Posted in Country Style, General Decorating, Windows |
I am looking for inexpensive ideas on how to get more country style WITHOUT remodeling.
September 20th, 2006
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Full question:
I just bought a vaction home. It has a very nice clean and spacious interior, but lacks any “country” charm. It is very modern in style. I am looking for inexpensive ideas on how to make it more like a counry cabin WITHOUT remodeling.
My answer:
WOW! How cool is THAT! A vacation home in the country! “Country” by it’s very name conjures up thoughts of nature. Maybe some of these ideas will “country-fy” the house for you:
1. Replace some (or all) of your curtain rods with branches. Hang curtains like you would have on regular curtain rods.
2. Using an adjustable curtain rod, anchor it from one solid area to another solid area (Like between two cabinets on either side of a window over your sink in the kitchen, if you have one). Using “S” hooks, (look like an “s” and can easily be found at a hardware store) hang your pots and pans in full view.
3. Anchor either an old gate, a piece of lattice or some chicken wire to a wall in your kitchen. Use smaller “s” hooks to hang kitchen utensils from it - sifters, rolling pins, vegetable scrapers, stirring spoons - whatever you already have and will be using.
4. Put some of your staples (flour, sugar, salt, rice, pasta, etc) in clear jars (mayonnaise jars work great) and either put them on a counter, or if you have a book case you could use, store them on that in plain view.
5. Flowers and plants say “country”. You could look around your property and see if you have any interesting dried flowers/weeds that you could put in vases or more clear jars.
6. Using one of your mixing bowls, set a bowl of fresh fruit on the table.
7. “Country” also says “collections”. If you have three or more of an time, it constitutes a “collection”. I have a collection of wooden shoes and old cross stich in my cabin.
8. There are also fabrics that say “country”. Gingham is one. Muslin is another. Cotton is a third. See what you have. You may have some nice cotton sheets that you could use as table clothes.
9. Check around you property. Probably with a new house just put in, you have some interesting rocks. Rocks can be put in flower vases to act as flower frogs. They can be put in bowls (after cleaning, of course), have sayings (like welcome) stencilled on them - one rock per letter, or used along with empty bird nests, twigs and mosses, as an interesting table scape.
10. Put photos of people and places you love out in bowls around the house. I did this and LOVE just stopping and looking through them real quick on my way by.
Have FUN with your home. “Country” is a great place to live, even if you live in the city!
Your Frugal Decorating Diva,
Nancy
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san francisco modern on 2 Aug 2008 at 6:10 am: 1
i love the idea of repacing curtain rods with branches. Brilliant and inexpensive idea.
Today i’m on the hunt for a narrow branch that will accomodate the 6ft span I need to fill. Thanks for the tip!