Style Tips for Bargain Decor

Creative Revamp

Create stunning bookends using antique or even mismatched corbels. Can't find them at a flea market? Buy some made from composite material at a home center (as we did). Use a gouge to carve a hole in the bottom of each one and fill with fishing sinkers. Use wood filler to seal the holes, paint, and then cover the bottoms with cork or felt. A basic bench becomes a striking coffee table with the addition of decorative molding on the sides and a coat of bold paint.

Take a Seat

Drive through any neighborhood on trash day and you're sure to find a beat-up chair or two. Rescue the sturdy ones with sandpaper, primer, and paint. Re-cover the seat by cutting fabric 3 inches larger all around and attaching it with a staple gun. For extra flair, embellish the chair back with rub-on lettering.

Bold Art

Scraps of decorative friezes, spindles, plinth blocks, or rosettes make a statement when set off by a frame. Insert colorful scrapbook paper in the frame as a background. Then use Mirror Mastic adhesive to apply the piece directly to the frame's glass.

Rethink Wallpaper

Save an awkward nook with wallpaper. Extra-large patterns work well to keep the look uncluttered, and the same paper used from floor to sloped ceiling helps unite the space.

Bits and Pieces

If a dresser is too junky to save, use one of its drawers for a magnetic board. Remove the hardware and then paint the drawer. Cut galvanized metal with a utility knife to fit the drawer bottom or order the exact size from a metal fabricator. Cut pretty paper, and glue it to the metal.

Fabric Art

Gather a few of your favorite fabrics and showcase them in an assortment of mismatched frames.

Fabric Redo

Too much clutter for glass cabinet doors? Hide the cabinet's contents by lining the glass panels with patterned fabric. On the back of each door, stretch the fabric over the glass and use a staple gun to fasten the edges to the wooden frame. For a tidy appearance inside, conceal the staples by gluing coordinating ribbon.

Color Styled

Grocery store flowers offer cheer for mere pennies, but don't just plop them in a vase. Sorting the blooms by color and separating them into small vessels make them much more stylish.

Fabric on the Cheap

Get big impact for just a little cash by buying small pieces of expensive fabric. It takes about a yard and a half for a short curtain or half a yard for a 16-inch pillow.

New Planter

Create a stunning planter box using spare trim pieces. Start with a rough redwood planter and sand lightly. Glue on trim, prime and paint, and then install legs.

Tiny Details

These diminutive shadow boxes come unfinished in sets of two. Use wood glue or nails to add a length of spindle railing along the bottom, and then paint each piece.

Quick Frames

Rub-ons applied to glass quickly update basic picture frames. Pair the designer with framed pieces of pretty patterned paper for a low cost-gallery.

Top-Drawer Design

Update an old side table by attaching scrapbook papers to the drawer fronts. Use repositionable spray adhesive and you can change the paper with the seasons. Alternately, cover the paper with clear polyurethane for a lasting surface.

Jewelry Art

Add sparkle to glass votives by stacking bracelets on footed candleholders, opposite. Vary the colors and styles of the bracelets for an eclectic look. For safety, use only votive candles in glass containers. Turn a wood cutlery tray into a beautiful piece of art. Glue scrapbooking papers to the bottom of each compartment using an adhesive appropriate for paper and wood; secure screw eyes to the cubbies to hold jewelry. Select favorite pieces to fill the tray. Jazz up paper lampshade shade by punching holes evenly around the bottom edge. Clip earrings through the holes.

Make a Statement

To create handmade art, get crafty with purchased felt shapes mounted in shadow boxes with scrapbook-paper mats. Decorative stick pins and snips of ribbon complete the look.

Table Topper

This vintage table doubles as a desk and a bedside stand. To soften the look for the bedroom, cover the top with fabric and fasten it along the edges with upholstery tacks.

Hang It Up

These finials were meant to be fastened to the end of curtain rods but work just as well when screwed into a wall and used as hooks. Decorative painting gives unfinished wooden finials a personal touch.

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Going Classic: How to accent your home Victorian style

Designing a home and decorating it the way you want is a lot more than merely putting a few objects together that serve the purpose. It is often a wise thing to have a running theme across your home as it will give the right idea on how to accessorize and make shopping a lot easier. If themes are what you are going how about the instant classic - the Victorian style of decorating interiors. It brings a touch of royalty, a sense of class and adds timeless charm. Going Victorian though is a lot harder than picking contemporary styles and design as you are trying to recreate the past. But here are a few simple tips that will you with that task.

#1 Mix a renaissance decorating style with plenty of metal

A Victorian theme is brought in largely by using stuff that is reminiscent to the Renaissance period. You can do that by using plenty of metal wherever possible. It could be in the furnishings, photo frames or even in the accessories spread across the room. Also, the use of gleaming metal with intricate and artistic design helps a great deal.

