Easy DIY Ideas to Rejuvenate Your Space This Spring 3

By Monika Knotts

Spring brings an opportunity to reset. And while a good Spring-cleaning can freshen up a space, new decor can completely rejuvenate it. But in the current economic climate, splurging on art and tchotchkes may not be within everyone’s budget. Luckily, there are ways to upcycle existing decor or create high-end-looking pieces with low-cost materials.

These easy DIY decor ideas will not only brighten up your home but also convey your personal style and conjure a sense of accomplishment every time someone offers a compliment.

Collage and Decoupage

Materials:

■ Mod Podge

■ Medium to large paintbrush

■ Magazines, scrapbook paper, or any other aesthetically pleasing paper

■ Scissors

■ Surface to decorate

Directions:

1. Gather materials. Mod Podge comes in several finishes, be sure to purchase the one that suits your project. This technique can be used on any surface like a canvas or heavy paper that can later be put in a frame, table tops, and drawer fronts. The example shown is the front of a jewelry box. The possibilities really are endless, so get creative!

2. Use scissors to cut out any images or patterns from magazines and other resources that suit the style and/ or color scheme of the space you’re decorating.

3. Arrange these on your surface in any manner you like, covering it completely.

4. Use a paintbrush to apply Mod Podge to the back of each piece of paper and glue it in place.

5. Apply a layer of Mod Podge over the entire surface and the paper you’ve glued down. Leave to dry, then apply another layer if desired. Mod Podge dries completely clear, and your surface will be water-resistant.

Spray Paint Something!

Materials:

■ Spray paint (obviously)

■ An item you’d like to transform

Directions:

1. Gather materials. Be sure the paint you purchase is appropriate for the surface you’re applying it to. Some ideas of things in your home that you can spruce up with a fresh coat of paint in a new, stylish color include cabinet hardware or drawer handles, lightswitch covers, lamps, coat racks or hooks, and picture frames.

2. Set up items outdoors, using a tarp or equivalent to cover any surfaces you’d like to avoid getting paint on.

3. Ensure that your object is free of dust and dirt. Spray paint according to instructions on the can, covering the item entirely and evenly. Allow time for drying.

Mid-Century-Inspired Sunburst Mirror

Materials:

■ Cardboard or foam board

■ X-acto Knife (preferred) or scissors

■ Pencil

■ Hot glue gun & glue

■ Wax paper

■ Two (2) packs of wooden skewers

■ Spray paint

■ One (1) 6”-10” round mirror

■ Two (2) packets of 1”-3” round craft mirrors

Directions:

1. Gather materials; everything listed can be found in a craft store. Skewers and smaller craft mirrors can vary in size – as in, each of the two packs or packets can be a different size from the other – to create visual interest.

2. Use a pencil to trace the large round mirror onto cardboard or foam board two times. Cut out both circles using scissors or an X-acto Knife.

3. Spread skewers out in a single layer over sheets of wax paper on a flat surface outdoors, leaving a little space between each. Spray paint evenly and leave for 1 - 3 hours to dry. If desired, you can turn the skewers over to paint the other side or position them in a way that isn’t visible in the final display. If the cardboard is an undesirable color, paint the cutout circles as well.

4. Use hot glue to affix the skewers, pointy side toward the center, around one of the cardboard circles.

5. Hot glue the second cardboard circle atop the skewers, lining it up with the first.

6. Hot glue the large mirror to the top circle and the smaller mirrors to the skewers in a placement that makes it feel visually balanced.