pictures to dissect what exactly made it pop. Sometimes the answer is predictable and expensive, like granite countertops or marble floors. Fair enough. But more often it is the small details that many of us skip or don’t think of when we glance around or own spaces.
I’ve compiled a list of ideas you can try to upgrade various rooms of your home without blowing your budget.
Wood cutting boards. Handsome and practical, wood cutting boards are the perfect way to incorporate soft, natural elements into your kitchen. Don’t hide them in the cupboard. Instead, lean them upright on your countertop against the backsplash for an eye-catching look. Own multiple sizes? Lean the largest in the back and stack one or two in front of it. My personal favorite is the round board with multi-dimensional shades and wood grains.
Canisters. Most canisters you find on store shelves are designed to blend into the background. In other words, they’re boring. No matter what theme your kitchen is, the right canister set will give your kitchen a more finished look. Don’t settle for the first set you find. Shop around for the style that best suits your home. After all, it will be with you for many years to come.
Paint the brick fireplace. It’s easy to feel your decorating options are limited when you have a brick fireplace trapped in a different era. Luckily there are durable paints specially designed for bringing that brick into modern times. It will require some serious cleaning and a few coats of paint slinging, but the end result is nothing short of show-stopping.
Paint the grout. Cleaning grout is the worst, isn’t it? The one time I used a light grout on the floor, I swore it would be the last. Today, some savvy homeowners have discovered a special polyblend grout paint that adds color while also acting as a sealer. It’s a slow process, sure, but so is scrubbing dirty grout every few months.
Battery-operated sconces. Wouldn’t a few sconces on each side of your wall art look amazing? I’ve had this thought on numerous occasions but thought it was a pipedream—then I discovered battery-operated sconces online. While the selection is limited, these light-weight accents come in traditional designs with modern, colorchanging LEDs and are great for adding elegance and lighting dim areas.
Seasonal throw pillowcases. We’ve all seen the $30 holiday-themed pillows, but that’s a lot of money for something that will be stored 90 percent of the time. That’s why I decided to refurbish my old pillows by sewing my own cases. You can also purchase throw pillowcases online for a fraction of the price you’ll find in most stores. My favorite is the inexpensive holiday multipack. It’s surprisingly cheap to maintain a festive, high-end look year-round by merely swapping out cases a few times a year.
Seasonal throw blankets. Like throw pillows, swapping out different coverings for each season sounds expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve found that small fleece blankets are not only easy to come by, they’re also gentle on the budget. Each autumn, I look forward to draping my orange fleece over the couch and swapping it out for red at Christmas, then my white alpaca throw in winter and my plum velvet throw in summer. The blankets last longer because they’re not used as often, and I get to look forward to a continually refreshed look.
Mirror frames. Three homes I’ve lived in had builder-grade mirrors attached to the walls with plastic hangers.
This creates an unfinished feeling, no matter what the rest of your home looks like. Rather than replace the mirrors, I suggest buying or build wood frames. A plus for going the DIY route is tailoring the paint or stain them to match the rest of your decor.
Decorative pots. Plants are a great way to add vibrancy to any room, but many overlook the pot itself. An under-sized or off-colored pot can undermine your design and make it look cluttered, while one that matches the room’s theme can make it pop. I love seeing people flex their DIY muscles by painting their own designs.
Open shelves. Simple and affordable, open-face shelves are a foolproof way to dress up any wall with minimal installation required. And don’t worry about buying all new knick-knacks. Take the less is more approach by stacking a few of your favorite books and candles, or perhaps a small plant or picture frame.
Carrie Manner is a freelance writer living in Mountain Iron. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications. When she’s not immersed in home projects or writing fiction, she can be found reading, kayaking, biking, or enjoying nature.
Source: hometownfocus.us