NAPTIME PROJECT – ART UPCYCLE

To redecorate the living room on a ‘thrift store budget’, I had to get creative! While at one of the thrift stores I found a studded, strong frame, but it held an art piece that wasn’t my style. By the looks of the backside, it wasn’t going to be easy to change the art out and replace the backing. I took it home anyways, and put a few supplies to work.

I gathered a small piece of white poster board, glue, tape and an image printed on photo paper. This would also work beautifully with a magazine page or piece of fabric you would like to frame.

I cut the poster board to the exact dimensions of the frame opening. Then, I cut out a square a little smaller than the art print. Ultimately it will look like matting.

I taped the photo over the old art, then I used the glue all around to hold the mat in place.

And there it is, a custom masterpiece!

Here it is, now hanging in the living room:

So simple, it was done during naptime!

REDECORATING – BEAUTIFUL ON A BUDGET

Thursday, I went thrift shopping with my mom. We go every couple of weeks, and it’s become a frequent tradition that always has me excited! Usually I find a few pieces to add to Tryson’s growing wardrobe, or mine. I also find inspiration or supplies for crafting. But this time around, I got it in my head to spruce up the look of our living room!

To give a little background info, Jordan and I (and now Tryson) have lived in our rented apartment for the past three years. We aren’t in a hurry to move out, as we’re all comfortable here, but I’ve always been reluctant to pour my heart into decorating, forever waiting for our future owned home. I’ve had that ‘when I grow up’ mindset, which is so silly… why wait to live?

Our living room (and many other rooms) was half-heartedly decorated. Really, Tryson’s nursery (which he has never even slept in) is the only room decorated to my liking. Maybe someday, in our future home, I can justify spending hundreds to thousands on interior decorating, but for now I can justify decorating on a thrift-store budget. It may not be for everyone, but I’m so comfortable with it; I’ve been thrift shopping since I was a little girl, and I personally have an eclectic taste when it comes decorating.

I told Jordan my plans before shopping, and he was comfortable with me sprucing up the room reusing many items we already had. I wanted to use the main pieces of furniture, and I wanted to keep the layout the same. My goal was to go from boring to a little splash of style.

I feel really happy with the results.

BEFORE:

When I walked in after shopping… quite the mess.

DURING:

The headaches of going through books, DVDs, games…

and….

AFTER:

Now, for fun, I’ll add the details on what it takes to redecorate on a thrift-store budget! I found so many pieces, in one day, that cost me a tiny fraction of the cost of new… one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

1. Patterned ottoman – thrifted, Target brand, it’s actually still in stores for triple what we bought it for… $25

2. Vintage lamp – we’ve had this for a couple years, I bought it at a thrift store for $6.

3. Grey pillow – this was originally a plain pillow, but I used this technique to add a graphic to the front. The pillow was $2.

4. Tribal pillow – I made this from scrap fabric for $2.

5. Textured pillow – this was a bit of a thrift store splurge, at $15.

6. Brass bookends – something quirky… $12

7. Old books – an array of colors, 14 at $0.25 a piece

8. Beaded picture frame – $5

9. Glass vase – garage sale find from long ago, $0.05

10. Wooden baskets – each priced separately; large, $7, medium $5, small, $3

11. Glass cubes – I bought these from Gordman’s long ago.

12. Milk glass – 5 at $1 a piece.

13. Hanging clock – this was a splurge, bought directly I from Target for $30. Sometimes I just feel better buying new (I’ve had too many new clocks break on me, I can only imagine what people donate to thrift stores).

14. Glass horse head – another garage sale find from long ago, $0.05

15. Patterned picture frame – thrifted, $2

16. Beaded grass (?) – I’m at a loss for what to call these, but I bought these at Gordman’s long ago.

17. Pear art – I actually changed out the art print in this frame; the project costed me $0.50 altogether.

18. Ferris wheel art – again, I changed the art print in this frame, this one costed $5 altogether.

19. Candle holder – thrifted, $5, holding a candle I’ve had for a long time.

20. Furry pillow – this pillow was originally bought as decor for Tryson’s nursery, but it doesn’t get used in there.

21. Remote holder – this is actually a hanging shelf that I laid flat, $1.

22. Tribal pillow – also bought for Tryson’s nursery.

23. Coffee table – this brand new coffee table was the main splurge for this redecorating project; bought from Furniture Row (Sofa Mart), $300. I wanted a small, quaint one from a thrift store, but Jordan wasn’t feeling a refurbish project. Although I LOVE projects, I feel like this table was a win!

I managed to decorate the room to my standards (and it’s child-safe at all the levels he could reach), for $135 (not including the coffee table)! To do this, being able to keep an open mind & picture thrift store finds being used in different or unconventional ways was a gift & a must!

Let me know what you’ve done to decorate using thrift store buys!

As soon as I was done taking my pictures, the room was instantly occupied & broken-in:

It makes me even more proud of my work. I’m glad my family is here to share it all with me!