My husband and I have a small house on a few acres of land. I am in the mood to spruce the place up a bit. Any body know any good sites for decorating on a budget, would like ideas for cottage of cabin style.

-- dee schoettler (abcdeedee@msn.com), October 16, 2001

Answers

we're the same way - small house, few acres, no money! one of my favorites things to do is go to flea markets, not for expensive antiques, but instead for things that are homey - you know, things that appeal to you. for example, my kitchen has 40's canisters, a row of crocheted potholders, and old fruit jars holding various items. in other rooms, we have birdhouses, old Lotto games, sock animals, impressionist prints on easels. of course, not all at once - we rotate things in the living room and bedroom around seasonally,including picturs, which gives us a whole new look without any expense. amazing how fresh and new something looks that's been in a box under the bed for a year! we also use linens quite a bit - embroidered dresser scarves, print tablecloths, slipcovers w/curtains, pillows, etc . you can make alot of these, or can pick them up at garage sales or flea markets cheaply. we're not into a "rustic" look, but do have antlers on each of our porch pillars! I know these are just basic ideas, but maybe they'll spark an idea! Have fun!

-- leslie in missouri (whomestead@hotmail.com), October 16, 2001.

Go to the library and look at Country Living Magazines. They decorate with EVERYTHING and then head out to junk stores!!

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), October 16, 2001.

A lot of the best decorating is really just utilizing the space you have in an atractive easy to use fashion. Wax, interesting doorknobs, paint and removable self-stick wallpaper trim are all inexpensive indulgences.

Think about what is really driving you crazy there. One time, for me, it was the old homemade basement stairs. I cleaned them and sealed them with polyurethane. Looked tons better and easy to clean. Just recently the cheapo doorknob that was here when we got here on the bathroom door annoyed me. I bought two different porcelain ones. One is brown and is on the outside, the other is various shades of white- from wear-and on the inside. I didn't have all the right hardware so rigged the door to not use the catching mechanism. It is push-pull now, but more interesting.

Always save paint from projects. I recently used paint from our addition in a bathroom remodel. No cost there. Same with the drywall mud. Save everything! LOL!

So I would recommend that you think about conveniences, like a built in bookshelf, or easy access wood bin and then get creative and take it from there.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), October 16, 2001.

Dee~ I think kitchens look best decorated with food. Fill jars(old & new) with beans, rice, pasta and grains. These are good for color and give you some storage solutions. You can top with a fabric scrap round and raffia or leave plain. Also, fruits out everywhere and potatoes and onions add color. I found some little bread and butter plates at a flea market for 25 cents each, they look darling hanging on the wall.

For pictures, try old calendars and magazines. If you or your husband is handy, buy picture frame molding and miter the corners to make a frame. Just staple the picture to the back and put a hanger on. The frames look great painted black or colorwashed for a cottage look.

For curtains, try cute tea towels or old napkins. I saw one once, that had used a monogramed napkin hung on the "v" over a wooden rod. It looked great. Some of the older nice napkins are really big and can often be picked up at flea markets for little or nothing since they are no longer a set.

Also, try to have fresh flowers or outdoors things, such as twigs or pinecones scattered about. Even weeds, like Queen Anne's Lace, look pretty in a vase.

Last but not least, use books. In shelves, on tables, stacked for a table, they add texture and color.

Well, I could write a book, but better go now. E-mail if you have a specific question.

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), October 16, 2001.

Baskets are both useful and beautiful. I seldom pay more than 50 cents to a dollar, and I use them for all sorts of things- picking mushrooms, berries, garden produce, for serving foods like rolls, for drying foods, for plant pot holders, etc. Hang them from beams in the ceiling, or mount a bunch of hanging hooks. Also, dried plants, both edible or just pretty can be hung similarly. Very rustic looking, and if they are herbs or garlic or whatever, one can eat them too.

Good luck!

-- seraphima (gardener@com.post), October 17, 2001.

Definately go to yard sales and auctions esp if they are on site. Look for things that can be used differently from their intended purpose. We use a trunk for a coffee table. We use wire bale canning jars to store spices, cocoa, sesame seeds in the kitchen and buttons, thread in the sewing room. We have a large aluminum bucket from a dairy that we use as an umbrella holder. Old canning jars with screw on lids can be made into lamps with a kit from the hardware store. Fill the base with potpourri, shells, etc. We have a collection of Easter baskets from the 60's that store yarn and toys. Other baskets serve as magazine holders.

Don't forget to decorate with plants. They help clean the air as well. If you visit someone and they have a plant you like, ask if you can have a clipping. Lots of plants can be rooted in water and can be decorative while they are rooting.

You don't say whether you need furniture. Yard sales and auctions are great places for these as well esp if you are handy and can do repairs, paint or stain. If you don't have experience stripping and staining, working on a $1 chair is a great place to practice. Chairs that originally were caned can have easier to apply rush seats put on or padded seats.

If you have the room and someone offers you something for free, take it. We recently received a marble top table and an old RCA upright phonograph for free!

Good luck with your decorating!

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), October 17, 2001.

You didn't say if the walls needed a fresh coat of paint,this isn't to expensive and there are all kinds of borders to add the cabin look. There's outdoor scenes,pinecones and fishing themes. I have a small house so I'm just doing the border on one wall. You can even look on the the web and order wallpaper and borders now. They even have paper that looks like wood. Decorating can be so much fun.

-- Jo (farmerjo@kvalley.com), October 17, 2001.