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Décor Tips

Creative Ways to Decorate with Things You Already Have!

Spruce up your home for free with these easy re-purposing ideas.

Imagination is as valuable as a big budget when it comes to transforming your home. Besides, you’ve likely accumulated enough accessories over the years to fill a shop—buying any more would only contribute to clutter. “All the visual chaos is stressful and distracting,” says Lauri Ward, home design expert and author of Use What You Have Decorating. So step one is to clear as many surfaces as possible. And once you do, steal these no-cost tips to dress up every room.

TURN A STOOL INTO A SIDE TABLE

Repurpose a seat into a handy stand, perfect for pulling up alongside a sofa or easy chair. Try one on its own, or cluster a few (even varied heights work). And remember less is more: Allow the rest of the room to be basic—try an unadorned table and sparsely decorated walls—so the quirky chairs stand out.

CHANGE YOUR CHAIRS

Matching dining sets can feel humdrum over time. Trade a couple of seats from the kitchen with ones in the dining room. Place them at the head or center of the table so the effect looks intentional.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPEN SHELVES
Pull out your pretty pitchers or patterned plates and arrange them to be admired.
REARRANGE LAMPS AND SHADES.

Swap a bedside lamp with one from your desk or the living room, or simply switch the shades for a different look.

REDO A WHOLE ROOM.

Play around with your furniture configuration—reposition a sofa, rotate a rug, or try dividing the room with an open-backed bookcase or storage unit. Leave sections of the shelf empty to let light through.

THINK CREATIVELY.

Use a glass jar as a vase, group ottomans as a coffee table, or try a pretty basket to hold a plain planter.

STYLE YOUR BOOKSHELF.

Since messy shelves can make an entire room look disorganized, pretty yours up. The foolproof way: Arrange hardcover books from tallest to shortest on most shelves. Lay a few too-tall books (or any other books) flat to serve as bookends to keep the others in place. “Add decorative items such as pottery or framed photos to one or two shelves,” says Ward. “You don’t want accessories on every shelf or it appears cluttered.” Use baskets or boxes to hide unattractive DVDs or paperbacks (or stash these elsewhere). Leave empty space on some shelves here and there so the eye has a place to rest.

CREATE VISUAL SYMMETRY.

You likely buy decorating items as matching duos, and that’s smart: Pairs add balance and tranquility to a room, says Ward. But if you don’t have two of a kind, make dissimilar items look more alike. For instance, place a shorter lamp on a book stack to coordinate with a taller lamp. Or use pieces of comparable height and size, such as a small trunk and an end table, to flank a chair.

 

BRING OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS INSIDE

Wicker, wrought iron and decorative aluminum furniture can create a garden-, coastal-, beach- or cottage-themed space inside. “By using my favorite outdoor accessories indoors, I get to enjoy them year-round instead of for a few short months,” says Emma Kippen of Dennis Port, MA. Bonus: Outdoor furniture is easy to clean and nearly indestructible. Bring in sisal rugs, baker’s racks and plant stands too; they’re just as functional and attractive indoors as they are out.

 

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