Looking for inexpensive and clever ways to decorate your Florida Keys home? Look to found objects. With a little ingenuity and inspiration, you can turn discarded furniture, antiques and thrift store finds into one-of-a-kind works of art.
PROP ART
Add architectural interest to a wall in your home with discarded antique boat props. The time-worn patinas and curved lines look beautiful showcased in sets on a wall.
FIND NEW SOURCES FOR FRAMED ART
Search E-Bay for inexpensive old maps and nautical blue-prints. They are large, highly suitable for framing and can serve as dramatic and interesting focal points in any room.
REIMAGINE GRANDMA’S CHERISHED FURNITURE
Not all antique furniture can be re-purposed and incorporated into modern homes, but certain pieces stand the test of time. Ornate headboards, curio cabinets, china cabinets, banquettes, steamer trunks, decorative mirrors and chests of drawers, thoughtfully refinished can be pair seamlessly with a homes existing decor. Search thrift and consignment stores for them.
COLLECT AND CURATE ANTIQUE CHINA
Re-finish an antique china cabinet, then fill it with a collection of old china. If you entertain often, start with a basic set of classic white dishes from Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn. Then have fun finding one-of-a-kind decorative pieces to pair with them.
REUPHOLSTER CHERISHED FURNISHINGS
If you find or inherit furniture with good bones, but out-dated textiles, consider reupholstering the items. It can be prohibitively expensive, but often a few pieces can be salvaged. If you’re doing away with an old sofa, save the pillows and re-cover them in contemporary fabrics.
MAKE YOUR OWN ELEGANT AND AFFORDABLE ACCESSORIES Buy inexpensive shells from local stores and spray-paint them silver, bronze or gold to look like costly sculpture. Peruse local thrift stores in search of old books with attractive bindings, interesting vases and vintage nautical antiques. Use these items as accessories to decorate mantels, bookshelves and coffee tables. Also look for great frames you can re-purpose.
COMBINE THE OLD WITH THE NEW
Combine your vintage finds with your contemporary furnishings to create interest and originality within your home.
