10 Easy Knock-Off Decor Ideas Anyone Can Do 

Love the look of designer decor you see in a shop or while browsing online, but can’t justify the cost of the real thing? Try making the decorative item yourself! Here are some ideas for knock-off decor to inspire you so you can turn any room into a stylish space on a budget.

I enjoy going to local home decorating and furniture stores on a regular basis as they can be a treasure trove of decorating ideas.

Rustic farmhouse hutch. Knock-off decor to DIY

I don’t go to buy, but to browse. I go to come across ideas and inspiration that I can DIY myself. Although, I do usually end up buying something.

On my latest retail browsing trip, I took photos to share some of the decorative merchandise I saw. So many of you ask me where I come up with ideas. Getting out and browsing my favorite stores is one way.

Even if I come across an item I don’t like as a whole, I may like one part of it. I take note of that part and file it away for something to try in the future. I never dismiss anything. I look at every detail, both big and small.

Here are 10 items that got my attention and how you can create something similar yourself.

Individually Frame a Series of Favorite Sayings

small gold frames lined up on a shelf with sayings written on them

Spray paint a collection of frames any color. Type a few of your favorite sayings using your computer, then print out. Cut to size and frame.

Create a Pair of Colorful Striped Canvases

Easy knock off decor to do. Colorful painted stripe canvases on a wall.

Buy stretched canvases at the craft store when they are on sale or with a coupon. Use up craft paint to paint horizontal stripes across the canvas. Look closely – some of the stripes have a mix of colors and the lines are not perfect – so no artistic skills are needed.

Make Small Pom-Poms for a Bed Pillow

Bed Pillow sham with small pom-poms on a bed

Use embroidery floss or yarn to make pom-poms and then attach to a pillowcase you have. You can sew them on to the pillowcase or use hot glue.

Paint Number Canvases

easy knock off decor - number signs

Another wall art idea using a canvas or a piece of plywood. Paint it black. Then paint a large number on it. Add brass corner braces for a finished look.

Painted Furniture Finishes

blue aged painted finish on sideboard

If you see a great looking painted finish on a piece of furniture, take a close-up photo of it so you can use it as a guide to create the look on your next furniture makeover.

Drinking Glasses as Small Vases

Easter flowers in drinking glasses

Single faux hydrangea blooms in an old-fashioned glasses is super easy to do and creates a nice impact on a table top.

Salvaged Wood & Fluted Pie Tins

knock-off wood turned wood post pillar candle holders on a table.

Use either salvaged porch railing parts of buy new turned wood parts at the home improvement store and age them with paint and stain. Attach a rusted pie tin to the top to hold a pillar candle.

Cigar Box Lamp

Lamp base made of cigar boxes.

Even if you don’t want to make a lamp, a stack of cigar boxes looks nice on a table.

Reinforce Your Decorating Style

White table place settings in wood table in Pottery Barn store.

This is kind of a take on knock-off decor. I love seeing the decorating style I use in my own home out in the stores. This tablesetting is at Pottery Barn. I have almost everything on this table, but I bought it all at thrift stores and yard sales for a fraction of the price. :-)

I am sure you enjoy doing this yourself – getting out and about for some retail therapy to find decorating and style inspiration.

If you do, have you been inspired to make something yourself that you saw in a store? Did you make it?

If you haven’t, I highly recommend carving out an afternoon to do it… and don’t forget your cellphone to take photos.

Happy browsing!

Easy Home Decor knock-offs anyone can do - 3 photos of knock off decor.

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16 Comments

  1. Michele M. says:

    First time visitor – came from Thistlekeeping (Thistlewood Farms) and I am so glad I did! I couldn’t agree with your decor philsophy any more than I do at this moment! You voice perfectly how I do/feel. Thank you. Following you now. Feels like kismet. Been much too long since I’ve been out and I feel the need now to do so. Thanks for the inspiration. :-)

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Michele – Thank you for taking the time to say hi and connect with me as a new reader. I will have to thank KariAnne for sending you to my post. I love finding kindred spirits who share the same decor philosophy as me. I enjoy creating and making pretty things for my home. It is just the way my brain is wired. :-) Sometimes it is not even about cost, but seeing something I like, but knowing with a few tweaks I can make it even better for my needs.

  2. Those numbers would be fun to do by painting a white surface black, then scratching off some of the black. Hmm …

  3. I have been doing this for years. I’m the crafter in the family so I always had to make 5 for all my sisters. Sometimes I was so burnt out that I never keep a copy of each project for myself.

  4. What a great idea! Next week I’m going to make time to go out and gather some inspiration at local shops. I like the images you shared. Love the simple brass looking frames with sayings. That would be really easy to do. Can you share where you saw the frames? I like the simplicity of them, and I can think of some meaningful phrases to personalize them to our family. I also love the simple green hydrangeas in drinking glasses. And I need to find some cigar boxes to stack. Hmmmmm…wonder where I can thrift them… Genius!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!

  5. Love this post….it is so much fun to see all the displays. How creative they are is inspiring to me as well.
    The store you were at looks like a fun place 💜

  6. Diane, the wood cabinet in the first photo is lovely. Thanks again for the inspiration I may tackle the stripes on canvas.

  7. Great ideas Diane. The store you are in reminds me of Pier One. That was such a great store.
    What store were you in for all these great ideas? I would love to get those gold mini frames. I always look forward to your post, they never disappoint.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Diane – The store where I took the photos for my post was in a local furniture store called, Chapin Furniture. Here is a link to it: https://chapinfurniture.com/

  8. Thank you for these fun and easy ideas!

  9. Thank you. These are all great ideas! I always get a little excited when I see an email from you.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks Bonnie – I love hearing that you get excited when you get an email from me. That is the best thing a blogger can hear. XO

  10. What a great list of creative ideas, Diane! I’ll definitely look at things I see with a different eye to create it myself, especially Pottery Barn. Thanks for the inspiration!

  11. Hi Diane, I don’t know what I’d do without your creative vision! I’d never see these things in a store and think, “I can do that!” I’m taken with every one of these decorative touches. Your idea for painting my own striped canvases is my project for this weekend! Thank you for sharing your creative spirit!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Judy – I am so happy that my post has inspired you to create. Now when you shop, you can keep an eye out for items to DIY by breaking the whole item into parts to see how basic it is made. Whenever I shop, my mind just goes into “how can I make this myself” mode. I guess it is just how my brain is wired. Even as a kid I did it.