Decorating on a shoestring
Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD
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dandjbarrett
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:14 am
Our home had been unoccupied for several years before we bought it, so available funds had to be used for repairs (roof, wiring, air conditioning, insulation, plumbing, etc.). I had to "make do" with the furniture and cosmetic stuff, so I put a lot of sweat equity and cleaning to work. I sanded and stained all the little handcrafted tables and benches I found in the house, shampooed and cleaned all the furniture and carpets, and used Murphy's oil soap to clean all the panelling on the walls (someday they'll be painted). I painted the kitchen cabinets and used stencils to add some color. I also used stencils on the little handcrafted tables and benches and quilt-rack which I hung in the living room and put a quilt on it. It covers one of those woodpanneled walls. Here are some pictures of the cabinets and the living room, along with some of the little tables and benches that I redid. I now feel more at home and at least I know its clean:
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Jim from Canada
- Posts: 551
- Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:39 am
Good job! It looks really cozy.
Jim
Jim
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dandjbarrett
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:14 am
Thanks, Jim. It has taken us a year and half to ALMOST have it just to the point where we aren't constantly working on big maintenance issues. Next year's project will be replacing all the heat and a/c ducts since the insulation is beginning to peel off them. I'm saving up for that one.
I asked for a corner electric fireplace for my birthday and I'm really pleased with this:
I used some of those linen-like kitchen towels to make a window treatment in the add-on room and put a light colored woven rug on the ugly dark carpet. As you can see I sanded, stained and stenciled the little table in front of the sofa:
I used a quart container of white stain and added drops of plain old acrylic paint to give the tables just a hint of color. I only spent less than $20 in stain, a brush, sponges and sandpaper. The benches and tables were so old they were almost black. It took a lot of elbow grease and I had sore hands and arms, but I think it was worth it. The window treatment in the add-on room cost $2 a window and I had two of the kitchen towels left over so I sewed them together over a couple of pillows to make matching pillows.
I asked for a corner electric fireplace for my birthday and I'm really pleased with this:
I used some of those linen-like kitchen towels to make a window treatment in the add-on room and put a light colored woven rug on the ugly dark carpet. As you can see I sanded, stained and stenciled the little table in front of the sofa:
I used a quart container of white stain and added drops of plain old acrylic paint to give the tables just a hint of color. I only spent less than $20 in stain, a brush, sponges and sandpaper. The benches and tables were so old they were almost black. It took a lot of elbow grease and I had sore hands and arms, but I think it was worth it. The window treatment in the add-on room cost $2 a window and I had two of the kitchen towels left over so I sewed them together over a couple of pillows to make matching pillows.