Simple Spring Decorating

Posted April 20th, 2008 by Jen in arts & crafts, features, holidays, product review

There is nothing like the changing of seasons to make me want to freshen up my home décor. And with spring now in full swing (despite the brief flurry of snow today), I went hunting for some simple home decorating ideas to fit my frugal budget.

Bromeliad Rana on counter My first suggestion is to get some living color. Fresh cut flowers are always nice, but I prefer a plant that will continue to give me enjoyment beyond a few weeks. Cost-wise, a large bouquet of flowers is about the same price as a large flowering plant. Here is what I chose, an easy care Bromeliad Guzmania “Rana.” You can find these plants for about $10, depending on where you shop. Better deals will be found at your local nursery versus the grocery store plant section.

Something to keep in mind about this particular plant, however: Bromeliads are “monocarpic,” meaning they die after flowering, but it’s a slow process, usually taking up to 3 years. During that time, however, 1 to 3 offsets are produced which can be re-potted to continue the species.

Second, some spring color can be splashed into your living room by way of throw pillows. This is an inexpensive way to give a new look. It’s time to store the winter throws and pillows and replace them with pastel colored or lively spring patterned pillows. Like I said, I’m on a budget, so here is what I found at Goodwill, for a mere $1.99 for the red flowered one and .99 for the purple beaded throw, and $2.99 for the new wooden chair cushion. I tossed these pillows in the wash, and they’re good as new to me.

spring throw pillow chair cushion and beaded pillow

Next, I turned my attention to the kitchen. Put away are the holiday and winter napkins and table decorations. These new table linens - a set of 4 cloth napkins - caught my eye. I adore hydrangeas, so I snapped this set up for only $1.99, also at the thrift store. I looked for some porcelain to be a permanent spring table decoration, and I almost passed this lovely salt & pepper set by, thinking it was made in China. But when I turned the set to check the bottom markings, I was ecstatic to see “Made in Italy.” This, my dears, is the thrill of thrifting! The salt and pepper set was just $2.99, and the small matching pitcher was $2.99.

my spring table decor

spring shower curtain I didn’t want to leave the bathroom out of all the fun, so I bought a new shower curtain with a wonderful spring look. It was $4.99, brand new at Goodwill, and truly needed because the upstairs bath currently has no shower curtain at all. The kids always take a bath in there, and the downstairs bathroom for the guests already has a shower curtain.

Not to leave the children’s bedroom out either, the kiddos were all with me while I did this shopping spree. JJ picked out this wooden-framed picture of the vase of red tulips (.99) and JoJo wanted this decidedly spring-y girl picture (the matted frame was $1.99 and the picture was $1.99, and I put them together - the girl came in a very ugly gold frame that had to go). One of the kids also grabbed this .99 orange button-framed picture for big brother’s dresser top.

vase of red tulips spring girl orange button frame picture

I almost forgot the smell of spring! The fresh flowers may do the trick, and some people like the flower scented plug-ins. For myself, I’m allergy-prone and artificial scents give me terrible headaches. So, I opt for essential oils or natural candles. I love the scent of lavender, and with a drop of the essential oil on the lightbulb, I’m suddenly skipping through lavender fields in Provence. I already have several essential oils on hand, but they can be purchased for about $5/vial. Another natural scent tip is to place several cinnamon sticks and a few drops of vanilla in a small pot of water and simmer it on the stove.

So, there you have it - a simple spring home make-over on a budget for less than $40! Of course, if your finances allow, you certainly don’t have to be as frugal as I was, and I know that not everyone is willing to shop at thrift stores. But it can be done, and I would love to hear about your own spring decorating ideas, whether budget-minded or deluxe.

