As you become the expert

From funky cushion covers to delightful bookshelves, there’s no limit to what you can create for your home. Forget the expensive fares at the interior decor stores, Sarah Thomas urges you to ‘do it yourself’

Everybody loves a wonderfully done up house with pretty interiors and well-used spaces. Most often, our ideas for a great decor do not see the light of day. Lack of space, cluttered homes and sometimes, inadequate furniture may be some of the many reasons we refrain from decorating our homes.

“Your home needs to be a pretty place, you need to wake up to beautiful things and a pleasing space. It’s the interiors of a house that sets it apart,” opines Chaitra Dange, an interior designer and an ardent fan of ‘do it yourself’ (DIY).

The many elements you need in a house to make it look splendid, come with a cost — a price you may not want to bear. There is no harm in being frugal, especially when most of the decor pieces that you see on the streets and stores are not really essential items for your home. Chaitra suggests it is best for homeowners interested in interior decoration to understand what is vital to the ‘look good’ factor of the house and what is not. The entire space can be decorated with just DIY pieces — an economical and creative way of setting up a home.

Recycle & refashion

Craftspeople will instantly get the beauty of upcycled art and furnishing at home. Roshan S, a fashion designing student, explains, “There are many things in a house that you may not use or may want to discard. Analyse them, they can all be reused.” Each space would have a look and feel that you want to create, start by selecting a theme for each room, it gets easier after you do that, he says. Let’s look at some simple decor tricks, shall we?

* Delightful cushions: Roshan has old cushion covers that are transformed into ‘designer covers’ by just drawing on them. The trick is to use fabric markers to draw lines on the cushion covers and then scribble on them with different colours to give them a custom design. The result: cushions looking new and eye-catching.

* Make your hammocks: Hammocks are another such creation. They are beautiful to look at and can be made of the many things that you find in your home. Use a table cloth or a huge canvas, if available; hem either side of the cloth to make it into a cradle. Bunch up both the sides and tie it to stitch; ropes can be used as well. Once the loops are created, use a clothesline and pass it through the channels created and suspend it in your desired location. Chaitra advises one to use props on the hammock to test the weight it can hold. You can glam it up with different cushion covers and have it suspended on fancy wooden barks.

* Everyday planters: Tin containers can be made into planters, by painting pretty flowering plants in them. Use contrasting colours and have indoor plants. You can even make holes and pass a rope through it creating a long loop that you could use to hang around the house or in the balcony.

* Recycled wine bottles: Anokhi of Anokhi Planet, a family venture that is dedicated to upcycling discarded materials, says that wine bottles can double up as great decor items. “You can use them as window decor elements with a money plant or flowers. Bottles can be cut at the bottom and put over tealights for a glowing balcony or garden decor,” she adds.

Working around limitations

If a constrained space is holding you back from prettying up the place, first declutter and let the space breathe. The next thing to do is to have stuff that would make a small space look interesting and gorgeous. Chaitra agrees that many of her clients who face the problem of space constraints  often have a creative block when it comes to decorating their home. The best thing to do at such times is to have open decor elements and go minimal.

* Photo frames: Use photo frames to create a pattern on the wall. This would be the one decor element that would set the wall apart. You can also play around with lamp shades, paint on them, or create patterns to give the lamp a new look. And that’ll, in turn, give the room a different ambience.

* Old doors as shelves: If you have old wooden doors, you can make shelves out of them and use them to keep books or clothes. Afifa Aleem, an interior designer, vouches for the raw appeal of these bookshelves. Old doors have a rustic feel to it and with the addition of slabs at regular intervals they can be made to look like beautiful vintage shelves, she says. Old windows can be used too.

However, what is of utmost importance is the colours, either they must complement the colour of the room or they must be of the same colour. This will make a small space seem bigger as well as the eyes are tricked into believing the decor is an
extension of the room.

* Ladder bookshelf: Another one of Afifa’s tried-and-tested DIY book shelves is made with ladders. “Ladders have a lot of potential in interior design. Place two ladders inclined to each other and place wooden slabs between the rungs, fasten them with ropes or nail them and then place books in between,” says the designer who vouches for the fact that not only will these bookshelves look beautiful, they are high on functional value,too.

* Hanger wardrobes: These are just hangers suspended from the ceiling with strands of rope tied to a hook. Several clothes can be hung in one place. It is a definite space saver, but one needs to make sure that it looks aesthetic, not clumsy. The clothes may get untidy, though, if not cared for properly.

Little charmers

* Mason jars: Mason jars are the most loved members in home decor. Social media and blogs are full of ideas on how to turn mason jars into funky DIY lamps. It needs no dexterity or artistry. You can paint the jars and add fairy lights in it to make it look beautiful. Glueing crumbled and painted eggshell pieces also makes it look gorgeous. Mason jar crafts are many and all it demands is your creativity.

* String light decor: If you have white sheer curtains that have not been used in a while, it is time you take them out. Tie them to a hook on the ceiling and let them fall gently, have some serial lights set in between the curtain and you can pass it through the same hook on the ceiling. Turn it on during the night to have a fairy tale room. This is a great tip for the bedroom or the reading room.

There are many decor elements that can be created with just a little thought and
innovation. Patience is the key here and you can spruce up your home in the most economical manner. There is no limit to creativity and your home can resonate with this DIY fact. What are you waiting for? Time to get started, people!