how to add natural elements to your home decor

How to Add Natural Elements to Your Home Decor.

Bringing natural elements into your interior decorating can help create a relaxing atmosphere. You should consider using natural materials such as rock, brick, sea shells, sea salt, water and wood. You may also want to bring plant life into your home to help freshen the air. To improve natural lighting in your home, you should consider opening your windows as well as using natural mood lighting. By using natural materials, plants and light, you can create a fresh and relaxing interior décor.







Method 1 Using Natural Materials.



Decorate with sea shells. Bring home some sea shells from your next beach vacation or purchase them at a home decorating store. You could use sea shells to make a variety of decorations such as a glass jar with sea shells, a picture frame or a candle holder.

Try creating a glass jar with sea shells. Collect some of your favorite shells and arrange them in a glass jar. Place the glass jar on a mantle place or on top of a shelf. They will remind you of the relaxing smells and sounds of your beach vacation.



Buy reclaimed wood chairs and tables. You can find beautiful furniture made from reclaimed wood. Wood previously used in barns, houses or other architecture is used to make chairs and tables. You can find reclaimed wood chairs and tables at design stores, antique shops or online.



Purchase unfinished wood furniture. You could buy unfinished chairs, tables or other wooden furniture and then apply your own finish. You can find unfinished wooden furniture online or at wholesale shops. Apply natural stains such as linseed oil or paint it to match your color scheme.

You can find unfinished wood furniture at online retailers and some hardware stores. Whereas some retailers are focused on more contemporary designs, other retailers sell very traditional designs. You can also piece together the parts you need by going to specialty retailers for table legs or other furniture components, which you would then assemble yourself.



Put driftwood on your coffee table or mantle place. Search for driftwood the next time you are close to a beach or lake. When you find a nice piece of driftwood, you can cut it to size and then place it on your coffee table to remind yourself of the place you visited.

If it is covered in dirt or moss, you may need to clean it.

You could wrap twinkle lights around the branches during the holidays.



Create a rock terrarium. You could find or purchase some stones and place them in a decorative bowl. You can purchase stones from a home living store or a precious stones shop. If you go on vacation to a rocky beach, you could collect your own stones. Arrange your stones in a small bowl and place it on your dining room table.



Consider wood flooring. Wood flooring is a great option for adding natural elements to your home, especially if you are in the process of renovating. Choose from pine, oak or other hardwood flooring options. You could also add section of wood flooring to a small area of your house. Solid hardwood, engineered hardwood and prefinished hardwood are common options.



Expose brick walls in your house. If you have brick walls, consider exposing them so that you get to see the natural décor of brick. Brick is made from clay, mud and water, which is fired at high temperatures. It has a nice texture and can give a room a very natural feel. You could make an accent wall with exposed brick and then paint the other walls in your house.

If you cannot alter the walls in your home, you could make a brick decoration. For instance, you could purchase a few bricks and stack them in front of a wall or use them to make a bookshelf.



Add a water element to your home décor. Install a slate water wall in one of your rooms to add the soothing feel of a waterfall to your home. If a slate water wall sounds too pricey, consider placing a small water fountain on your deck or on your living room table. You can find water fountains in a variety of sizes and shapes.

You can find water fountains at home décor, online retailers and some larger hardware stores.

Indoor water fixtures range from approximately $200 to $2500.

There are many different types of fountains such as tabletop fountains, fountains that sit on the floor and water fixtures that hang on a wall.







Method 2 Bringing Plant Life into Your Home Décor.



Plant an herb garden in your kitchen. An indoor herb garden will bring the smells and tastes of the garden into your kitchen. It also makes cooking a lot easier. Start by finding a sunny window such as a south or southwest facing window. Place your herbs in small pots on the windowsill and remember to put a saucepan underneath to catch drainage. Enjoy sage, rosemary, basil or other herbs in your kitchen.

Avoid north facing windows for indoor kitchen herb gardens. They do not provide enough light.



