Bargain Decorating

[Julie-Ann]

Last night whilst everyone else in the house was busy I managed to have control of the TV Remote:D. Of course being Tuesday night, I watched the decorating shows on the How To Channel. There was a show on called "Design on a Dime". The designer created a fluffy style rug, that is all the rage at the moment, from 4 bathmats. She got 4 bathmats in that same texture and stitched them together with embroidery cotton. It actually looked great. The seams on the back were rough so you wouldn't put it on nice polished floorboards in case it scratched them. But from the front noone would know. The total cost was $100 instead of the $300 a similar rug would have cost.
Does anybody else know any cheap & cheerful decorating ideas?

[testarossa]

Wow.. That was really great.. How long did she do that?

__________________
You bleed just to know you're alive...

[Julie-Ann]

It didn't seem to take her very long to do at all. It was just stitching 4 mats together.
Have you ever watched the show?
I love to find a bargain:)

[silkinteriors]

:D I love it!

[daphadills]

Some old friends of ours did the same with bathmats. They had rubber backing so perfect for floor boards. They stitched them together than gaffer taped for extra wear and tear lol.
It look great.
They also bought some bathmat material off a role at bunnings and created a funky style rug as well.
Sorry cant show any pics as we lost contact with them :(

[Julie-Ann]

That's fantastic as those rugs are about $500 here in Australia.

Another cute idea they did was to create cushions out of old jeans. They used the top of the jeans so the cushions had pockets in them - the perfect place to hold a remote:D

[tracyel]

I was watching Sarah's House on the How To Channel yesterday and she didn't like the lamp shade she bought so she used a length of ribbon and wrapped it from top to bottom all the way around. It looked like a completely new lamp shade.
I love that idea. Wish I had thought of it before giving my old ones away and buying new ones.....lol

[Julie-Ann]

That sounds gorgeous Traceyl. Do you remember what room she was doing? I would love to find a picture.

[tracyel]

I think is was the west facing bedroom on her farm. It was either that one or the north facing bedroom.

[Fiona]

you girls make me want to get paytv!

[Julie-Ann]

I couldn't find a picture of it on the internet:(.
But thanks for letting us know that she has a new series on TV. I think I will post it as a separate thread as I know several members love her show.
Fiona Foxtel is a lovely little luxury but just that a luxury. Just think if you had Foxtel you might not visit us here as often:D

[tracyel]

LOL fiona. I have two very demanding toddlers so everything I want to watch on tv I have to record on the foxtel IQ and watch it once they go to bed for the night. 90% of the shows are on the How To channel.

[Fiona]

We keep considering it but then I say NO! Hubby and the kids thought for sure we were going to get it last year as we moved from NSW to VIC and I couldn't watch NRL unless I stay up and watch it from 11pm! Who knows one day I might get it.
I do watch some decorating shows they are on seven2 the new ch7 tv station on Saturday nights. oh and better homes and gardens too ofcourse.

[Julie-Ann]

Traceyl is the show you watched her new series about renovating a Farmhouse?

[tracyel]

Yes Julie-Ann it is. I didn't know about it until I saw an ad for it. I think I may have missed the first couple of episodes...bummer.

[Julie-Ann]

Drats - just as well they repeat things so often:D