Technorati Tags: spring color, home decor, frugal decorating, spring decorating, spring

16 Responses

Ellen April 20th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I’ve started a new homeschool meme for Mondays and I thought that you might be interested. If you want to participate, just write a post about a highlight from your past week of home learning. Then, come to my blog and sign Mr. Linky.
Heather Young April 20th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I love the pitcher and shower curtain. I prefer fresh cut flowers–only because I kill plants, and since my kids provide the flowers in the form of dandelions or daffodils it is free. :)
Jen April 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Heather, I’m a plant killer myself. I’m going to be very careful with this one. My kids bring me flowers all the time, too, but depending on what it is, it may send me into a sneezing fit.
MooBeeMa April 20th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
MMMM! I’m an essential oil FREAK! Even used some Thieves oil on the pigs and it actually perked them up! Amazing healing properties.
e-Mom April 21st, 2008 at 12:35 am
We have a lot in common! And your taste is lovely. (I have that same bromeliad in our living room.) Praise God for Goodwill and other thrift shop finds. I shopped there for years…

I have a nice collection of essential oils too. Lavender is one of my favorites.

A wonderful post, Jennifer. :~D
Karen April 21st, 2008 at 7:09 am
Jen,
Thanks for stopping by my blog–again! We are doing fine, just incredibly busy.

I don’t comment here very often because of my busyness, but I DO read every blog post you write (through the RSS feed), I promise! Plus, if I remember right, the last time I tried to comment something went wrong and the comment never posted. Hmm…I guess I’ll cross my fingers and hope for the best here!

Loved your post about your daughter making you cry!
Linnet April 21st, 2008 at 8:37 am
Lovely new things, very pretty :)
Jen April 21st, 2008 at 9:19 am
MooBeeMa, Thieves is great stuff! I’ve used it for colds, flu, allergies…it’s a bit strong, but seems to kick out the germies. And the little bottle is a lot more than $5 - for really good essential oils that are therapeutic grade that I might actually ingest, it’s more like $20 or $30 or more a bottle. You probably know that all too well!

e-Mom, yes, we do have a lot in common! I can’t believe you have that same bromeliad! I love those long leaves and the vase shaped flowering part. And I also love the lemon essential oi, and the tea tree. I use them a lot in my cleaning solutions, too. Much nicer than a house smelling like vinegar.

Karen, glad to hear you’re well! Don’t ever worry about not commenting over here! But thanks for reading, you are very kind, I know it’s not always the most interesting stuff over here.

Linnet, thanks - it’s fun to have a few new things, even from a thrift store. :-)
Tipper April 21st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I love thrift stores. I should say- I love them because it helps by recycling-and that is one of my reasons-but mostly because I like a deal! Your house looks all ready for Spring!
Aaron Stroud April 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I’m not big on decorating (my idea of a pleasant room is one lined with full bookshelves). But I’d have to agree that living plants are an attractive addition to most homes, especially for people in the suburbs or cities.

We don’t keep many plants inside (we live in the woods, so there’s plenty outside). But we’re starting a garden this year and my wife has taken over the kitchen the past two weeks with the beginnings of our garden!
Jen April 21st, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Tipper, that’s a great reason for thrift store shopping - reusing things that have a lot of good life left in them! I also like that many of the older items I find are actually a much higher quality than some of the brand-new pieces of junk we see at certain stores.

Aaron, I like the pleasant room lined with books, too! Sounds wonderful. I can see why you don’t feel the need for many indoor plants when you live in the woods. Good luck on the garden!
The Paragraph Edition | Festival of Frugality 122 | On Financial Success April 22nd, 2008 at 12:41 am
[…] only get out what we put in. We are all faced with the choice between living a debt lifestyle or a frugal lifestyle that can open doors in the […]
Mydailydollars April 22nd, 2008 at 7:31 am
Great post! I’m so impressed that you spent less than $40. Everything looks great!
Mandi April 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Great ideas! I am a thrift store shopper as well - love them! I cant tell you how many incredible finds I have obtained over the years at thrift stores and garage sales.
Jen April 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Mydailydollars, thanks! I was hoping no one would think I picked ugly stuff. Like, “yeah, you must have gotten that at a thrift store, it’s horrid.” :-)

Mandi, it really is fun to discover those hidden treasures! Do a post sometime on your finds - everyone loves to hear about the deals. It’s like the “Antiques Roadshow!”
Renae April 25th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
You found great stuff! I really like the pillow and the art.

I haven’t bought anything new for spring. I tend to get rid of things and move furniture around.

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Simple Spring Decorating

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