Add a spider plant to your bedroom. Spider plants look great in a hanging basket by a window. They have pretty green and yellow stems. They are very easy to maintain. They require bright or moderate amounts of sun.

Water occasionally when they are new and then moderately after one year.



Put a succulent in your living room. A succulent will add a nice flourish to your living room. Consider placing a few succulents on your mantle place, living room table or on side tables. You could make a succulent center piece for your living room table. On another table, you could put glass jars with sand and air plants or succulents on top.



Use cacti in your living spaces. You could place a small cactus on your home office table. If you are more ambitious, you could create a small cactus garden with different sized and shaped cacti in your living room. Play around with the shapes and sizes of the cacti. It might be best to place the small cacti in front of the larger cacti, so you get a sense of depth in your cactus garden.



Get weekly flower delivery. You can purchase a weekly flower delivery service so that you can look forward to fresh cut flowers every week. This is a great option if you live in a rental apartment. Talk to your florist about the kinds of flowers you enjoy and ask about the availability of seasonal varieties.







Method 3 Adding Light to Your Home.



Get more light into your home by opening up the windows. Remove old curtains or replace old windows that don’t let enough light into your house or apartment. With new windows and curtains that let more light into your home, you will feel a lot more connected to nature and the outdoors.

Consider purchasing natural linen or cotton curtains.

Consider the style of curtain you would like to purchase such as sill curtains, which go to the windowsill, or apron curtains that go over the windowsill. Floor curtains go all the way to the floor.



Add windows to your home. You may want to add a few windows to your apartment or house. Consider whether there are any parts of the house or apartment that would offer a nice view of the outdoors such as a pond or a forest. Also, consider what size of window would make sense and the price of the renovations.

Consider purchasing wooden, double-hung windows. This type of window will cost you a bit more up front but should save you money in electricity costs in the long run while adding a natural look to home.



Add a salt rock lamp to your bedroom. Himalayan salt rock lamps are great for mood lighting in your bedroom or living room. They have a soft glow and have a range of purported health benefits. Made from natural sea salts, they are a nice way to bring some natural light into your home.



Use a natural candle holder. You can find beeswax candles and Himalayan sea salt candle holders. Place some candles in natural candle holders in your living room or bedroom for natural mood lighting.





Warnings.

If you have pets or small children, you should avoid certain house plants such as philodendron, pothos, arrowhead, lily, peace lily, dieffenbachia, oleander, caladium, mother-in-law’s tongue and ivy.

November 17, 2019

how to accent home decor with terra cotta

How to Accent Home Decor with Terra Cotta.

Adding terracotta to a home can create both an old world style and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Terracotta pieces are easy to integrate into your decor and add a little extra flare to any room. With so many options available, the hardest part is deciding what to pick. However, choosing a theme can go a long way to helping you find what terracotta will work in your home.





Choosing a Style.



Go Southwestern or add some Mexican flare. Search for terracotta in earth tones with a rough texture. For example, look for burnt orange and dark brown pieces of suns and animals. You should also avoid items with a gloss. The more home-crafted it looks, the better.

This type of terracotta pairs well with brightly painted walls and colorful tapestries. Try placing these pieces in a room with an azure blue accent wall or in a dining area with a hand woven rug.



Try a Mediterranean touch. Go for terracotta with painted designs or engravings. Look for large vases with brightly colored gloss. Often times, these items will appear rustic with chipping paint and rough patches. You can also find intricate pitchers, bowls, and Tuscan or Greek inspired pottery.

If you have any mosaic tile in your home, especially in blues and whites, Mediterranean inspired terracotta is an ideal accent.



Mix and match. If you can't decide on one style or another, try picking a few pieces from each. For example, the dark, rough-edged terracotta of a Southwestern-inspired candleholder can be a great contrast to the glossy finish of Mediterranean pottery. You can also try matching color palettes to help mesh the style. Pair a light orange vase with a rustic pink statue.







Pairing Things Indoors.



