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Western and Prairie Decor
One of the less frequently written about styles is western or prairie decor. If you have done this style yourself, feel free to
share your decorating tips with me! And for great frugal decorating tips, get my free ezine.
If this style is for you, you may be able to relate to the following question asked of me. And check out my answer to see if there's anything you'd like to add to your decor!
Q: My husband and I live on a
ranch in Southeastern Wyoming in a 100 yr old plus house that
was a outlying house for cooking and housing for the Swan Land
and Cattle Company ranch that encompassed acres from the
Colorado Wyoming border to beyond Wheatland. Since its purpose
was more utilitarian, the house is basically a rectangle, long
rooms with windows, old stovepipe holes covered over, few
electrical outlets, not many redeeming features! That being
said, my husband and I love it because of the history, but I
would like to "fancify" it somewhat. I love the Cottage style,
but because we are ranchers, would like to do more in the way
of Western style as in when the pioneers first came to this
area. There is virtually no money for doing anything and in
order to get to flea markets and such I have to travel between
1-3 hours away. Can you get your creative juices flowing and
help me out? I am wanting to change from white interiors to
deep jewel tones, such as purples, golds, rusts. I have two
other friends who are wanting to do the same style era. We are
even jokingly considering doing a book as there is nothing out
there that really addresses this era unless you consider the
"Cattle Baron" look in a few books. Michelle
A: Using what you already have, plus "stuff" from nature would
work with this style and budget. Starting with what you have:
1. Pitchers, pots and pans, measuring cups - anything with
looping handles can be hung from cuphooks on your walls as
art (plus a great place to store them). I have some pictures of
copperware I've hung to give you an idea:
http://www.frugalbydesign.com//images/copperpot.jpg
and
http://www.frugalbydesign.com//images/copper.jpg
2. Platters, plates, casserole dishes (flat things) can be hung
from ribbon loops off of cup hooks.
3. Horseshoes (if you have those) can be made into a wreath by
tying them together with bandanas.
4. Bandanas can be used for lots of decorating, including
stitching them together to make curtains, valances, table
runners, placemats, etc.
5. Worn out boots of all kinds can be great decor. Hang them on
the wall with their toes pointed out and use these as hooks -
maybe in the bathroom for towels, or by the door for coats.
Plant them with dirt and plants from your yard - including
small trees. These make great Christmas trees.
6. What "clear glass" stuff do you already own (candlesticks,
bowls, plates, - whatever)? These have more decorating uses
than I can list here. If you tell me what you have, I'll give
you some ideas.
Now about "natural" stuff:
1. Stones are an awesome decorating tool. They can be used to
fill bowls, as flower frogs, to make stone sculptures for your
table - put a photo between two stones to hold it up.
2. Branches are also great decorating tools. I used a bunch of
them to make a chandelier in my house - hanging crystals from
them.
3. You can remove thin bark from limbs and cover your window frames (if you have enough bark) or your switchplates (if you don't).
4. Nuts, cones, seeds - all that natural stuff can be used as
decor - plus some of them (like seeds) can be mixed in paint to
give it texture.
5. You can always frame grasses, pressed flowers, or moss. Or you can use those same materials to trim out picture frames and mirrors.
6. Nests of all kinds - bird nests, wasp nests, bee hives - even critter nests attached to limbs, can be used as accents. So can bird houses, if you have those.
If any of these "work for you, share pictures!
For even more ideas, read my blog and ezine. I add ideas there often.
Tell your frugal friends!!
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