Grocery Shrink

My front porch needs a makeover!  It look like it belongs to an abandoned farm house.  Full of junk and rough furniture.  I’ll be working on that this weekend as long as the heat allows. 

Above is a partial before picture.  My hanging baskets died.  The porch is full of trash, and the sitting areas are hard to see from the road.  My fron door is open, but it is dark red.  And the house numbers scream “Hello, this house was built in the ’80s.

My plan is to paint the furniture a snazzy color (Ooh, risky….but it only costs a few dollars to fix if I hate it.)  That way it will be visible from the road in contrast to the white railing.  The snazzy color won’t go with the red door, so I’m going to paint it charcoal and put a vinyl welcome sign on it.  I looked into buying new house numbers and anything classy looking from Lowe’s or Home Depot was adding up to over $50!  So I decided to paint over the tiles in black or gray and paint white numbers on them. I also need to replace the hanging baskets and plant the hostas (donated by a friend who dug hers out) in the place of those ugly bushes. Finally, I’ll need to figure out what to do with all the Misc. that has found it’s way to the porch.    Thankfully I won’t have to do it alone.  My mother in law will plant for me, and my sister in law is coming to see what she can do.

I’ve already started on the chairs.

I’m not sure if I love the color.  When it first came out of the can, it was quite shocking.  But I’ve seen the color on porches in several of my favorite magazines and loved it there.  It didn’t help that everyone who passed by while I was working, made some interesting comments like: “What are you DOING to those chairs!” and “Is that the real color or only the primer?”  I may be about to make everything worse.  I saw a cute lime green stool/table that I was hoping to slip between the two chairs and then top them off with white and orange outdoor cushions.  Am I crazy?  What do you suggest?

Decorating is a lot of fun, but it can also be expensive.  With a creative twist you can have a house that looks great without spending a fortune.  Here are 5 ideas to think about:

1.  Repurposing:  The most frugal way to repurpose is to use something you already have, but it’s also possible to snag a deal at a garage sale or craigslist and change it a bit for your purposes.  Sometimes all the item needs is some sanding and a fresh coat of paint.  Or perhaps the flower pot would make a better umbrella stand.  Instead of window planters, maybe they are perfect towel holders.  Could removing the mirror from the dresser create the perfect sofa table?

Love the scallop on the drawer

After

2.  Trade up:  I like to sell the items that I no longer need and use the money to buy what I really want.  The net result is less clutter, and no new money spent.

3.  Use inexpensive materials.  I (with the help of friends, family and my kids) just finished making a beautiful wreath from a $1 straw frame and 3 packages of coffee filters.  Including all the hot glue it required, the project cost about $6, but the effect is very impressive.  I got the idea from the Nester here.  I used an 18 inch form and about 500 coffee filters.  It took me way more than an hour, but was worth it.   

Another inexpensive project was the IQ hanging lamps made from 2 sheets of drafting vellum and a Hemma lamp cord from Ikea.

Other inexpensive materials that pack a punch in decorating:  canvas drop cloths; beadboard wallpaper; Baer Paint; muslin fabric; twine; felt

4.  Rearrange:  Changing the arrangement of the pieces you already have can make everything feel new and fresh.  Perhaps the flower arrangement in the living room would look great in the kitchen or the mirror in the hall would make the bathroom pop.  What if all the furniture in your living room was set on an angle?  None of these changes have to be permanent, so if you decide you don’t like it, you can always change it back. 

5.  Cover:  Do your sofa pillows feel dated and worn.  New pillows are really expensive, but you can stitch new covers for very little money and slip the old pillows inside.  You’ve saved the hassle of getting rid of the old and the expensive of new pillow forms (priced those things lately?)  I don’t even take off the old pillow cover (which is often permanent) to do this trick.  Other types of covers might include:  tablecloths (not just for eating areas, they work for end tables too); duvet covers (just slip the tired quilt or comforter inside); curtains; and chair cushions or quilt pads.  These are simple ways to add a pop of color and change of pace.  I like keeping my walls and furniture neutral so I can make these little changes whenever I feel like it.

Click here for the instructions and even more ideas for pillow covers.