DIY home décor doesn’t have to be fancy. These projects are a great option to try even if you’ve never worked with basic materials such as glass beads, macramé cord or spray paint. If the project doesn’t turn out to your liking, you can turn it into something else.
Wall Hangings
If you’ve recently moved into a new place and are already tired of your blank walls, it’s an easy fix. Rather than running out to the store for expensive art or paintings, you can make some unique and interesting hangings yourself. Try learning a new craft and filling a big gap with a macramé wall hanging you make yourself. Aside from the cord, this only requires a few supplies, most of which you probably already have. This is also a very versatile skill. In addition to wall hangings, you can make plant holders, jewelry, table runners, rugs, and even a hammock.
Photo by Sarah Seung-McFarland
Shadow Leaves
Visit your local craft store and buy plain white canvases. When you get home, place the canvas on your garage floor on top of a piece of plastic or old shower curtain. Find a tree branch with leaves on it and lay it across the canvas. Shake up a can of spray paint in your favorite color. From a standing position, lightly spray the paint across the leaves. Don’t try to saturate anything; you just want to put down several layers of misted paint. When the paint has had a few minutes to dry, remove the leaves. At this point, you can either use the canvas as is or change the direction of the leaves and use a new color. The effect is very subtle, so go ahead and use bright spray paint colors.
Monogrammed Vases
The Dollar Store is a great spot to buy raw glass objects. To make these Monogrammed Chic Vases, you need glass etching cream, a sharp Exacto knife and a stencil. Once the stencil has been securely glued to the glass and the excess cut away, coat the portion you want to decorate with the etching cream. When the cream has had time to work, wash it off and remove the stencil.
Put Wallpaper Scraps to Work
Good wallpaper is quite thick and has a stiff “hand” or ability to hold its shape. With careful folding and creasing, you can turn small pieces of wallpaper into custom shades for pendant lights. You can either do all the lights in one material or change them up for an eclectic look.
Photo by Koala Design
No-Sew Fabric Ideas
Another way to brighten a room with fabric, even if you don’t sew, is to put some old cloth napkins or bandanas to work. Hang a simple curtain rod over the top of your mini-blinds and plug in your glue gun. Drape the napkins or bandanas over the rod at a diagonal until you see a pattern your like. Then lift up the edges of the bandanas along the top of the rod and put on a small dab of hot glue to hold the pieces in place.
Photo by J. Stephens Interiors
Your home can be easily improved with small projects that you can finish in a day. None of the projects listed above take a large amount of investment or special tools. Instead, you can make charming improvements to your home with items you already own and a bit of ingenuity.
Author Bio
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.