My Favorite Decorating Resources
Here is a review of some of the books that have provided inspiration in my quest to create budget-friendly, attractively decorated rooms using what I have, what’s been given to me, and stuff I find in thrift stores or on the roadside. Hopefully you’ll find some inspiration here!
Flea Market Decorating by Better Homes and Gardens is a book I got from the library. I really enjoy the Better Homes and Gardens books in general; the newer and more updated, the better.
This was another book I got early on, while staring at my empty walls and wondering about if I should paint and what my home could look like.
This is one of my favorites! I picked this up at Salvation Army for $1 and it has been one of my best finds! This book contains great ideas and also project instructions.
I picked this book up second-hand from Borders.com. It’s a bit dated, but I read it cover-to-cover, trying to get a feel for how to decorate. Again, Better Homes and Gardens is a big source of my inspiration
I bought this used from Borders.com as well. I believe it is out of print. I first got it from the library, and had to have it! I provided a lot of direction for creating decorations using my favorite medium—paper.
Another BHG find that I picked up for a few bucks at a library sale. I poured over this book! While I will never (in the foreseeable future) have the sort of lawn that fits with awesome garden rooms, I can do what I can with what I have. For very practical step-by-step instructions for actually working in the yard (instead of just dreaming), check out Lowes’ “Complete Landscaping.” I got it for my birthday and have plenty of pages marked for my backyard project.
I got this one from the library as well, and while most of these projects didn’t really appeal to me, it did give me a handle on decoupaging furniture, etc.
While this isn’t strictly about decorating, it is one of of my absolute favorites! I traded for it on swaptree.com and have been the happy owner ever since. :) There are some wonderful ideas here.
Other resources that I love to peruse are magazines. I was able find some super deals this year, getting Better Homes and Gardens for $5 and Martha Stewart Living and Metropolitan Home for free. Other favs include Real Simple and Southern Living. SL put out a suppliment called Southern Living Decoration: Step-By-Step that I picked up at Salvation Army. I really liked that one. If you can’t find good magazines second-hand, try the local library.
I google whatever idea I have to see if other people have done it. Etsy.com is a great place to find handmade stuff that you could try to do yourself, to beautify your home. I find inspiration on blogs, especially how-to blogs. Alyssa Welch has done an outstanding job making do and fixing up her family’s Texas home. You can check out her photos at her Xanga blog: http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/
Hope this helps! Enjoy your own forays into recycling, upcycling, and remaking your way to a beautiful home. Now that thriftiness has seen a huge surge in popularity, help isn’t far away as you find your own eclectic style.
