Items: Fabric and canvas frame
Cost: Varies

Purchasing art for your home can be very expensive, but empty walls are simply too dull to live with. Today’s great design idea is so simple anyone can do it, and it isn’t very expenisve at all!

The idea is to find a piece of fabric that you like, something you might want to display. It can be colorful, artsy, simple…anything that will coordinate with your decor. Purchase a piece of it and a simple canvas frame from your local art store. Stretch the fabric over the frame and staple it to the back, just like the canvas. And voila, you have a beautiful piece of wall art to hang in that empty spot over your sofa!

Item: Copper paint
Cost: $10

I loved this idea the first time I saw it. You see, I have an affinity for exposed ceiling beams, exposed fixtures, and, of course, exposed copper pipes. Instead of boxing these things in, leaving them exposed seems to bring a much more airy, open feel to your space. But these days it’s much easier and more affordable to use simple PVC pipes for indoor plumbing.

That’s why this idea caught me. If you live in a house with exposed PVC pipes in your bathroom, you could make a sink skirt (a lot of people do, and for some it fits their home; for me, it wouldn’t), or you could take a quart of copper-colored paint and make your pipes pretty =).

Items: Candle
Cost: Gift =)

One way to spice up your home is to add a little scent to it. This candle is one of the yummiest I have ever had. My dad saw it in a store and knew it was something that I would love. So he purchased it and gave it to me for Christmas. Candles make great gifts; you can give them or ask others to give them to you! They bring a whole new level of design to your home, not only appealing to your sense of vision, but also your sense of smell.

Items: Decorative bird cage and a small ivy
Cost: Bird cage = $5 on clearance; small ivy = $3 on sale

I have two of these bird cages hanging in my house. I found them on the clearance rack at Michael’s and originally purchased them to use as centerpieces for my wedding. Now that the wedding is over, I had my husband hang the cages and plants from the vaulted ceiling in our front stairwell. They make beautiful decorations and help fill that empty space.

Item: Bamboo curtain rod
Cost: $25, $9, or FREE!

When I first saw this picture, I loved it. Of course, I’m in the process of searching for affordable window treatments right now and I’m finding that it isn’t easy! Also, I love things that are natural, like bamboo, and my husband likes anything tropical or “islandy” as he calls it. As an added bonus, bamboo is one of earth’s most renewable resources (it can grow more than a foot a day in parts of China!).

So here’s what I discovered. An average bamboo curtain rod can cost $60, but if you look online at places like The Natural Abode you can find a much more affordable price of $24.50 for 6 feet. Or, if you look a little harder, you can find places like Anything Bamboo and pay $9 for 10 feet. Of course, if you’re really lucky, you can head out back and cut one down for free! (Just add a little varnish and you’re good to go.)

Item: Brown and white duvet cover (shown below)
Cost: $20

My husband and I were gifted a down comforter from my brother and sister-in-law for our wedding. But we still needed a duvet cover when cold weather came knocking. I scoured the internet, but apparently I have expensive taste. The only duvet cover that I even liked was this Lawrence Home Fashions Elm Duvet Cover Set.

Even from Walmart, it was way out of our price range. Maybe someday, but certainly not this year… So, we kept looking. We went to TJ Maxx and found some affordable duvets, but they were far too…umm, bold, for my taste. Read the rest of this entry »

Items: Jelly jars
Cost: Somewhere between free and very inexpensive

Okay, today’s brilliant idea is to use old jelly jars for candle holders. Jelly jars are pretty easy to come by–you can save them after using the yummy goodness inside, ask your friends to save them for you, or visit thrift stores to find them cheap.

Just peel any labels off and put them through the dishwasher. If there is a sticky residue left, use nail polish remover to take it off. It’s an easy way to reuse and recycle old jars. The best part about this idea is that jelly jars can come in all shapes and sizes, so have fun!

Item: Fresh flowers!
Cost: Free if you pick them yourself =)

I know that the end of February is still very wintry in some parts of this country, but here in Virginia Beach, it’s springtime! I can’t be happier about where I live than right now. It’s nearly 80° and the sun is playing peek-a-boo through the clouds. In honor of such a beautiful day, here is my lovely suggestion. Go find some of the first spring flowers that are starting to bloom and pick a small handful. It’ll dress up any little spot: that bathroom counter, your nightstand, or a windowsill.

Items: pair of window benches from England, circa 1780
Cost: $75,000

These incredible window benches are definitely going in the look book. They are far too expensive for me to EVER own, but they are lovely. I found them at www.1stdibs.com, a site with some incredible pieces, but nothing in my price range. Read the rest of this entry »

Item: window box and towels
Cost: check yard sales for a window box and use the towels you’ve already got!

I absolutely LOVED this idea when I came across it. I believe I found the pic and suggestion at realsimple.com. I’m not much for gardening although I love plants (my house is full of tropical plants and succulents–either watered every day or hardly ever). So I thought this was a great creative way to use a window box, especially in a guest bathroom, where you can display colorful towels and they’re easy for guests to locate. Read the rest of this entry »