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Cottage Inspired Decorating ... Designing On A Dime With Trash to Treasure Redesigns

 

In today’s troubled economy many people are making cutbacks and making smarter choices when spending their money.  With gas prices, food and living expenses on the rise, many of us are pinching pennies when it comes to those things we want but really don’t need.

Decorating our homes falls into the “want” category. As long as we have a roof over our head that keeps the cold out in the winter we are fulfilling our need of shelter.  Right?

Well, just because our house keeps us safe from what Mother Nature throws at us doesn’t mean we can’t make it pretty.  Creating warm and inviting spaces does not have to cost a fortune.  Filling your home with redesigned second hand finds can make your house feel like home, giving it a personality all its own.

Cottage style decorating embraces this concept. This style is all about comfort. The feeling of warmth and coziness it brings into a home makes it a popular style of decorating, especially for those on a budget.

You don’t have to actually live in a cottage to enjoy the look. Warm colors such as red and yellow are often paired up with blues and greens in different values or shades. Floral fabric mixed with checks also contribute to the look of cottage style. Beach cottages can be adorned with bright cheerful colors or soft greens, blues and weathered whites for an airy feel. Painted furniture, often white or other soft colors, mixed with vintage elements and architectural salvage complete the feel of “Cottage”. The overall look and feel of a room should be eclectic, as if things have been found and collected over a period of time. Nothing should be overly matched and it should reflect the home owner’s personality.

You can find treasures for your cottage style home at local thrift shops, yard sales and yes dumpsters. The trick is developing an eye for looking past the pitiful condition the item is in and seeing what it “Could Be”. Let’s say you come across an old wooden chair with an upholstered seat. Look at the lines of the piece, the shape. Does it have “good bones”? How could a fresh coat of paint change the way it looks? How about recovering the seat in a fresh floral fabric?

With a little bit of elbow grease and creativity many thrift store and yard sale finds can be redesigned into beautiful home accessories. Lamp bases can be painted and lamp shades can be covered in a new cheerful fabric.  Picture frames and old shelves can be revitalized with a fresh coat of paint.

Cast offs and throw- a -ways can be pulled from trash heaps and given a new life.  Salvaged architectural items hold a great sense of character with their chipping paint and imperfections. Old windows can be revamped into coffee tables, wall art or even a quirky pot rack for the kitchen. Old shutters and be recreated into shelves and coat racks. Discarded moldings and wood casings make darling towel racks with the addition of hooks.

If you are not very creative but love the cottage look you can purchase already refurbished items at antique stores, flea markets and even online. There are many artistic individuals out there selling unique items that they have lovingly recreated from found items and vintage elements. Many large department stores are also now selling lines of cottage style home décor but to sticking with vintage and refurbished items will keep your room true to the roots of Cottage Style.

You can see many of my "Trash To Treasure" Redesigns on my Blog Lisa's Creative Home .

 

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