Place DIY pieces, Goodwill-found items & handmade art together to make your space & heart sing
Fill your spaces with items you love so your heart sings and your face smiles each time you spend time there. You don’t have to break the bank to give your home a million-dollar look. Simply place DIY pieces alongside Goodwill-found items, then accent with handmade, original art.
Create an inviting “vignette” by combining eye-catching pieces, connecting their colors, and showing off your personality and taste.
Use these words of wisdom from interior designer Bunny Williams as inspiration, who said, “If you love something, it will work.”
Here’s how:
Step 1: Shop for style at Goodwill
Always begin your home transformations/updates/redo by finding your good at the nearest nonprofit Goodwill retail store. Throughout the store, you are likely to find items to give your place some style for a lot less than original designer prices. Chairs, tables, mirrors, framed artwork, lamps, rugs, and accessories are among the many items likely available at Goodwill to refresh your space.
If you see something you like and are unsure where it might go, buy it anyway because it might not be there later. Also, if a piece doesn’t match your color scheme, no worries! There are simple ways to upcycle it to reflect your style and design preferences.
Step 2: Transform items with paint
An easy, inexpensive, and fun way to give an item a new look is by painting it. Did you know you can paint a chair or other item covered in fabric? It’s true! There are now spray paints available made to adhere well to fabric, which are soft to the touch and don’t come off on your clothing. The teal chair featured in this blog was purchased at Goodwill for less than $20. It had many nice details like its tufted section, carved legs, and curvy back. This color didn’t work for me, so I spray-painted it. Check out this previous FYG blog for super simple steps.
The shimmery side table didn’t look that way when it was found at Goodwill. Back then, it was dark, dated, and dreary. After a couple of coats of silver spray paint, it now looks sparkling, stylish, and sleek.
Step 3: Add thrifted accessories
Help your transformed space see the light by adding a lamp to your look. Goodwill always has an interesting array of lamps and lighting fixtures available. Since you are encouraged to fill your spaces with things you love, the Eiffel Tower lamp was an easy one to add to my room because it makes me think of my favorite city—Paris! What places have meaning to you? Look for accessories with those in them.
To add pops of color while providing added comfort, several throw pillows were purchased and placed in the space, too. A large silk one in plum purple and a smaller one with blue and green stripes added visual interest and highlighted the color scheme.
Goodwill has scores of great throw pillows in all sorts of sizes, shapes and styles so you are sure to find ones that speak to you.
A felt-covered deer statue was added, too, because I love those animals with their elegance and grace. The deer was also painted with the teal-tone fabric paint to brighten it up and help match other elements in the room. What animals, flowers, letters, or shapes do you like? You are likely to find them at Goodwill, and if needed, you can transform them with paint.
Step 4: Accent with original art
Furniture items added to make the space functional. Check! Interesting accessories added to add personal style. Check!
Now is the icing on the cake step: accenting your space with original art. These pieces might be made by you, a friend, or a family member—or even picked up at Goodwill!
A thrifted frame was used as the base for a collage created from repurposed paper from magazines, calendars, and cards. Collages are a great family-friendly activity, so consider planning a collage party and provide thrifted frames, scissors, glue, and paper items. This is also another way to show your love for Mother Earth!
Featured here is a beautiful leaf-shaped clay piece created by my dear friend Margarita. The earthy colors and nod to nature perfectly fit the overall look. Since it was a gift, each time I see it, it reminds me of our friendship.
A hand-blown glass dish with blue and purple tones was recently discovered in the back of a cabinet in my parents’ home. Once forgotten, it is now in a special and prominent place.
Expert Tip:
If you don’t have the time or interest to create your own art, look for original pieces at Goodwill. Often, you will come across wonderful paintings and pottery made by unknown artists. Consider picking up an original piece if you see one for sale, because there is something meaningful in knowing that someone put their creativity and energy into it. It is also affordable to add unique art to your space.
As interior designer, author, and television personality Nate Berkus said, “Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love.” Follow the steps above, and you will have a home that makes your heart happy, too!
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Tim Kime
Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach
