Home décor does not have to be tedious - or expensive. Take the hard work out of the process, get creative and embrace the variety of ways you can add personal touches to your home that are not only decorative, but functional.
1. Frame your child’s art. Watercolor paintings, crayon drawings and colored pencil sketches make terrific, personal artwork for any wall in your home. Use inexpensive photo frames from a craft store, or decorated scrapbook paper cut into a border and placed around the edge of the picture. For a custom look, provide your child only those colors that would match or accent the room where the picture will hang.
2. Hang a laundry line of crafts. School is back in session, and that means more papers coming home. Use strong wire or string and attach it to your laundry area wall or kitchen wall. Use clothespins to clip the special craft projects, or completed papers from school your child brings home. Add a colorful touch by using a glue gun to attach an unused crayon lengthwise on the front of each clothespin.
3. Use crates as bookshelves. Look for old, sturdy crates at garage sales and thrift stores. Sand if needed, and paint with a color to accent your child’s room. Set rectangle-shaped crates on end to hold large books and toys, or on the long side for smaller items. Crates can be placed next to one another, or stacked to create a rugged, kid-friendly and functional shelf.
4. Try maintenance-free photo display. Do not let all of the framing, nailing, centering and hanging keep you from showing off the precious faces of your family! Use photo boards with ribbon to easily slide in photos and cards. Change out material as often as you like.
5. Put vintage toys to good use. Old toys look great in both children’s rooms, baby nurseries and family rooms. If you want the toys preserved, be sure to put them on a high bookshelf, or on a mounted display shelf out of the reach of little hands.
6. Use the stairs. Set books on end on the outside space of a few steps. To keep the look refined, choose only hardback books in good condition with binder colors that go well with the surrounding walls, rooms and banister color. Not only is this a nice touch, it allows for handy access to a particular book, whether the reader is coming from the downstairs or the upstairs.
Rhonda is a freelance writer. She has used all these ideas in her own home, and likes what she sees. She lives with her husband, three boys and lots of artwork.
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2024 Calgary’s Child
