Hello My Champagne Taste Readers! I’m Carrie from Lovely Etc. It is such a pleasure to be joining you here on my new friend Rasha’s site. Rasha has really great style and I have been having a great time getting to know her.
I am all about making my home unique and meaningful – without spending much actual money to do so. So I thought I would share some of my favorite tips to make that happen.
1. It is almost never too far gone!
I love searching yard sales and thrift stores for great vintage finds and various other junk. Now, to be honest, even what I call great finds, most other people would call junk. But there is almost nothing that can’t be turned into something amazing.
For example, this sad, forlorn cabinet. Loose glass, peeling veneer, no back – it wasn’t too pretty to begin with.
Some repairs and a bit of paint and it no longer seemed ready for the trash at all.
2. Look past what it is – think about what it could be.
As you can see, I love vintage details but I have no problem making things a little more up to date. I’d much rather make something old more relevant than see it sitting neglected in the basement in ‘original condition’.
I found this somewhat over-the-top old clock at a thrift store. It definitely had gorgeous curves but was not exactly my style.
A little paint and a mirror from Hobby Lobby and now it is right at home in 2012.
3. Forget what everyone else is doing – do your own thing.
It is always a thrill making something completely unique, something that no one else has. Like my biggest and most favorite project yet – my painted floors.
Our nasty, stinky carpet had to go but there was no money to replace it. Which led to a great idea – I simply painted the plywood subfloors.
Now go forth and rethink lots of old junk in completely original ways! Okay, so maybe that is a lot of pressure. Geez, it’s a lot of pressure for me too. How about just get out there and be creative and see what happens.
Thanks for having me as your guest! Stop by Lovely Etc. anytime to see what I’ve been up to lately.