Try a variety of vases in an entryway. Terracotta vases come in a multitude of styles and sizes. Go for a large Grecian urn or a small Navajo inspired pot and put them alongside a side table. Or pair a painted, mosaic style pitcher with a burnished clay bowl. Set these items alongside your doorway. You can even fill them full of sprawling vines, small succulents, or umbrellas.



Install some clay sconces in your family room. A subtle way to work in terracotta is through light fixtures. Not only is it practical, but it's a decor piece that can add a rustic feel without overtaking a room. Try an engraved sconce with simple geometric patterns. Or, make a statement with something figurative and playful, like Kokopelli or a sun face.

If you have a minimalistic room or a space with very little decorating area, try brightly painted terracotta sconces to add a pop of color and design.



Add masks to a wall mural. Place traditional Navajo or Mayan clay masks alongside family portraits or paintings. These rough, hand-made items work as a great contrast next to sleek modern picture frames. You can also try hanging brightly painted suns and stars from Mexico next to black and white photos to bring in pops of color.







Moving Outside.



Put terracotta statues in your garden. Whether you are growing vegetables, flowers, or a myriad of other greenery, terracotta statues can add a point of interest to any garden. For example, add a trio of medium sized terracotta fish to a bed of lavender or geraniums. Not only will the burnt-orange pop against the purple of the flowers, but the fish will appear to be swimming.

Or, instead of a garden gnome, set a small terracotta warrior to stand guard next to your tomatoes or spiraling cucumbers.



Line porches with terracotta planters. When looking to add flower pots to your deck or patio, trade in the stone or porcelain for terracotta. Not only does terracotta breath easier, but the porosity of the clay allows moisture to penetrate the pot, giving your plants lots of much-needed nutrients. If you have a cement patio or light colored wooden deck, try the traditional orange colored pots. Put them in corners or along stairs. On the other hand, if you have a darker colored deck, try a painted terracotta in a distressed white or cream.

Fill these up with flowers of contrasting colors like blues, purples, and yellows.

You don’t have to stick with the traditional smooth terracotta planter either, go for pots that mimic Grecian urns and are carved into intricate patterns.



Attach small terracotta pots to a fence or wall. An easy design trick is making outdoor collages or murals with miniature planters. Line these pots up in large geometric patterns like squares, circles, or even stars. You can place them on fences around pools or yards, or even on the back wall of your home. Leave them with their common orange color or paint them different shades to stand out against their backdrop. For example, if you have a white picket fence, use the reddish hues of the pots to create a striking pattern that you can see from far away.

Fill these pots with either flowers or herbs!

November 13, 2019

how to decorate your home office on a budget

How to Decorate Your Home Office on a Budget.

When decorating your home office on a budget, try to be as creative and resourceful as possible. Make your own shelving to inexpensively create storage and workspace areas. Look around your home and repurpose furniture you already own. Customize those pieces to maximize their use-value and aesthetics. If you do need to buy new pieces, look for gently used items at consignment shops, estate or yard sales, and surplus stores. Maximize your efficiency and make your office a pleasing place to work with inexpensive accessories and organizational habits.

Method 1 Choosing Affordable Office Furniture.

1. Repurpose furniture from other areas in your home. Office furniture typically makes up the bulk of the decor budget. Do your best to reuse pieces from other areas in your home in order to increase savings. Look for customizable items that can offer both design solutions and a personal touch.

For example, you can use a sturdy coffee table to provide a seating area that doubles as storage space. Find inexpensive cushions or even a pet bed large enough to cover the tabletop in the clearance section of a home decor store. Place woven baskets or other storage bins you might have on hand under the coffee table to store files, books, or other necessities.

If you have an extra dresser on hand, put it in the office to store supplies and paperwork. Consider downsizing your wardrobe to free up a storage piece in your bedroom.

Or, repurpose a kitchen or dining table as a desk. This will give you plenty of space to arrange your equipment (computer, printer, etc.) and work materials.