#2 Decorative moldings, ornaments, plasterwork and arches

The essence of Victorian style is in its sweeping and larger than life design. This can be achieved using arches wherever possible to create a grand look. Use of plasterwork and moldings could be expensive, but they bring in the feel of authenticity of the design. Remember that this will always cost you a lot more than the other modern themes, but it will also attract people in a unique way of its own.

#3 Use stain glass and stone fireplaces

One of the most important Victorian accent to a home is the use of stain glass as this is an integral part of the era. It adds in a small yet authoritative way to the furnishings around and it really brings out the bright mood in the room. The fireplace is also an essential aspect of a Victorian styled living room and one made with stone or even polished marble accentuates the already classic feel.

#4 Design with dark colors and rich shades wherever possible

Most often modern designs demand neutral tones and dull shades, but you can throw that out of the window if you are going the Victorian way. Dark and bright shades along with very rich colors are the very essence of the style. Even your woodwork should be grained in dark tones so as to compliment what is around it. Feel free to tone up the reds and the violets, the yellows and the blues as you please!

#5 Lavish designs drenched in fabric

Use plenty of fabric whenever and wherever possible in the shape of curtains, separators and even as wallpaper to bring out the Victorian flavor. You can throw away the idea of repainting your walls or even bringing in new wallpaper by just using printed, light fabric instead. This will only make the interiors far more majestic.

#6 Bring in the fruits, flowers, candles and candy

This might appear simple, but nothing says classic like a bowl full of fruits, a wonderful arrangement of roses in a pot, some beautiful candles and maybe even candy in a basket. These are simple to do, easy to get and will increase the charm of your Victorian interiors manifold. Even wilted flowers bring about a new and wild spirit to the room!
Going Victorian takes a lot more care and effort than most other themes. It will also need you to pick out special furniture and accessories and change most things that would be found lying around otherwise in a normal home. The transformation might be tough, but the result will leave you more than satisfied!

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Country Style Bedrooms

If you are a fan of country cottages, you are going to love this. Drool at these carefully crafted country inspired bedrooms with rustic flowing details and old cottage charm.

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Country Style Kitchens

These English country style kitchen sets from County Kitchen predominantly reflect a traditional style but not without a modern twist on tradition.

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Country Style Kitchen Pictures From Marchi Cucine

The Marchi Group specializes in creating traditional style kitchens that look straight out of a folk tale. These classic country style kitchens are easy for you to associate with and they somehow seem familiar eventhough you are seeing them for the first time.

Marchi, the designer, believes:

Beautiful things acquire value over time. They are objects that improve quality of life and become an integral part of our daily routine.

The following set of pictures of country kitchens should give you some inspiration if you are planning to build one.

Country Kitchen - Dhialma

Country Kitchen - Old England

Country Kitchen - Valenzuela

Country Kitchen - Doralice

Country Kitchen - Hemingway

Marchi also has a another line of ‘New Classic’ kitchens which bring in a touch of modern while still remaining largely traditional.

New Classic Kitchen - Dechora

New Classic Kitchen - Opera’

New Classic Kitchen - Dechora

New Classic Kitchen - Opera’

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The Mismatched Dining Room : Tips for creating a well-balanced mismatched style

Have you ever walked around a furniture store and seen all the tables sitting there perfectly matched and looking almost too perfect? Although a formal and matching dining room set can be breathtaking, it can also be unimaginative and boring. Many people want to add a little zest to their dining space and they often choose to do so with a mismatched dining room.


But how can a mismatched dining room be beautiful? Isn’t that something you do when you first move out on your own? It shouldn’t be something that you plan, should it? While I still remember my very first dining room set, and shudder at the horror of it, a mismatched dining room set can be functional and fashionable if you follow a few simple guidelines for creating your masterpiece. Remember there is a difference between being mismatched and being stylishly mismatched and what you are going for with your dining room is the latter.

Mismatched Tip Number 1: Choose the table first

This tip is actually selective since some people find chairs that they just have to use first but generally, it is better to look for the table first. It is much easier looking for chairs that match the height of the table instead of a table that matches the height of the chairs. Choosing the table first will enable you to gauge what type of chairs you would like and what would look best with the style of table you chose.

Mismatched Tip Number 2: Look for sturdy chairs

One of the biggest complaints that people have about dining room chairs is that they aren’t sturdy. Many times with a dining room chair, you often feel as though you are going to tip over at the slightest lift of your fork. When you are choosing the chairs for your mismatched dining room, make sure that you look for function before style. Trust me, you and your guests will appreciate it and if you can find function and style, all the better.

Mismatched Tip Number 3: It’s all about height

Although you are going with a mismatched set, there is one area that you should match and that is height. Making sure that your chairs are the correct height to your dining room table is the best way to make your mismatched dining room style to work. If the chairs are too short, they will look off, too tall and you won’t be able to sit at the table comfortably.

