Do It Yourself Decorating Ideas

Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. More about us.

30 Budget-Friendly DIY Home Decor Ideas

Spruce up your digs with one of these simple do it yourself projects.

David Hillegas

We have all been at home A LOT lately, and after a year plus of staring at the same four walls you might be feeling like it's time for a little decor redo. Don't fret, there is no need to tear down walls, buy all new furniture, and, well, break the bank. You can shake things up by simply doing a bit of DIY decor. But don't worry if you're not feeling so crafty; many of these ideas simply require a trip to the antiques store or flea market. Stock up on different size and color baskets or Bundt pans, arrange them artfully on the living room or kitchen wall and voila, a whole new look! Maybe you are ready to step away from the computer and heat up the hot glue gun? We've got you covered there, too. There are a plethora of ideas here that'll have you reaching for your smock. Trying making sponge-painted nature silhouettes that can hang above your bed. Looking for a smaller project? Then try your hand a creating canning covered coasters—we promise they will look great on the picnic table at your next BBQ party. These handmade projects are guaranteed to add a lot of charm and good vibes to you new and improved spruced up home. Post a picture of your project in the comments section below. We would love to see what you create! Happy crafting!

1 of 30

Spoon Display

A collection of spoons takes pride of place in the kitchen when mounted on a painted board. For an extra special look, mount them in an ombre pattern.

To make: To assemble, cut a piece of plywood to the desired size and paint. Lay spoons in a light-to-dark pattern on the wood, and use a pencil to mark a spot on both sides of each spoon, typically
just below the bowl. Remove spoons, and drill holes at markings. Working with one spoon at a time, loop fine-gauge wire over the handle and through the holes; twist together wire ends behind the wood to secure. Repeat until complete, then hang.

2 of 30

Cane Webbing Bookshelf

That blank wall in your home office is about to get a lot cuter with the addition of a bookshelf that been adorned with cane webbing.

To make: Trim a piece of caning just larger than the opening on
the shelf (Brightmaison's floating bookshelf; amazon.com). Use a foam brush to spread glue (we used Aleene's Original Tacky Glue) to the back of the shelf opening. Attach caning, holding it in place
with binder clips while it dries. Once dry, remove clips and hang shelf.

3 of 30

Oversize Quilt Square

Gus loves the hanging out with the colorful painted quilt square. Simply lean it against the wall for easy installation.

To make: A large-scale piece of painted plywood lends graphic punch to any space. First, cut a piece of plywood to desired size
(ours is four feet square). Draw a quilt block (here, Twin Star–style) on the wood with pencil, using a ruler or painter's tape for straight lines, then paint with acrylic paint. Nail strips of 1/2-inch trim along
the edges to finish. Lean or hang on the wall.

4 of 30

Wall String Art

Update a laundry room wall with a craft straight from the 70s: string art. Want to give it a go in other rooms, too? Try writing "PLAY" in a kids room or "REST" in a bedroom.

To make:

Start by cutting out letters from craft paper. Mark nail holes with a pencil on the wall using the letters as a guide. Hammer copper nails into the wall, and wrap nails with lengths of assorted-colored thick yarn.

5 of 30

Rope Covered Mirror

Give a boring, ho-hum, mirror new life by covering it in different sizes and colors of rope.

To make: Cover frame of a mirror with 1/2- to 3/4-inch manila rope,
braiding one section for a decorative effect and adhering rope with hot-glue. Add a decorative band to center of top and sides with thin sisal rope.

6 of 30

DIY Cane Webbing Coasters

The base for these coaster can be painted any color so they'll fit right in to your already existing decor.

To make: Paint unglazed ceramic coasters ($14 for 10; amazon.com) desired color. Cut pieces of caning that are just larger than the coasters. Spray the backs of the caning with adhesive spray, such as Super 77, then attach to the coasters, pressing to adhere. Trim excess caning with scissors.

7 of 30

DIY Rope Table Lamp

Have a lamp you are just tired of looking at? Try wrapping it with rope to give it a whole new, modern vibe.

To make: Wrap a cylindrical lamp base with 3/4-inch-thick manila
rope, holding it in place with hot-glue. For added flair, hang burlap tassels ($9; amazon.com) from the lamp's neck.

8 of 30

Stamped Napkins

Nothing classes up dinner like a cloth napkin and these DIY stamped ones transform plain white napkins into a real treat.

To make: Create a stamp by cutting out a four-inch square of caning. Brush fabric paint on the front side of the caning, and press caning on an off-white linen napkin. Repeat, lining up the pattern as best you can, until one side of a napkin is fully covered.