2. Use shelving to solve storage, workspace, and cost limitations. Create your own shelving with affordable wood panels and brackets from the hardware store if you have basic woodworking skills. Alternatively, you can look for deals at department stores or online. Inexpensive shelving can not only offer storage solutions, it can also provide you with desk space, which can be among the costliest office furniture pieces.

Run shelving horizontally along an entire wall for multiple workstations. Use the area underneath for storage containers, a trash bin, and office equipment like a printer or shredder.

To create bookcases, stack shelves horizontally on top of one another 12 inches (30 cm) apart. Add file folders, baskets, and other storage containers along with your books.

3. Purchase gently used furniture to cut your budget. If you do need to purchase a desk, file storage, or other office furniture look around for good second-hand pieces. Search online for estate sales in your area, and look for local organizations that host estate sales. Check websites for options to sign up for email lists so you won’t have to drive around your city looking for sales.

Look around consignment shops, thrift stores, and furniture surplus stores in your area for deals on items that fit your taste and needs.

Make sure you have your space’s measurements on hand, and bring a tape measure with you to be sure you purchase items that fit your office.

Get creative with your use of second-hand items. For instance, use a buffet table to house your printer or turn a large basket into a decorative trash can.

4. Remember that an ergonomic chair is important. If there’s one office furniture item to spend a bit of money on, it’s the chair. Sitting for long periods of time is tough on your back, legs, and overall health, so look for an ergonomic office chair that fits your budget.

You may be able to great a great deal on an ergonomic chair from a company that’s going out of business, such as an office building or doctor’s office.

Look for a form-fitting chair that offers both sturdiness and flexibility. Go for height adjustable options that offer lumbar, neck, and head support.

A new ergonomic chair can cost thousands of dollars, but with some patience, you can find a secondhand option for a fraction of that price.

Using a kitchen chair or other uncomfortable option might be a decent solution while you look for a good budget-friendly piece, but it’ll compromise your productivity and health in the long run.

5. Mix up pieces instead of purchasing a matching set. Purchasing a matching office furniture suite might offer a quick decor fix, but will drastically increase your cost. Be patient as you furnish your office using a mix of repurposed and secondhand items. It might take a matter of months, but you’ll end up saving hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

In addition to drastically reducing your budget, avoiding a matching suite will also give your workspace a more personal feel.

Method 2 Accessorizing Your Home Office.

1. Avoid splurging on accessories. There’s really no need to spend much money on office accessories, if any at all. Look around your house for items like framed photographs, houseplants, and knickknacks to add some personality to your workspace without spending money.

This is another opportunity to repurpose items. For example, use a pretty rock as a paperweight and cut a few flowers from your garden to put in a vase on your desk.

Given a little time, you’ll probably accumulate more accessories than you need. You might receive a gift like a stress ball or Zen garden to place in your office on your next birthday or holiday. If you have kids, they might make you something in school you can put on your desk.

2. Create your own large-scale wall designs. Instead of spending hundreds on office art, you can paint your office’s walls a bright color, and create a focal wall using painter’s tape to make stripes or by putting up wall decals. Consider designating a large wall area as a blackboard brainstorming area, using inexpensive chalkboard paint to create it.

Affordable wall decor options also include your diploma or certificates. You can also print out and frame inspirational quotes or sayings.

Check out second-hand stores for inexpensive framed art or prints that match your taste.

Choose patterns and colors that both motivate and relax you. Avoid using too many dark colors, which can lead to decreased productivity.

3. Prioritize function when choosing lighting accessories. Ensure you have enough light to see well so you don’t strain your eyes. To improve both efficiency and aesthetics, you’ll need lighting options other than the room’s overhead light. However, you don’t have to break your bank by purchasing top of the line lighting accessories.

For your desk, consider reusing a small lamp from elsewhere in your home.

Look around consignment shops or home decor or department stores’ clearance sections for reduced-price floor and desk lamps.

Try to provide two to three lighting accessories so you can customize the room’s light levels. Including more lighting options is better for your eyes and improves the room’s feel. Warmer, shaded sources of light like desk and floor lamps are preferable to fluorescent overhead lighting.

