The cooler breezes and dimming light of fall may have you turning inward on many levels. Suddenly books beckon from shelves and delayed canning projects beg for attention.
You may also start noticing the inside home improvement projects that have been glossed over as you spent the summer at the lake, in your garden, or even replacing your leaky roof. Before you dive into any expensive and potentially wasteful spending on your interior home space, take a moment to engage your creative and thrifty self. You may find that you have materials available or find treasures secondhand that would come to life with a little TLC.
Thinking of some new window dressings to keep the heat in, and the looky-loos out? Sewing may not be your forte, but the straight lines of curtains is a good place to venture forth. Doilies, old jeans, tablecloths, cloth hankies and even torn clothing can be upcycled into unique window coverings or shower curtains by even the amateur seamstress. Go simple, with pieces of rectangular fabric or thrift store curtains that simply need to be shortened.
This is a good time to get cozy on the couch, and pillows can make that more compelling. Wool sweaters, fun t-shirts and fur coats that may have been on their way to the secondhand store could be refashioned into one-of-a-kind pillows. There are no-sew versions where the sides are weaved bits of t-shirt that, believe it or not, can look pretty professional. Or, maybe it’s just a matter of adding a colourful patch to a tear on one that you already love. Small additions like these can become the magic of the piece.
Adding extra places for storage can be a great way to tidy up your interior space. Ideas abound on just how to make this into a reality using bits of discarded furniture you may already have around the house.
Dressers can be spruced up with a bit of paint. Try adding gold leaf accents, some new handles and removing a few drawers to create a partial bookshelf or knickknack spot. Decommissioned filing cabinets turned on their side make durable indoor storage for recycling or gardening tools. Drawers can become under bed storage by screwing on a few wheel casters. Adorable doggy day beds or private cat litter box nooks can be created with some basic carpentry skills and a little imagination, too.
Tables of all shapes and sizes are another cool-weather project. Old doors, lovingly sanded slabs of wood, window frames, aged pallets and vintage luggage can be reclaimed and upcycled into the perfect tables to suit your needs. Bases made from pipes, cinder blocks, wooden boxes, a tree stump or a defunct table saw can all serve the purpose while being a conversation starter to boot.
If time and energy is tight, breaking out the sander and researching DIY projects may not be accessible to you. While it is true that buying furnishings prefab is quick and relatively easy, you can also track down amazing finds locally through community messaging boards that will land you an already finished project. Keep your eyes peeled for estate and moving sales where spectacular deals can be found on well-made vintage or modern furnishings. You may even discover neglected items in your basement, or that of your uncle’s, that you could bring upstairs to find their purpose once again.
Whatever your skill set, there is likely some interior furnishing project that could capture your interest.
If ideas feel sparse, then a short visit to Google will bring on a flood of inspiration.
Let’s Talk Trash is qathet Regional District’s waste-reduction education program.