9 of 30

Rope Basket with Fringe Detail

Cover up unsightly clay pots with a DIY coiled rope basket. Only a few hardware store supplies needed.

To make: Start by coiling 1/2-inch-thick sisal rope into a mat, affixing the rope together with hot-glue as you work. Once you have a mat, start working upward by gluing the rope on top of itself to create the basket. Create fringe by tying lengths of raffia together, pinching in the center; glue to basket.

10 of 30

Canning Hanging Baskets

Store fruits or herbs in these sweet DIY baskets that will add charm and storage to your kitchen.

To make: Cut a 3 1/2-inch-tall strip of caning slightly longer than the circumference of a wood round. Hot-glue the bottom edge of the strip around the outside edge of the wood to create the sides of the basket. Thread twine through caning (three or four lengths, evenly spaced), and attach with hot-glue, leaving plenty of length to thread through a second basket, if desired. Hot-glue lengths of flat reed around the top and bottom of the basket. Tie twine together at the top to hang.

11 of 30

Rope-Covered Hanging Mason Jar Lamp

Add a warm subtle glow above your desk or kitchen island with this simple DIY hanging lamp.

To make: Hot-glue manila rope to top three-fourths of a regular-mouth mason jar. Wrap the wire of a mason jar pendant light kit with cotton rope, and hold in place with glue. Thread light kit onto jar, and hang.

12 of 30

Croquet Mallet Towel Rack

A bathroom get an instant upgrade with the addition of this bright and cherry towel rack. Paint the wood any color desired.

To make: Cut a 1-by-5-inch piece of wood 27 inches long. Cut a piece of 2 1/2-by-1 1/4 wood into two 5 1/2-inch-long segments; drill a 1-inch hole 1 inch deep in centers of each. Cut mallet handle 20 inches long, and fit in holes; glue in place. Glue blocks to top shelf. Paint desired color.

13 of 30

Croquet Mallet Wreath

Welcome guests with a spirited wreath made from the heads of croquet mallets. A brightly colored door (here Arsenic by Farrow & Ball) adds to the cheer.

To make:

Cover a 14-inch biodegradable craft ring with a peel-and-stick moss mat. Remove the handles from about 16 croquet mallets. Hot-glue heads to wreath, offsetting every other one slightly (reserve handles for another DIY). Carefully turn over wreath, and use a nail gun to permanently attach heads.

14 of 30

Chalk Wall Calendar

As life gets back to normal, the chaos (carpooling, dinner parties, etc.) of everyday life will start to ramp back up. This chalkboard paint wall calendar will add fun decor to you entryway or kitchen wall while also helping to keep you organized!

To make: Keep everyone in the loop with an entryway wall calendar. Use painter's tape (we used a 1/2-inch-wide roll) to tape off a 35-square grid to desired size, as well as two rectangles, as shown. Paint with acrylic chalkboard paint (we used Behr's Interior Chalk Decorative Paint). Once dry, remove tape, and touch up any rough edges. Tie a length of twine around a piece of chalk, knot end, and hang on wall with a pushpin.

15 of 30

Croquet Ball Footstool

Customize this sweet footstool by using all one color or maybe two croquet balls and covering the top with a fabric that matches your already existing color scheme.

To make: Cut a piece of plywood into a 13 1/2-by-11-inch rectangle. Drill a 5/8-inch hole 2 inches deep in eight croquet balls. Glue one ball, hole side down, 2 1/4 inches from each corner of plywood. Cut a 5/8-inch dowel into 4 four-inch-long pieces. Glue one length in each unused ball. Thread dowels into balls attached to board, gluing in place. Cover wood with batting and fabric. Secure in place with a staple gun.

16 of 30

Cane Webbing Serving Tray

Breakfast in bed (yes, that should still be a thing) just got a whole lot prettier when served on a DIY tray that's been decked out with cane webbing.

To make:

Insert a piece of caning that is the same size as the opening of a picture frame (here, a 16-by-20- inch frame by Barnwood-USA, $45; amazon.com). Hold in place with craft glue or glazing points. Attach three-inch cabinet-style handles (wrapped with twine, if desired) to the short ends of the frame. Insert a piece of glass that covers the full opening, if desired.

17 of 30

Croquet Mallet Frames

Colorful and poppy, these DIY frames will look great in a cabin or kids room.

To make: For an 8 1/2-by-11-inch "frame," cut four pieces from croquet mallet handles, two 10 1/2 inches long and two 12 1/2 inches long. Chisel a small rectangle the width of the mallet near the ends of the long lengths for the short lengths to rest in. Glue the four pieces together, then to a frame. For a 5-by-7-inch frame, cut the handles to7 inches and 9 inches.