Method 3 Maximizing Efficiency on a Budget.

1. Make sure that you only have to spend money on decor. The first way to stick to a low budget when designing an office space is to choose a room that doesn't require a significant amount of structural work. There are only so many design solutions you can achieve through decor alone. Think about how the room’s layout and level of finish will contribute to your efficiency.

For example, when you choose your office space, make sure the room has enough electrical outlets for your needs. Two outlets and affordable power strips should allow you to plug in your computer, printer, cell phone charger, at least two light sources in addition to the overhead light, and any other objects that require electricity.

An interior room without a window might make you less likely to want to work in that room, thus decreasing your productivity. Likewise, budget-friendly decor options can’t do much for an unfinished basement room. Make sure your space is clean and free of leaks or structural issues in order to encourage efficiency.

Even a nook in your bedroom or living room can offer more inexpensive, ergonomic, and efficient options than a larger spare room lacking outlets, insulation, multiple light sources, and other necessities.

2. Go for budget-friendly storage options instead of minimalism. From planning your budget to picking out furniture and accessories, your number one priority should be storage. A minimalist office look might be trendy, but splurging on stylish decor options that lack storage will max out your budget, decrease your efficiency, and limit your ability to keep the space organized.

Take the time to declutter and organize your things so you only store what you actually need.

Keep your budget in check by optimizing the storage space you already have available. If you're using a spare bedroom as an office, use the closet for storage to hide clutter. Install shelving for better organization if there aren’t any already present.

Ensuring everything in your office has a designated place and keeping your spaced organized are among the easiest and most affordable ways to maximize your efficiency.

3. Improve productivity with inexpensive candles and air fresheners. Making sure your office smells nice is among the most budget-friendly ways to increase efficiency. Believe it or not, recent studies suggest a more fragrant office not only improves comfort, but encourages productivity.

Experiments show that scents including lavender, rosemary, jasmine, and lemon encourage efficiency.

Remember inexpensive candles, oil diffusers, and other fragrant accessories can also be visually pleasing additions to your home office. You can choose scents that relax you or energize you, depending on your preferences and mood.

Desember 24, 2019

how to fake expensive decor

How to Fake Expensive Decor.

A well-designed room looks expensive even if it isn’t. Before you invest in decorative try to come up with a theme or scheme for the room. Once you have identified what you want your room to look like, search for economical pieces that look classy and expensive. If you’re not having much luck finding pieces in stores, you can make your own. The following steps provide some ideas and advice, get started at step number one below.







Designing a Room that Looks Expensive.



Choose a unifying theme. A well-coordinated room will look expensive even if the elements of the décor are cheap. Choose a theme that will tie together your room. This will help you look for inexpensive pieces while making it seem as though you have paid an interior decorator. Rooms that seem confused, cluttered, and mismatched have the look of cheap rather than luxury even if the pieces are lovely. For example:

A beach-themed room would have pictures of the ocean, shell decorations, and a blue-green palette.

A rustic, woodsy theme would have wood detailing, paintings of landscapes, and an earthy palette.

Industrial themes use repurposed items, steel accents, and sharp edges to give the room a more modern edge. Gray, brick red, and black are popular colors.

Minimalism is a popular and trendy design scheme where you use as few pieces as possible to decorate your room. Simple furniture and white or neutral colors will make the room look as though it could feature in a magazine, likes Home and Garden, but the style is inexpensive to recreate.



Focus on a neutral color palette. Stick with white or light neutral shades, such as brown or gray, for the base color. Your walls and larger furniture pieces should belong to this color scheme. For example, you might have beige walls with white doors and gray furniture. Your feature elements will stand out against neutral colors more, which will make them seem more prominent. Some neutral colors you can mix and match include:

Gray.

Slate Blue.

Taupe.

Soft yellow.

Off-white shades like ivory and cream.

Coffee brown.

Tan.

