Many years ago, I (Katie) was lucky enough to find a great book at the library called “Use What You Have Decorating”. It was written in 1999 by Lauri Ward who is the founder of Redecorate.com. She helped make the idea of using your own stuff in new ways a hip approach to decorating. This was a lifesaver for me since we survived almost completely on hand-me-down furniture (mostly from my parents) for the first decade of our marriage. I needed creative ways to make old furniture feel new. Even when we were finally able to purchase some new pieces of our own, we still found that we could make use of our older items by giving them a new life.
This rocking chair was a gift from my Sister-in-Law. She found it at a thrift store and finished it up with a darling coat of distressed yellow paint. For a few years it sat in my daughter’s bedroom.
2001 in daughter’s bedroom
Then we moved, and it didn’t fit in or match her new bedroom. This chair has since spent time in our master bedroom, the living room, on the front porch, and it now resides in our guest room. Each time we change the setting, the chair seems to take on a new look.
2006 on front porch
Changing the location of an item refreshes the piece itself, and the space overall. The “Use What You Have Decorating” approach also suggests that you add different accessories or pair items in new ways for another way to stretch the life span of your furnishings. Now I use this cute chair as a way to display a special quilt that the very same Sister-in-Law made for us.
2009 in guest room
Not only is this an economical way to redecorate, it is also creative and earth-friendly. Another term for this is “re-purposing” which means finding a new use for an old item. You will find that many people who have a flair for interior decorating are very good at seeing old things in new ways. Thrift-ing, antique-ing, and Shabby-Chic are all current trends that have their roots in this approach.
If you are looking for some inspirational resources to freshen up your own home, here is a BIG list of decorating blogs and sites to get you started:
- Shabby Chic Cottage
- Remodeling This Life
- Centsational Girl
- Nesting Place
- Granville House
- Joys of Home
- Thrifty Decor Chick
- Shanty 2 Chic
- The Happy Homebody
- Sanctuary Art
- Home is Right
- My Sweet Savannah
- Apartment Therapy
- The Old Painted Cottage
- 2 Brown Eyed Beauties
- Young House Love
- A Cottage Industry
- Just a Girl
- Chris Kauffman
- Southern Hospitality
P.S. Our winner today in our GIFTaway was mirjam who was selected randomly by random.org from our registerred customers in our store. She won a $10 GC to Traci Reed.
Share This Using…
thank you for the links, I’ll check them out soon since I’ll be moving to a new place in a couple of weeks
I love the idea of reusing old stuff and making it look new!!!
Neat idea…now I have to look around!
Thanks for the list of sites. I love repurposing and often find great things to re-use at thrift stores.
I have a few of those blogs in my google reader. I LOVE seeing what can be done by moving furniture around and/or repainting stuff I already have.
Love this and gives me things to ponder as I moved last year to live at my daughter’s house while they were in Iraq and I purged quite a bit of my own stuff and am now wondering what the heck I am going to do now that I am ready to get back in my place with money being a little tight. Now I can check out the re-sale shops with a different eye and make some used stuff all my own. Thanks for all those links!
I had an *ugly* chair that was my dh’s grandmother’s. After stripping it, painting it and reupholstering the seat, it took on a whole new look! I love repurposing and thrift store shopping, especially for things like end tables/bedside tables – which is on my list of things to do this year
Thanks for the awesome list! I’ve been thinking of ways I can decorate/redecorate my home this year on a small budget, so I’m excited to do some reading.
This is such a great reminder for the new year when we tend to want to start over and make things fresh. Just because we’re starting new doesn’t mean we have to ditch the old! Thanks!
What a great idea. I always want to redo at the beginning of each year. Thanks.
Super ideas and links! TY
Love the quilt over the chair too!
I have some chairs here that I really don’t like… maybe I’ll start loving them after – LOL… they really need a remodeling trip.
I love what you did with the chair! Will go check out the links. this place needs some work, but economy is not on my side right now. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, I love it when someone links me up! Thanks for the great article. Gotta go surf now…
Happy Belated Birthday!!! We just got back home after a weekend with family. The Daily Digi has been a daily online stop for me since the very first day. I’m looking forward to another great year.
I love that chair!!! And thanks for all the fabulous links….been checking them out for hours!!
Most of my furniture is re-used and re-decorated–I love it
Great article! I love how you re-purpose this chair!
What a gorgeous chair, and quilt!! Love this idea.
What a great list…I am with you on the hand me downs…luckily my parents kept their furniture immaculate….so it is like brand new. I am definitely going to be searching those sights you listed for us! THX!
I’m in the process of “un-decorating” my house. My house has been decorated in “lived-in couture”. I’m attempting a minimalist approach! LOL Thanks for the list of future inspiration!
I totally spend so much time on Young House Love (when I’m at work with extra time)! Thanks for the list of new sites to browse- I love decorating ideas.
Love the links! Thanks! And that chair is fabulous!
Thank you!
Katie, thanks for sharing your fabulous links. We are in the midst of a huge remodel project and I need all the help I can get
Happy New Year.
Thank you for this! I am fixing up an old bungalow, my belongings have been in storage for awhile and I own a LOT of flea market finds so I’m looking forward to using them in wonderful new ways. Going to check out those links right now!
thanks for the great links!
Great Ideas! Thanks!
Great idea, I often use stuff I have and try to re-purpose it for something else. For example, I had a square thick glass vase which held a flower arrangement I received as a gift, now the vase serves as a pen & pencil holder on my desk
Thank you so much for mentioning me! I am honored!!!
Jen
I love the sites that you posted – for a military wife who moves all the time (an everything breaks) and gets to redecorate every couple of years – Its filled with such great ideas Thanks!
Thanks… Great idea…
Katie, thank you for this. Your posts always hit me somewhere square in my face and this one is no exception. I’m one who often thinks, oh, I need this, so I’ll just go buy it. Now, I know why I am sitting in a cluttered home. I need to take your advice to heart and start to rethink things. Hmmm maybe a little redecorating is in store, with the stuff I already own.
Thanks for posting those links. I love reading decorating blogs, especially the thrifty/shabby ones. Love your rocking chair photos.
Katie, Thanks for a great post!
I adore the “Digi Files 11″ They are absolutely incredible! I scrapped this page with Traci Reed’s kit.
http://annabrettj.blogspot.com/2010/01/layout-about-me.html
What a great site!!!
Great advice!!! Love it.
Awesome!! We are currently living in a “borrowed” apartment with “borrowed” things and I am totally inspired to make it more our own while we’re living here. Thanks!!
Thanks for the links!! That quilt on the 2nd photo is lovely! The colors are amazing.
After spending the last 2 days wishing for new furniture and yet purging junk, and wondering what the heck I am doing with so much stuff (scrap, kitchen stuff, etc.) this article is a nice fresh breeze of spring air!
Great article. I’m going to look at all of our “hand me downs” a little bit differently now!
WOW nice remodeling to the chair. I especially like it when you put a quilt on it! Lovely
I love what you did with the chair! Your site is beautiful. Thanks for linking me so I could find it