18 of 30

DIY Wall Art in Clipboard Frames

Gallery walls add instant decor to an unadorned wall but frames can get quite expensive. For this budget-friendly arrangement, simply clip prints to vintage clipboards. Thread a piece of leather jewelry cord under the clip, knot it at the top, and hang with a pushpin. Bonus: You can easily change out the images every season.

19 of 30

Cane Webbing Votive Holders

Running down the center of the dining table, these cane webbing covered votive holders add texture to a pretty centerpiece.

To make: Measure the height and circumference of a glass votive holder. Cut caning to fit around the holder. Spray the back with adhesive spray, such as Super 77; attach to the glass. Cut pieces of flat reed the diameter of the holder, and attach to the top and bottom edges with hot-glue.

20 of 30

Trip Mementos Wall Art

Memorialize a vacation, hiking excursion, rowing adventure, or road trip by outlining the route traversed with ribbon or twine on a new or vintage map. Hold both options in place on the map with hot-glue.

21 of 30

Cane Webbing Covered Lampshade

This easy upgrade to a drum-shaped lampshade add loads of texture and a bright pop of color to any room.

To make: Cut a piece of caning to the height and circumference of a drum-shaped lamp shade. Spray the back of the caning with adhesive spray, such as Super 77; attach to shade. Cut two pieces of flat reed to the diameter of the shade; paint desired color. Once dry, attach with hot-glue.

22 of 30

Bandana Chair Cushions

Refresh your dining room or outdoor chairs by adding pops of color with these DIY bandana chair cushions.

To make: Measure the seat of the chairs you wish to cover, and cut 1-inch-thick upholstery foam to size. Trim two bandanas to same size plus 1/2 inch all around to accommodate cushion's thickness. Sew bandanas together, leaving an opening large enough to slip foam through. Turn inside out, insert foam, and sew opening closed. Sew ribbon or strips of bandana to back corners for tying to chairs.

23 of 30

Stitched Artwork or Jewelry Holder Embroidery Hoops

Embroidery hoops filled with cane webbing can be turned into art work by stitching with yarn or simply used to hang ear rings. Either way, they are perfect for embellishing a wall or a shelf.

To make: Separate rings of embroidery hoops. Cut pieces of caning that are just larger than the inside ring, then attach to the ring with hot- glue. Paint outer ring, if desired. Once dry, slip over inside ring and tighten. For artwork, thread yarn on a large-eyed needle, and stitch desired pattern. To use as a jewelry holder, simply hang or attach earrings through caning holes.

24 of 30

Bandana Covered Lanterns

Use vintage or new (like the ones here) lanterns for this easy DIY. Either way they'll look great lighting up the back patio or on the dining room table.

To make: Cut bandana to size and attach to the outsides of glass using Mod Podge.

25 of 30

Cane Webbing Headboard

Update any open-framed headboard by cutting pieces of cane webbing just larger than the openings you wish to embellish, then attach to the back with a staple gun.

26 of 30

Bundt Pan Wall Art

A collection of colorful vintage Bundt pans in assorted shapes lends retro flair to a kitchen or pantry wall. Bonus: You can take 'em down and use them as needed. Hang using magnets or strips of double-sided velcro.

27 of 30

Canning Napkin Rings

Dress up your table with these oh-so simple to make napkin rings.

To make: Cut out a piece of caning that is 8 inches long by 2 1/2 inches tall. Use hot-glue to adhere the ends together, creating a ring. If desired, remove some of the cross canes to create a loose edge.

28 of 30

Nature Silhouettes

Bring nature inside in a colorful way with these DIY nature silhouettes. Get the littles involved by sending them out back to collect branches.

To make: Start by collecting leaves and thin-stemmed branches. Lay them on 11-by-14-inch canvas boards. Use a round foam stencil brush to paint around the leaves with acrylic paint, covering the
canvas. Remove leaves, and allow boards to dry.Use white paint for any touch-ups. Frame as desired.

29 of 30

Bandana Covered Pots

Brighten up your pots by covering them in an array of colorful bandanas.

To make: Use Mod Podge to attach a bandana to the outside of desired-size clay pots, folding fabric one inch over the top rim and cutting off extra fabric as needed. Once dry, fill with seasonal blooms or ferns.

30 of 30

Basket Wall Art

An array of baskets in different sizes, shapes, and colors is all it takes to transform a ho-hum wall into the rooms focal point.

To make: Using nails, hang a larger basket in the middle, then surround with smaller baskets in a circular or starburst pattern.

Charlyne Mattox Food and Crafts Director Charlyne Mattox is Food and Crafts Director for Country Living.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io