Hot Home Products
Cheap and cheerful home projects
September 17, 2010
Vicky Sanderson Special to the Star
If you’ve got the craving, but not the cash, to spruce up your decor in time for the coming festive season, don’t fret. There are lots of ways to do so without over-spending. Just remember that the cheapest product on the shelf doesn’t necessarily offer the best value.
One of the most effective, least expensive, methods of revamping a room is by repainting it. If you’re feeling adventurous, you may want to create a custom look by stencilling, a decor trend that’s quickly picking up steam. You can find stencils at many home decor and craft shops, but I’m mad about a product I found at Stencil1, a Brooklyn-based company owned by graphic designer Ed Roth, whose line of stencils includes such retro pop culture images as go-go girls and boom boxes.
I’m more drawn to the motifs inspired by nature. Currently, I’m working with a six-foot birch tree stencil, which sells for $120 (U.S.). If that sounds a bit rich, keep in mind that it can be used to create a full wall of art, and that I’m using in at least two projects. For both, I’m using Benjamin Moore’s Aura paint because for my money, a better-quality paint is more economical in the long run. The coverage is better, the colour richer, it resists scuffing and washes beautifully.
The stencil will be done in Grand Canyon Red on a large piece of inexpensive canvas drop cloth, which will wind up as a hanging room divider. But I think it will be used to best effect in Mediterranean Olive on a narrow hall wall at my cottage painted Burlap. Inspiration for the projects came from a book called Paint Style: The New Approach to Decorative Paint Finishes, available at www.amazon.ca and www.chapters.indigo.ca
Colour blocking with paint is another affordable way to get a custom look. Get ideas from www.benjaminmoore.com or from Debbie Travis, who almost single-handedly popularized faux finishes in Canada in the ’90s.
Whether you choose to stencil, colour block or just paint, the effect will be crisper and more professional if you use painter’s tape. Experience has taught me that the dollar saved in buying cheap tape is no bargain. If it doesn’t adhere well, it can cause the “bleed” that results in sloppy edges, and poor-quality tape can lift up fresh paint.
I’m a fan of Scotch brand tapes, which come in a variety of types for different surfaces. Typically, I use the Blue Painter’s tape, which can be removed quickly and easily from a surface from between 14 to 60 days. They’re also UV resistant, which means sunlight doesn’t affect performance. For tape and decor tips, go to www.3m.ca and click on the Scotch brand logo.
Regular readers of this column will know that I’m a big advocate of reclaimed decor. Re-using a piece that someone else has tired or which is surplus from a mainstream retailer, saves money and is good for the environment. These days, there are lots of options for sourcing affordable product, from “off-price” retailers such as HomeSense, to thrift shops, flea markets and garage sales.
I’ve also had extremely good luck with online sites such as Kijiji, where in the past few months I’ve bought dinnerware, lamps, billiard balls and furniture. (It’s also a great way to make some cash by getting rid of your own surplus decor pieces.)
Most recently I scored two chandeliers for about $50. They had a great shape and were just the right size, but they were finished in an unattractive “antiqued” white. Following the advice of a savvy designer friend, I spray-painted one a glossy red and changed the old-fashioned tear-drop light bulbs to clear, round 25-watt bulbs. I plan to rip the wiring out of the other, spray it in a fresh, summery colour and use wax candles Next summer, it will hang on a plant hanger during outdoor dinner parties.
If your budget for glossy shelter magazines is limited, it’s easy to find free inspiration and instruction. The best example has got to be the online channel of Canadian House and Home, which features exciting, yet doable, DIY projects, in particular those demonstrated by up the wonderfully creative Michael Penney. Home Depot, Rona and Home Hardwareall have good in-house online magazines that offer practical guidance on DIY projects.
If you want more ideas on creating beautiful style without breaking the bank, you can come and see me at the Fall Home Show, which runs from September 30 to October 3 at the Direct Energy Centre. I’ll be appearing on the Kitchen Stage at various times between Thursday and Saturday. For a full schedule, go to www.fallhomeshow.com. Between now and then, check my blog at www.thestar.blogs.com/onthehouse for more tips on how to get big style on a skinny budget.
Contact Vicky Sanderson at vswriter@sympatico.ca and follow her on Twitter @vickysanderson.