Budget Decorator: 12 Ways to Perk Up Your Home for Fall

With the crisp fall air comes a natural desire to cozy up at home with warm drinks, fluffy throws and the glow of candlelight. It’s also a time of year when you might want to entertain more. By making a few smart purchases and, if you’re feeling crafty, doing a project or two, you can perk up your home and stay within your budget. From elegant art walls to creative ways with paint, here are a dozen ways to spruce up your nest this fall.



1. Give your dresser a DIY makeover. This glamorous dresser looks like a custom piece, when in fact it’s from (drum roll, please) Ikea. A set of stick-on Greek-key-patterned overlays and a steady hand are all you need to transform a plain white dresser into a focal point like this one. Instead of overlays, you could also use a stencil to paint on the pattern with gold paint.



2. Make a fancy art wall with flea market finds.Boxes filled with loose sheets of architectural and botanical drawings are a common find in flea market stalls, and often the individual sheets can be had for a dollar or so per piece.


Scoop up enough to fill a grid of frames — four, six, or eight would make a good set. Next, look around for vintage frames of the same size and style at a good price, and pick up enough to frame all of your artwork.


If you don’t like the color of the frames, you can always spray paint them gold or black. Hang the frames in a neat grid for an elegant look.



3. Craft a few 3D objects for an eclectic gallery wall. Including a few nonframed objects in a gallery wall is a great way to add flair. Customize a small wood slice from the craft store by painting on a message with black paint (or even marker). Practice your handwriting on paper first, then write the message with pencil on the wood and go over it with paint or permanent marker.


Another fun DIY craft is to make your own “arrows” by painting a pair of slender sticks and wrapping them with colorful string or yarn. Glue a few feathers to one end and hang them on the wall.


More Ways to Perk Up Your Home for Fall



Budget Decorator: 12 Ways to Perk Up Your Home for Fall

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