What I like most about this room is how the bookshelves are styled—or not, as the case may be. Some books are upright and some are stacked, but all can be easily removed from the shelf and read, then put away. There are no actual bookends, but the homeowner has repurposed other objects to serve in that capacity.
The point is, nothing in this room looks new or expensive. But the room itself is warm and comfortable. It stands ready like a hug to welcome all who enter.
This bedroom and my own have lots in common. We also have two hand-me-down chairs that are usually piled and/or draped with colorful quilts and other linens. Sometimes the linens are waiting to be put away. Maybe I got them out to see how they would look somewhere but neglected to put them away, and so they ended up becoming part of the look of the room. It’s not a bad look.
I really like the wallpaper in this room that’s mounted high like a towel rack and unrolled. What a great way to lead the eye up to those high ceilings and fill some of that cavernous space. I’m a person who doesn’t like the idea of pasting printed wallpaper to my walls, even though I love looking at wallpaper patterns. This is a way I could use wallpaper and change it out when I tired of it. Consider this idea: three rolls—either in the same or coordinating patterns—hung as a headboard or behind a headboard. They could be mounted even or at different heights.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
Haha! This reminds me of my sofa. Colorful quilts are a great way to hide worn or damaged upholstery. My sofa’s only a few years old, but I have three kantha quilts on it covering spots my cat likes to scratch—the arms and across the bottom front. For some reason, she won’t scratch the quilts. I can take them off for visitors if I want, but actually, I like the relaxed boho look they give the room.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
In this living room I love how the unfinished upper walls dotted with framed art seem to mimic the vintage print in the sofa and chairs. Most everything in this room could be thrifted to get that midcentury modern look on a budget.
If you’re lucky, maybe you inherited pieces similar to these. I remember wood-framed sofas (solid walnut, no less!) and stereo cabinets like this one from my childhood. Remove the turntable and repurpose as a console or bar cabinet.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
My home is also so relaxed that the cat lays down anywhere—counters or table. I figure if someone doesn’t like that then don’t stay for coffee or dinner. She’s cleaner than most people, and BTW, it’s her home, too.
It’s hard to tell from this photo, but the top of the table has been decoupaged and sealed. Think of all the favorite images, prints and colors you could bring into a room doing that. And what a way to get extended miles out of an old table, since it’s usually the top that experiences the most wear and tear.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
Speaking of pets making themselves at home, these pets on pillows are sure to warm any heart. The mirror’s hung too high for my tastes, but I do like how the dangling bulb pendants with differently shaped bulbs hang in front of it so the light is reflected. Think how inexpensively you could source the lights; all kinds of decorative cords and bulbs are available these days.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
I love how this old tub has been refurbished inside but left in its unfinished state on the outside. The towels look beautiful displayed around it as well. The stacked bricks substituting for legs look cool, but I’m a little concerned about stability. It also looks like a deep and relaxing soak, but how do you get in and out? Details…
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| Debi Treloar photos |
This room sports wallpaper that resembles a painter’s drop cloth, and it makes a stunning background for the sofa upholstered in a mix of florals.
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| Debi Treloar photo |
Changing out hardware is an easy way to give a piece of furniture a new look. But how about mixing the hardware up? Not one of these drawer pulls is the same as another. The look is fun, eclectic and vintage.
Yes, I still think this is a self-help book. Why?
Because it made me remember something a visitor to my place told me long ago, back when 90 percent of what I owned was hand-me-down, homemade, improvised, or used. She said she loved coming to my apartment because there was so much to look at and everything had a story.
And remembering that helps. This is a principle it’s easy to forget as we prosper and can afford more new stuff, but it’s a principle worth remembering to keep our sanity, our budget, and the planet healthy.
If you want more…
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