So I feel the need to decorate....

OK, I am NOT very home makery. I mean, I don't sew, and I don't enjoy crafts. I do have experience working in a home decor department, so I have an eye for what I would LIKE my front room to look like, but I have no idea where to begin.

I went over to my friend's apartment to bring her dinner. It is identical to mine, just reversed layout. She had made some cream colored curtains and draped a lovely red material across the top winding it around the curtain rod if that makes sense. She had lovely artificial flowers that matched the red material, and also a lovely shaggy sort of red throw rug that matched the red material as well. I have been wanting to cover my sliding glass door in my living room, because it has grey vertical blinds which I HATE, and also because I want to reduce the temptation of LM tearing them down once she starts becoming more mobile.

I don't want to paint at all in my house. Frankly, I worked a paint desk in the past and have experience in mixing and matching colors, and I think its best to keep the walls neutral and add other decor and bring the room together.

So where can I find cute stuff for decorating for CHEAP? My friend said she would help me make curtains, so I am happy with that. My friend spent A LOT at some top notch stores for her decor, and I don't want to do that.

Any suggestions on how I can spice up my front room without having to pay or do too much? Ya I'm lazy I know, but I just hate crafts and things.

Flea markets and garage sales. No, I'm really not trashy. You can find great stuff there, paint it or cover it in fabric to get the look you're going for. It's a great way to find one-of-a-kind stuff and if it looks old and ugly, make it look new and pretty!!! I especially like this b/c I love to dig at my creative side and I'm kinda crafty. Maybe gather a bunch of great finds throughout the month, and set aside one Saturday to fix up the stuff?

I've gotten a few lamps that are all mismatched and even some picture frames that have different looks and of course are different colors, but when I painted all of them the same color, they looked beautiful together! We even bought an old antique-ish looking chair that I thought was WAY cool and it absolutely disgusted the hubby. I got help from Grandma w/recovering it in some modern, edgy fabric and DH loved it! We actually gave it to my older sis as a gift after that, b/c we really didnt have room for it, but I just love doing that sorta stuff and I can't stop, even if we dont have room or dont need the particular object of interest. lol


Good luck and happy shopping!

Umm...scratch that, I just re-read your post and I must have missed the "I dont enjoy crafts" part. lol. You could still maybe find stuff at places like that that might end up matching your decor? Or enlist the help of a crafty friend, to make the crafting not quite so miserable?

this is right up my ally! I'm an interior designer but I'm also a tight wad!!!!!

I shop at:

Kirkland's for lamps and pictures
Hobby Lobby for lamps, pictures, vases.....
Ross Dress for Less but you have to go pretty regularly to find good stuff but I've gotten pictures, vases, etc for $4.99 - $9.99
Wal Mart and Target for pillows, bedding, drapes, candles and curtain rods
Bed Bath and Beyond or Linen's and Things for drapes.... I don't spend more than $19.99 per panel on drapes

There's also a place in Birmingham called Home Goods.... it's awesome! We don't have one here but any time we to Birmingham I make a trip there! We recently redid my sister's entire bedroom for $150 and that included new bedding, drapes, curtain rods, and pictures!!!!

Hope this helps!!!
Lou Lou

I've been there too, hun! Just keep in mind that you guys are working towards financial freedom and one day soon you'll be able to do the fun stuff!!!

Thank you so much for your suggestions everyone! Lou Lou I didn't know you were an interior decorator that is so cool I have really good ideas, but I don't sew or do crafts well, so I needed some suggestions of already assembled items that would look cute.

Rylee Mack, I think your ideas are great as well, I just wish I was a sewer so I could do it all myself.

There is a store near me that is called Decorater Blvd that has stuff I just love, sorta Tuscan type things. They have an outlet store where they sell things that have been returned, clearance stuff, and things that have some type of damage. Of course you have to pick thru, but there are some great finds to be had there. Even in their regular store prices are very reasonable for most stuff, and I think their quality is higher than say a Kirklands.

The regular store is at Higley and Queen Creek, at the SE corner. The outlet is east of of Stapely and Baseline... I have to search for directions because it is harder to find, is in a business complex and is only open Tues. Thurs, and Sat.

http://maps.google.com/maps?rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&q=designer+blvd+arizona&fb=1&view=text&latlng=5648724527150530137

If you can't sew - get out the hot glue gun and get some witch stitch! I'm not a fantastic sewer and I have made curtains with a glue gun before!!!!

Witch stitch is great too you just iron it down and it's pretty permanent! I use straight pins to keep in place usually over night and then it's pretty strong.

If you attempt sewing stick with simple things like long panel drapes..... you basically just have to sew a bunch of straight lines.... add a pocket at the top for your rod or skip the pocket and hang the curtains with clips....

I'll have to post some photos of the stuff I've made without ever getting the sewing machine out!

I re-decorate by doing 1 thing at a time, that way my checkbook doesn't hurt as much.

Maybe pick 1 thing that you've got to have now, and look around for the rest.

Ya, KB, I think we will have to space out our decorating. Next paycheck will be curtains in the front room. I have to cover up the vertical blinds, LM is already rolling over to them and yanking on them!!

The paycheck after that, I want to get some nice bed spreads for our 2 Queen Sized beds.