Mismatched Tip Number 4: Don’t worry if the chairs match

When it comes to mismatched dining room tables, you really don’t need to use a variety of chairs. Instead, find a set of chairs that you purchased without the table. Every chair doesn’t have to be different and sometimes having every chair different can be too much. Keep the chairs the same, but maybe have one or two that are slightly different than the rest to create a symmetrical effect to your mismatched table.

Mismatched Tip Number 5: Try buying used

The last tip that I want to mention is that you shouldn’t worry about purchasing your furniture used. Although new can be wonderful, you can find some wonderful gems when it comes to a table or the chairs when you purchase used. Browse for sale ads, go to estate or furniture auctions and before you know it, you will have a beautiful mismatched set for only a fraction of the cost that you would have spent buying new.

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Style Tips for Bargain Decor

Creative Revamp

Create stunning bookends using antique or even mismatched corbels. Can't find them at a flea market? Buy some made from composite material at a home center (as we did). Use a gouge to carve a hole in the bottom of each one and fill with fishing sinkers. Use wood filler to seal the holes, paint, and then cover the bottoms with cork or felt. A basic bench becomes a striking coffee table with the addition of decorative molding on the sides and a coat of bold paint.

Take a Seat

Drive through any neighborhood on trash day and you're sure to find a beat-up chair or two. Rescue the sturdy ones with sandpaper, primer, and paint. Re-cover the seat by cutting fabric 3 inches larger all around and attaching it with a staple gun. For extra flair, embellish the chair back with rub-on lettering.

Bold Art

Scraps of decorative friezes, spindles, plinth blocks, or rosettes make a statement when set off by a frame. Insert colorful scrapbook paper in the frame as a background. Then use Mirror Mastic adhesive to apply the piece directly to the frame's glass.

Rethink Wallpaper

Save an awkward nook with wallpaper. Extra-large patterns work well to keep the look uncluttered, and the same paper used from floor to sloped ceiling helps unite the space.

Bits and Pieces

If a dresser is too junky to save, use one of its drawers for a magnetic board. Remove the hardware and then paint the drawer. Cut galvanized metal with a utility knife to fit the drawer bottom or order the exact size from a metal fabricator. Cut pretty paper, and glue it to the metal.

Fabric Art

Gather a few of your favorite fabrics and showcase them in an assortment of mismatched frames.

Fabric Redo

Too much clutter for glass cabinet doors? Hide the cabinet's contents by lining the glass panels with patterned fabric. On the back of each door, stretch the fabric over the glass and use a staple gun to fasten the edges to the wooden frame. For a tidy appearance inside, conceal the staples by gluing coordinating ribbon.

Color Styled

Grocery store flowers offer cheer for mere pennies, but don't just plop them in a vase. Sorting the blooms by color and separating them into small vessels make them much more stylish.

Fabric on the Cheap

Get big impact for just a little cash by buying small pieces of expensive fabric. It takes about a yard and a half for a short curtain or half a yard for a 16-inch pillow.

New Planter

Create a stunning planter box using spare trim pieces. Start with a rough redwood planter and sand lightly. Glue on trim, prime and paint, and then install legs.

Tiny Details

These diminutive shadow boxes come unfinished in sets of two. Use wood glue or nails to add a length of spindle railing along the bottom, and then paint each piece.

Quick Frames

Rub-ons applied to glass quickly update basic picture frames. Pair the designer with framed pieces of pretty patterned paper for a low cost-gallery.

Top-Drawer Design

Update an old side table by attaching scrapbook papers to the drawer fronts. Use repositionable spray adhesive and you can change the paper with the seasons. Alternately, cover the paper with clear polyurethane for a lasting surface.

Jewelry Art

Add sparkle to glass votives by stacking bracelets on footed candleholders, opposite. Vary the colors and styles of the bracelets for an eclectic look. For safety, use only votive candles in glass containers. Turn a wood cutlery tray into a beautiful piece of art. Glue scrapbooking papers to the bottom of each compartment using an adhesive appropriate for paper and wood; secure screw eyes to the cubbies to hold jewelry. Select favorite pieces to fill the tray. Jazz up paper lampshade shade by punching holes evenly around the bottom edge. Clip earrings through the holes.

Make a Statement

To create handmade art, get crafty with purchased felt shapes mounted in shadow boxes with scrapbook-paper mats. Decorative stick pins and snips of ribbon complete the look.

Table Topper

This vintage table doubles as a desk and a bedside stand. To soften the look for the bedroom, cover the top with fabric and fasten it along the edges with upholstery tacks.

Hang It Up

These finials were meant to be fastened to the end of curtain rods but work just as well when screwed into a wall and used as hooks. Decorative painting gives unfinished wooden finials a personal touch.

No commentsRead more