Be Your Own Decorator

People often ask me to help them decorate their homes, and give them ideas. I tend to find that most folks have the same problems when it comes to designing and decorating. They either can't make decisions or they are trying too hard to follow some rules they read in a magazine or saw on a design show. So here is my advice.
I have only 1 rule and it is the MOST IMPORTANT one. There are no rules. Yes, you read that right. NO RULES! When decorating your home or space, anything goes. If you want to paint a mural of yourself naked and riding a unicorn, do it. The design shows are great for inspiration tips, but Nate and Martha don't have to live in your home, you do. So if a design doesn't work for you, don't do it. When choosing paint colors, I always select shades that create a mood. Do I want to be energized? Soothed? Do I want it to make me smile when I walk in? Look in your closet. Do you wear a lot of blue or green? Maybe it's because you like the way you feel in that color. Apply the same philosophy to your home. If lime green makes you dizzy, then maybe it's not the color for you. I never follow the trends. Not in my clothing choices, and not in my home. I am me. I want my decor to reflect that.
Not sure where to begin? Here's a tip. Do you have a piece lying around in your home that you love? Maybe it's a funky lamp, or a throw pillow in a fabulous shade of red. Did you see it in a store and have to have it? That's your inspiration. You were drawn to that item for a reason, so let it inspire you. What colors will compliment that piece? Sometimes, you'd be surprised. Remember the color wheel? We used it in grade school to help us understand colors. Yes, beige and white would match, but maybe purple or yellow would make it just POP! Go pick up paint swatches in several colors, even ones that you might be a little unsure of. Never be afraid of color, it can't hurt you.
What I'm saying here is that no two people are the same, so no two homes should be either. You may love or hate someone's style choice, but it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is how you feel about it. Do you smile every time you walk into that room? Then you have achieved decorating success. If you still aren't sure and need/want a few pointers. Call me, I'll help you out. :)

Giving old memories new life!

Everyone has those old items that we can't bear to part with, but have no real use for. Attics, basements, garages & closets around the world are filled with these memories, but we just aren't sure what to do with them. Well here's an idea. Repurpose them! An old table can be turned into a work station for crafts or a homework area for kids. Antique kitchen appliances make great display pieces. Use them to decorate above your cabinets, or choose a few favorites (maybe grandmas old mixers) and bookend your cookbooks on your counter. Was Uncle John a great photographer? Display his old camera on a shelf next to some photos he took. Have an old sewing machine that doesn't work anymore? Use it in an entryway for a statement piece. Drape a handmade throw over it & hang a picture of Great Grandma above it, so you always have a piece of her nearby.

Stack old books and use them to create depth on a mantle or shelf. This is also a fun idea for kids rooms. Use your old favorite childhood books on a shelf in your son or daughters room. Have childrens books that have seen better days? Remove the images and frame them for an inexpensive and fun theme in a playroom or nursery. If you like this, but don't have old books, check garage sales & thrift stores or ask friends and family if they have some they are willing to part with. Books have so many great uses and are full of history and character, so dust them off and get creative. I have an old typewriter that was my grandfathers, and I have always loved it, but obviously with computers now, I have no use for a typewriter. Instead of sticking it in a closet, I used it as a bookend. I have a photo of him on the shelf next to it and each time I see it, I think of him and smile.

A vintage telephone or record player would make a great display piece as well. Old records can be hung on a wall and make a fun border for a teenagers room or a bar area. Use the records themselves or the covers or both. Have old baking sheets laying around? Paint them & hang them for magnet boards in a kitchen or kids room. Old ladders make great shelves, magazine racks, quilt holders and more. Old toys and games make great display pieces in kids rooms. Old clothes can be turned into new clothes, blankets or fabric scraps for craft projects. Have some old purses just taking up space in your closet? Why not hang them and use them for storage? Have a daughter that's really into fashion? Old shoes, purses, scarves, belts, jewelry and more can be used to decorate her room. Turn old dresses into throw pillows. Use scarves and belts as curtain tiebacks. Purses, hats and shoes can be displayed on shelves next to vintage fashion magazines. Or pin vintage clothes to the walls in funky dress up styles, for a great statement piece. An old dress form would be perfect for this, too!

I think you get the idea. Anything can be made new again if you just give it a chance. Take a trip around your local craft store every so often and get inspired by the fabrics and colors. Before you go buy new lamps, maybe try changing the existing ones. A little paint and creativity can go a long way. Make covers for your throw pillows instead of buying new ones. Did you get new kitchen utensils? Save the old ones and give them to the kids to use when they play kitchen. We are too quick to throw away and replace things, so before you take out the trash tomorrow, take a second and make sure you aren't tossing out any treasures.

Budget Bedroom Make-Over (Around $100)

I was getting tired of the look of my bedroom and wanted something brighter and more fun, but I didn't have a lot of money to spend. I love my furniture, so that wasn't an issue, but I really wanted to change everything else.
I started with my bedspread which I got for a steal for about $10. Thank you Kohl's clearance and coupons.
Next I found the art/mirror for over the bed. ($20 at Big Lots) The deco tiles I had purchased for $1 for the set at a garage sale. They were a hideous gold color, so I painted them white and they look amazing. The other wall decor was repurposed from other rooms, or that I had in storage and wasn't currently using.

The sheer curtains on the bed, I already owned (I am getting more for all the way around the bed, but one of the bed posts was under repair at the time.) so those didn't cost anything. The tiebacks are scraps of fabric from an old t-shirt that I used to make the smaller throw pillow. Again, no cost. The 3 sheers on the windows were $5 each and the woven rug was $3. (more Big Lots finds) The hanging candelabra was a sidewalk sale find that I paid $1.50 for. It is so pretty lit and adds a touch of romance to the room. The wall paint was on sale, for $10/gallon and we used about a gallon and a half. (The color looks much brighter in person than it does in the pictures.)

My chair was on sale at Meijer for $20 and it is so soft and comfy. The throw on the chair was another steal for $3 at Big Lots and the pillow I made myself. The top of the dresser is draped with a scarf that I loved the color of, but rarely wore. The larger throw pillow on the bed was a clearance find (Meijer) for $6.
The room is my favorite place in my home and my husband calls it our Gypsy Room. Whenever guests come over, they are instantly drawn to it & often hang out in there.
I love color and this room has plenty of it. Each morning I wake up and smile. It's hard to be down in a room this happy. If you are looking to redecorate, but don't have a lot of money, don't worry. Just use your imagination and think outside the box. Do you have things you aren't using that can be repurposed? Check clearance sales, thrift stores and garage/sidewalk sales for inspiration. It's your home, so don't worry about what others might think and never be afraid to experiment. Plain white walls are for hospitals, not homes. So let your creative juices go wild and see what happens. You just might be surprised at the designer in you...