If you are looking for ways to decorate your home on a budget, did you know that ordinary items that some people toss out can become one-of-a-kind design elements? It’s true, there are many items that one would merely pass by that can be transformed into unique home decorator focal pieces for any style room. So, start looking around your house or hit a flea market to uncover some trash-to-treasure successes for your own home. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Mosaic Coffee Table
Got broken pieces of dinnerware or china just lying around gathering dust in your garage? If you have an eclectic sense of design, then the mosaic coffee table is the perfect addition to your home’s décor. Scope out your local consignment shops or yard sales if you don’t already have a coffee table, then prepare the surface with a light sanding. Start your project by laying out pieces of colorful pottery, ceramic, or glass like a puzzle across the top until you cover the entire surface. Use a spot of wood adhesive on the bottom of each piece to secure it to the table, follow by smearing white caulk into the cracks in between, and then allow this to dry overnight. For an even more dramatic effect, overlay the tiled look with a heavy piece of cut glass.
Endless Pallet Creations
A fun way to add organization and a unique design element to a room is to create a bookshelf out of old shipping pallets. Often times you can find shipping pallets at stores or warehouses that are destined to become trash, so ask your local store if you can take a few off their hands. Pallets can be transformed into a lot of things: Fill with dirt and flowers and it becomes a vertical garden, add rolling legs and create a large coffee table, or remove some boards and design a bookshelf. To tackle this project, cut the pallet into three separate pieces, swap a couple of boards from the front and back and place them at the bottom for the base of the shelf. Add some side pieces and you’re done!
Crib Chalkboard
Chances are, either you have an old crib sitting in your attic or someone in your family has saved an older crib for years (like Mom). Take the end pieces (headboard and footboard) and remove them from the rest of the frame. Sand them down and give them a fresh coat of paint. Then carefully paint the center piece in the wood frame with 2 coats of chalkboard paint. Let them dry overnight. Once dried, add a heavy hinge at the top center of each board to allow it to stand. This is a great place to write messages in chalk to greet guests or keep a to-do list for your family.
Bathroom Clutter Buster
The bathroom is often a space that gets cluttered fast, especially for busy families. To tame this clutter, wash 4 spaghetti sauce jars well including the lids. Cover the lids with a soft fabric secured with hot glue. Tie a ribbon around the lip of each jar. Then locate a bread basket or bread tray from among your collection and place the jars inside side by side. You’ll find them to be the perfect way to stash all your bathroom supplies from cotton swabs and makeup to hair supplies and tooth brushes.
Decorating your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you have an eye for potential in the ordinary things around you.
-Dennis Steele is a design enthusiast and works in the Chicago luxury interior design industry. In his free time, he loves painting and decorating his own home in fun, unique ways.