Bargain finishing touches?

janey_uk

I've recently been decorating but am lacking many personal-touches that make a house a home, as personal-finances don't allow for much!

I've managed to get some great pictures by buying those big art books they sell for a few quid in places like Books Warehouse and getting frames made at the local market...

Please can anyone suggest other ways of cutting the cost of finishing, without looking like an ikea clone house?

Apologies if this has been covered before - I had a look through but couldn't see anything!

carolbee

do you like plants, you can pick these up cheaply at bootfairs, begging cuttings from friends/relations etc. plant pot holders also at bootfairs/charity shops. paint a plain terracotta pot in a colour to contrast/match your decor.

also, photos, flowers, books, candles, cds?

I have a house like a victorian I guess, lots of 'bits' around!

ormus

a new dust sheet stretched over a wooden frame makes a great paint canvas. (cut to size).
paint an abstract design on it. copy if need be from an art book at the local library or off the net.
itll look like a thousand quid painting, and itll have cost you about a tenner!

janey_uk

ormus wrote: »

a new dust sheet stretched over a wooden frame makes a great paint canvas. (cut to size).
paint an abstract design on it. copy if need be from an art book at the local library or off the net.
itll look like a thousand quid painting, and itll have cost you about a tenner!

Very cool idea! Having recently visited the Tate Modern I am sure I can match some of the crap that passes for art these days!

ormus

aye.
art generally and for sale/sold to museums etc... is probably the biggest scam in the whole wide world.

i reckon if the tate modern had a major fire, it would do about 15 quids worth of damage.

Tracyk_2

our local TK Maxx has hundreds of 'housey' type products - v. cheap. Vases, frames, crockery, paintings, mirrors and one off type things.