Beige.



Add accent pieces. Accent pieces are small decorative items that contrast with your neutral color scheme. They are usually either brightly colored or patterned. Accent pieces can be easily and cheaply be replaced if you ever change your style. Make sure all of your accent pieces are the same color for maximum effect. Some items you might consider for accents include:

Vases.

Pillows or cushions.

Blankets or throws.

Picture Frames.

Ottoman.

Tablecloths.

Flowers.

Figurines.

Striped, dotted, or chevron patterned objects.



Choose a focal point. A focal point is a piece of furniture, art, or object that is the primary decoration in the room. Having one grand piece will draw attention to it, making it seem important and pricey. A room in which there is no clear focus tends to feel cheap. [2] Some good focal points for a room include:

A large painting.

A unique table.

Two retro mod chairs.

A wall decal.

Full-length book shelves.

An ornate mirror.



Consider getting rid of dated details. To some, the key to making décor seem expensive is to follow modern trends. To help your room remain stylish and cool, you should reduce the dated elements of its décor. Some common out-of-style elements include:

Vertical window blinds.

Formica tables.

Clear plastic furniture.

Furniture painted to resemble marble or stone.

Broken or damaged items such as torn posters, cracked vases, or splintered wood.

Obviously, antiques can lend an expensive looking touch to any room, especially if it is an family piece you have inherited and haven't had to pay for. As long your antiques are in good condition and tie in with the rest of the room's dėcor, keep them. Don't ditch them just because they are old. It "is" possible to combine modern and antique pieces in a room.



Avoid clutter. Ironically, having less" clutter in a room makes the overall impression that of luxury. You do not want a room that is filled with furniture and decorative items and resembles a second hand shop. Limit how many decorative pieces display. This creates the impression that you spent more on a few, expensive items instead of buying many cheaper items. When placing your decorative items around the room, keep a little bit of space between each item.



Decorative shelves should ideally not be crammed with items. It's tempting to fill that space with stuff. Instead, only fill 1/2 to 3/4 of the space, leaving some empty space.

Keep your surfaces, such as coffee tables, counters, and TV stands mostly clear.

Choose only one or two items to place on these surfaces.

For example, you might keep a lamp on a side table with a single picture frame but nothing else.

If in doubt, remove. Try taking out a piece of furniture. See what happens if the coffee table is simply moved to the another room. Or see what happens if you remove throw pillows/cushions. You may find that less is more.









Finding Cheaper Alternatives.



Visit thrift stores. Thrift stores, charity shops, consignments, estate sales, and antique stores will often have old vintage or antiques items that are much cheaper than new. This is a great way to get inexpensive but quality items, such as wooden tables or embroidered chairs.

Old wooden furniture can always be repainted. If you find a piece that is chipped or faded, you can paint it to match your color palette.

You may find interesting and unusual items in these stores and shops. These will seem expensive because they are unique. For example, you might find a lunchbox from the 60s with old superheroes on it, or you might discover an antique milk pail that you can use for flowers.



Shop online. Websites like eBay, Craigslist, and Gumtree allow people to sell their old furniture and decorative items. Search through these sites to see if you can snag a deal. It may take a little while to find the perfect deal, but you may be able to score a truly expensive piece for very little money.



Search online for less expensive replicas. If there is a more expensive piece that you have your eye on, you might be able to find a cheaper replica online. Search for words that are associated with the original piece.

For example, you might type, “cheap crystal chandelier” to see what pops up.



Print out your own art. If you can’t afford originals of art, you can buy prints from the internet. If the artwork is in the public domain, you can even print out your own copy at a print shop, and frame it yourself. This is a great way to get quality reproductions of famous art pieces in your own home without paying a fortune.

When sending the work to the print shop, make sure you send an HD copy so that you get the best image possible.

You can also tear out images from an old calendar and frame them. This is a great way to reuse an old calendar, and the images are all professional quality.



