Decorating on a budget

April 30th, 2010, by Claire

Don’t worry — this is not going to start with a suggestion to turn those old combat boots into front yard planters. It may end that way, but we’ll have to see!

Actually the following ideas are from various sources (links provided) that I have been going through to find ways to cheaply, but nicely, update that outdated look in my home. Sometimes just browsing ideas helps me to come up with some of my own or a good modification on what I find.

A couple of the ideas below are from my own improvisations around my house. Here’s some of my favorite ideas so far (feel free to list your own):

Memo Pad Mosaic Border

by Jeanée Ledoux

Give yourself a more worthwhile reason for stealing office supplies from work. Those sticky memo notes are the perfect size to pose as tiles in a kitchen or bathroom that’s lacking in architectural details, and they add a shock of color without painting. Clear shelf liner keeps the notes dry and flat. This technique eats so little time and money that you can change it often or cover a whole wall, if the supply closet allows.

Make the memo pad mosaic border. From ivilliage.com

Budget Art:

My husband is an artist, but we sell most of his artwork. Of course if I nagged him I might get those smaller paintings to enhance those smaller rooms. Instead I have decided to start framing some of my own photography. For example, the pictures below I snapped from my backyard and on a picnic we took this last Fall. Just take a decent camera with you (my camera is a small Kodak… nothing fancy!) and snap pictures of subject matters you like. Go to the dollar store, pick out a frame and hang it. People will love it. There are no copyright issues, and it’s original!