Bedroom Decor Repurposed To Look New
I’ve got some DIY repurposing ideas using fabric and more that are both easy and cost-effective for you to do in a bedroom or any room in your home. These “use what you have” decorating ideas can be done with items you probably have lying around or even more exciting, unused fabric and bedding you have stashed in a closet or drawer and have forgotten about.
If you would like to give a room in your home a refresh, now is the time to go on a “search and gather” mission to find items in a color scheme you would like to see in the room making use of items you already own.
A few weeks ago I posted about the new bed in the guest room that I was making over. I shared a few glimpses of the green and white color scheme I was using, but the post was focused on the new mattress and frame and that I no longer would need a bed skirt with the new upholstered bed frame.
After receiving many emails about the items in the room and where I got them, I knew I needed to do a post about them. I usually am so focused on writing the facts or a tutorial in a post that I forget to share where items can be purchased. I have to get better about doing this. All the resources for the room are listed at the end of the post.
We all know that when you use the “use what you have method” of decorating saves you money, while giving new life to stuff you have been holding on to for one reason or another.
I recently did this to begin refreshing the guest room, searching through bins, boxes and closets for items that were green and white, as well as colors that would compliment them. Above is what I found that would fit into the green and white color scheme I was going for.
I am known to reuse fabric from just about anything to make new decor for my home, like the time I repurposed the fabric from a broken deck umbrella to make kitchen chair seat covers.
So don’t overlook any item. For instance, maybe you have a bedspread in your linen closet that you no longer use, why not cut it up to make pillow covers or a window shade.
Know Your Taste, Style and Favorite Colors
If you have been reading my blog for a long time, then you may recognize some of the fabric leftovers I found in the photo above and what I made with each in the past.
When you are confident in your decorating style and can zone in on your favorite colors does make finding items to use for a “use what you have” room refresh easier as many of the items you own are probably in the color you want to use. For me these decorating colors are white, greens, blues and pinks.
This is what happened in my case as I loved the fabrics years ago and still do, so much so that I couldn’t even part with the items I made with them. For instance, the green and white throw blanket above as well as the leftovers/scraps knowing that someday I may find a use for them, like I just did for the guest room.
What Goes With Green Decor?
When decorating with the color green, using white with it creates a fresh and spring-like vibe. Other colors that compliment green and white decor are pink, purple, blue and yellow.
What I Found to Repurpose & Reuse for the Guest Room Refresh
- These two Simple Throw Blankets I made for my living room in my previous home back in 2011. I haven’t used them in a long time, but kept them over the years as I loved the color and texture of the fabric. For the guest room I cut one up to make 2 pillow shams and a cover for a throw pillow for the bed. The second throw blanket got a white quilt lining added to it and pom-pom trim to match the new white pom-pom trimmed quilt set I bought.
2. I took apart these Fringe Trimmed Pillow Covers I had made for my living room sofa to make into bed pillow shams. I also considered using the green pillows I had made for the banquette bench seating in my previous home’s kitchen.
3. I moved the 3-Panel Green Glaze Painted Decorative Screen from my living room that adds a pop of color to the far corner of the room. I switched the blue tray style night table from the room with a white one that was in another guest room.
4. Brought two identical white lamps into the room. One was previously in my bedroom and the other my craft room.
5. A vintage basket that was being stored in My Attic Decor Stash.
6. Two small green and white vases that I previously used in my living room, but were in my decor storage stash. I bought them at a local boutique.
7. A thrift store tall glass vase that I had painted the bottom with white paint a few years ago that was also in my attic decor stash.
One question that may come up when you are trying to decorate a room using items you already own is, What happens if you move one item, say a lamp or a piece of furniture from one room to use in another? Then the first room will be without it.
The answer to this problem is that you know what you own and what needs to stay in a room as it is the best place for it. But at the same time, open up your thinking, items don’t have to stay in the same place for years in a home – allow for change and move decorative items from space to space, you may just like it better in a new spot.
You may end up having to purchase something new for where you removed an item, but look at it this way – two rooms get something new for the price of one.
TIPS: The Art of Reusing Items When Decorating a Room
When decorating a room using the “use what you have decorating method” keep these tips in mind.
- Use only what you love – avoid trends. Safe will never be unique – do you!
2. Take the time to figure out what your style is – new, antique, casual, etc or a combination that makes for individualized spaces.
3. Decide what colors you want to see in the space – discard the rest and work within that palette to create a more cohesive look.
4. As I mentioned earlier, go exploring in your home. Move things around between rooms – it will tigger new ideas and show what good looks like. View everything with new eyes.
Decide what will stay, what can be repurposed or what needs to go. Then make a list of what the room needs and go searching for it around your home in the color scheme you are going to use.
I took the concept a step further by redesigning textiles and bedding I found to fit my new needs. When doing this it helps if know how to sew and own a sewing machine. But even if you don’t sew, there are many No Sew Decorating Methods for you to use that work very well.
5. Decide where your focal points for the room are going to be. The green glazed screen adds a color pop that is seen as soon as you enter the room. I have a plan for the headboard for the bed. I just need to get it done. When it is made, it will add more focus to the bed wall as will if I make the wall into an accent wall with paint or wallpaper.
6. Display decorative accessories in odd numbers with no fewer than three items to create impact.
7. Add layering – think throws, pillows, a statement piece, stacks of books mixing decor and functional everyday items. I tried out all the pillows I had and ended up removing the pale green one that was originally made for the banquette seating in my previous home in Pennsylvania.
8. Celebrate the beauty of imperfections – aged and worn items add depth, character and provenance. When rooms are too perfect they can feel unwelcoming.
9. Remember, stylish or decorated does not have to mean expensive – some of the best homes are filled with low-cost personal treasures. You just need the confidence to seek and find and then experiment with what you find until the space seems just right.
Decorating a home takes time – and will never be finished. The journey should always be evolving. Edit, switch things up and challenge yourself to find new and creative ways to use what you have and then buy what you need to fill in any gaps.
Bedroom Resource List
- White Pom-Pom Trimmed Quilt Set
- Quilted Cotton Blanket
- Deep Pocket Luxury on a Budget Hotel Fitted Sheet Set
- Dark Green Shams – Quilting fabric from Hobby Lobby
- Green and White Fabric – Shams, Throw Pillow and Decorative Throw Blanket – Vintage
- White Pom-Pom Trim
- Modern White Curtains
- Faux White Tulips
- White Lamp – HomeGoods
- White Mirror Topped Side Table
More DIY Home Decorating Ideas
If you like to decorate your home with fabric then don’t miss How to Make a Mondo Pom-Pom Trimmed Fur Throw Blanket for a bed, sofa or chair. Colorful fabric can also be easily made into a Reversible Padded Headboard Cover or as an accent color as Chair Back Covers for dining room chairs.