Repurpose items. You might find interesting pieces that can be used for a different purpose than intended. These pieces can be a focal point for your room if you choose. Transform your old furniture, or keep an eye out for things that can become tables, wall hangings, or accent pieces. You might.

Use an old luggage trunk as a coffee table.

Hang antique dinner plates on the wall.

Drape an old quilt over a chair.

Frame vintage fashion magazines images.

Make shelves out of old wooden planks.

Position a TV on a painted crate.









Making Your Own Décor.



Assemble your own built-in bookcases. Floor-to-ceiling length bookshelves may seem expensive, but you can replicate the effect without purchasing high-end custom furniture. Measure your wall. Instead of building one giant bookcase, purchase four identical smaller bookcases that will fit in that space. Place two side by side for the base, and stack the other two on top. Be sure to bolt all four bookcases to the wall for stability.



Wallpaper the inside of your bookcase. An easy way to add a customized twist to an old bookcase is to wallpaper the back of the shelves. Find a wallpaper that matches your theme or color scheme. Cut the wallpaper to size of the backing of each shelf. Paste it on using wallpaper paste. Let it dry before you put items back on the shelves.

If you are using the bookcase to display decorative objects like vases or figurines, you might want to choose a solid color for the wallpaper, so that more attention is drawn to your collection.

If you are just using the shelves for books, you can choose a bold pattern, such as chevron stripes, polka dots, or a floral design. This will make the shelves an accent piece in their own right.



Paint your own tile backsplash. Small ceramic tiles are great for decorating the backsplash of kitchens or bathrooms, but decorated tiles are expensive. Plain white ceramic tiles, on the other hand, can be cheap. With a little time and effort, you can turn tiles into something stunning and extravagant.

Find a stencil of a design you like, such as a fleur-de-lis or a bird. Press the stencil down on the tile, and paint over the design. Let the tile dry, and you have an easy, beautiful tile. You can then adhere it to the wall using tile mastic.

Good places for painted tile backsplashes include underneath cabinets or above a countertop. Do not paint the tiles on your floor or along your shower or bath. Too much water damage can ruin the paint.



Use fake flowers instead of real. Fresh flowers are beautiful, but they can become costly. Instead, look for convincing fake flowers. Put together your own centerpiece, and arrange them in an inexpensive vase. You have an easy, reusable centerpiece.

Go for flowers that look as close to real as possible. You might even be able to find ones that also feel soft and natural. Your guests probably will not know the difference.

You can swap out flowers for each season and event, reusing the same flowers every year. Friends probably will not notice, but it will make it seem as though you are constantly updating your centerpiece.

Artificial flowers can easily become dusty. If so they do not look luxurious. Also, this can be problematic for allergy sufferers and asthmatics



Fill a vase to make a centerpiece. Vases are easy to find, and they can be relatively inexpensive. To help jazz up an empty vase, you can fill it with some small items. This will add a touch of character to your décor without costing a ton of money. Some things you can fill it with include:

Potpourri.

Shells.

Pieces of coral.

Marbles.

Buttons.

Sticks.

Wine corks.



Repaint frames. Nice picture frames can be expensive, but you can manage a high quality look without paying a lot of money. Find inexpensive picture frames at a dollar store, craft store, or thrift store. Paint the frames with a color or design that pleases you.

Gold and silver paint are easy to find if you want a more distinguished shade.

You can add words as you like such as “Sisters” or “Friends Forever.” This will make it seem personalized.

Painting designs on your frames gives them a unique look. You can paint stripes, dots, or other easy geometric shapes.





Tips.

The most important thing is that the room looks good to you. If you like the way the room looks, you do not have to worry so much if it appears expensive or not.

While you should invest in good furniture pieces, such as sofas and tables, you can go cheap on accessories, like pillows and artwork, without people noticing.

If you are making your own décor, you should choose projects that you know you can complete at your skill level.

Always measure your space before buying new décor or furniture to make sure that it will fit.

Try leaving a little bit of space between furniture and other objects to make the room seem larger than it is.

November 13, 2019