My grandmother was a chronic re-arranger. She cherished her home and loved to have everything just-so, but she also loved thumbing through Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens magazines, finding inspiration on the glossy pages that she would then reflect in her home. I loved that my grandparent’s home was always comfortable and familiar, yet ever-changing and exciting.
The smells, the cedar plank interior walls, the sound of my grandma humming over the stove and the creak of my grandfather’s favorite chair positioned at the perfect angle in front of the tv. Those were the things that were always the same. Family pictures, collections of knick-knacks, throw pillows and blankets, rugs and even furniture; those things were always changing from room to room. My grandma was creative and loved making her home a reflection of her, but she was frugal and valued the things she already had. Let’s all take a moment to appreciate this lesson and explore 5 ways you can save money while redecorating by using the things you already have in your home.
1. Get Rid Of Everything You Don’t Use Or Love
William Morris once said: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.” We’re taking that advice to heart and getting rid of everything we don’t love. It’s amazing how much visual, physical and mental clutter excess things in our home have. Round up everything room by room and either donate, sell, or give to a neighbor everything you’ve gathered. We know, it’s not technically decorating, but you’ll feel a lot better once you take this step! It’s a big one though, so try to stay focused and not let yourself get overwhelmed with this task.
2. Rearrange Your Furniture
This was arguably my grandma’s favorite way to change up her space. She was always swapping around furniture from different rooms to mix up her home and to experiment with functionality. We recognize that not everyone has the ability to move around furniture. Small spaces and physical ability may impair some, but if you have the ability it’s an excellent way to change up the look and feel of a space. An added bonus of rearranging furniture is that if you end up disliking the new arrangement, you can try yet another arrangement or if all else fails simply move it back to how it was.
3. Create Curated Vignettes
Marie Kondo suggests taking all your clothes out and placing them on the bed before sorting through and determining if it sparks joy for you. Similarly, you could try gathering up your knick-knacks and decor items into one space and bundling them together by contrasting heights or complementing colors. A good rule of thumb is to group them in odd numbers as groups of three, five or seven is more visually interesting than pairs of two or four. When creating a vignette, play around with varying heights, shapes, colors, materials and finishes to create interesting groupings. You can create vignettes on coffee tables, mantles, bookshelves, kitchen counters – really any surface! Make sure to leave negative space throughout the room you are decorating as a way to allow your eyes to ‘pause’ and not be overwhelmed by clutter. Even maximalist homes have quieted spaces.
4. Bring The Outside In
Flowers, branches and berries, oh my! Foraging for natural elements in your yard, neighborhood or local park is a great way to find beautiful clippings of flowers or branches to decorate with. You can even find tutorials on creating wreaths with foraged twigs, garlands with branch clippings or how to dry herbs and flowers upside down to create a cottagecore, wildcraft aesthetic in your home. Before you get carried away with your garden sheers, please ensure you have permission to take cuttings of local plant life.
5. Add Comfort To Chairs
Hygge is a quality of coziness that makes a person feel content and comfortable. It’s a Danish word often used as an adjective meaning “cozy or comfortable.” Creating a cozy home with spaces placed throughout where you can relax in a quiet, welcoming space is an important component for cultivating a feeling of contentment and well-being. Gather throw blankets, faux sheepskins and pillows from throughout your house and place them in every side chair, dining chair and sofa in your home to create an added level of comfort in addition to visual interest throughout your home.
If you’d like to learn more tips detailing how to decorate your home on a budget using things you already have, leave a comment below and let us know!
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