Welcome to the three-month decorating challenge where I and a few favorite blogging friends are going to share ideas on how to decorate using what you already have!
This will be a challenge for me because I like to decorate a space, a surface, whatever it may be and that’s how it stays. I do that mostly because it costs money to keep changing things up, but how nice would it be to be able to change things up without spending a dime, by shopping the house?
That’s exactly what my friend Christy from Our Southern Home challenged us to do!
We each chose an area to decorate and in one month we will redecorate that area using what we already have from other areas of our homes. Then we’ll do it again a month later. One area, decorated three ways, for free. Are you with me?
I chose my china hutch in the dining room. It’s a fun piece of furniture to decorate, but can also be a challenge. I usually get it just how I want it after Christmas and it will stay like that…till the following Christmas!
Here’s a reminder of what my dining space looks like:
And speaking of Christmas, here’s how my hutch looked just a month ago:
Shall we rewind to three years ago?
Fancy. I almost sold this at our neighborhood’s annual yard sale, but had a light bulb moment the night before and decided to keep it and paint it. I’m so glad I kept it. I removed the doors to give it an updated feel, but still have them just in case I ever want add them back.
After clearing away the Christmas décor, I decided to stick with ironstone and mercury glass for a clean wintry feel:
You’ve seen me use my ironstone to stage several pieces for pictures and I love to use it in my own decorating too.
All of these pieces came from thrift stores. There are two patterns here and I don’t mind mixing them together. I love to just stack them.
Stacks of plates. Stacks of bowls. Stacks of flapjacks. (Just making sure you’re paying attention.)
The mercury glass pieces at the top are Target clearance finds. Homegoods has several pretty mercury glass pieces in right now. I just love them for Winter!
This is a picture of my husband’s parents on their wedding day. They’ve been married over 40 years now!
The basket was a Christmas gift from my brother and sister-in-law. They gave us a romantic carpet picnic. The basket held a pretty throw, wine glasses, a bottle of wine, and candles! Isn’t that a fun gift idea for a couple?
It fits here perfectly and since this cabinet holds crafting supplies and cookbooks, the basket allows me to also store tablecloths and napkins here, when we’re not having carpet picnics of course.
Opposite this hutch is our staircase, that’s why I never show it. This is the corner just to the right:
I use this space to photograph most of my smaller furniture pieces, especially in the Winter, but this little drum table is what lives here:
You can see the before of my $85 thrift store dining set here.
So there’s my decorated hutch for Month #1 and a mini dining room tour.
Now I would normally be all set for about the next eleven months, but not this time! I’m actually already scheming what I can steal from other parts of my house to give this piece a whole new look for part two of this challenge! You’ll have to come back February 28th to see it. š
Meanwhile, be sure to visit these creative bloggers below also participating in the Three Month Challenge!
I also have some exciting news!
We have started a Decorating Enthusiasts DIY Forum on Facebook!!
We would LOVE for you to join in the fun! It’s a place where we can all share what we’re working on, what we’ve created, or what we might need a little advice about. You can also participate in the three month challenge by sharing with us how you shopped your home to change up a space! I hope you’ll check it out and join in the conversation!
I’ll be back tomorrow to show you what I’m doing with all these drop cloth rosettes! š
XO,
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
Email * Facebook * Pinterest * Hometalk * Twitter * Instagram
I love to share at some of these great parties:
Home Stories A to Z Not Just a Housewife Kammy’s Korner The Happy Housie Design Dining and Diapers Liz Marie Blog Funky Junk Interiors Savvy Southern Style Tatertots and Jello DIY Show Off Redoux Interiors Between Naps on the Porch The DIY Dreamer Oh My Creative Little Miss Celebration Just a Girl and Her Blog Sand and Sisal Interior Frugalista House on the Way Addicted 2 DIY I should be Mopping the Floor Miss Mustard Seed
Heather @ Viral Upcycle says
I joined the Facebook page Christy. Can’t wait to see and share. Thanks!
Christy K. James says
Yay! It will be great place for everyone, bloggers and non bloggers to share ideas and ask questions! XO
Joanne Boulter says
Your dining room is so beautiful. I love the redo of your hutch. To see something that was so out dated and then to see the great change is so fun. Awesome job. Jo
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Joanne! Wasn’t is SO dated?? Paint is liquid miracle in a can. š
laura@top this top that says
i just love this idea of switching it up for a fresh new look, using stuff you already have. What a sweet gift idea. i will have to keep that in mind . i love that you threw in that texture by adding the basket to the hutch.
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Laura! This will be a fun challenge. š
Jenna says
I love to shop my house, and am always moving things around~I can hardly wait to see what you do during this challenge! Love your painted hutch, what a great idea removing the doors
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Jenna! I am already thinking of what I can do next. I’ve never been excited to decorate it before. š
Debbie says
You had me at ironstone! You’ve got a great collection, I love mixing it too! I just don’t have as much as you š Pass me another stack of flapjacks!
Love it all,
Debbie
Christy K. James says
You were paying attention ha ha. Thanks so much Debbie! I’m already looking forward to seeing everyone’s changes next month. š
Christy @ Our Southern Home says
That dining room suit price still amazed me!! It is just beautiful. I am so guilty of never changing my china cabinet. I am so looking forward to the inspiration. Double duty as craft storage is a great idea. We rarely dine in our dining room. I’m off to eat some flapjack. Later gator! ~Christy
Christy K. James says
Ha ha you were paying attention! We used to eat in ours all the time, but it’s just easier clean up to eat at our big bar/island. Thanks so much for putting this together!! XO
Connie says
Love your resourcefulness and creativity. You have beautiful taste and ideas! One question: the curtain rod above your dining room window. Is this a new trend, adding architectural interest?
Christy K. James says
Thanks, Connie! And ha ha no, I hung that rod over a year ago with the intention of hanging a curtain there and I didn’t like it as much as the “Enjoy” sign. I just never took the rod down because I thought I might some day come across a curtain I liked better. I used to crop it out of my photos, but sometimes I just let it go. š
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
Looks so pretty Christy! I love the basket and that gift idea too!! Your mix of ironstone and mercury glass IS perfect winter! š
xo
Nancy
Christy K. James says
Thank you my sweet friend! š
Teri says
Hopped over to your blog today. Liked the DR, so went back to read a few of your older posts. Smiled when I saw your kitchen re-do. My story is the same, with the 2 previous houses merged into one (his). My kitchen re-do reminded me a bit of yours…..working with existing counter tops as the new Queen of the castle. BTW, I like that title!! Thx. Subscribed now and looking forward to your future posts.
Christy K. James says
I’m so glad you stopped by today, Teri! Yes, I like to give myself that title and he let’s me think I own it. š Thanks for following along!
Marie@The Interior Frugalista says
The ironstone mixed with mercury glass is beautiful! Makes me want to restyle my bookcases….oh yeah…I don’t have any ironstone…dang. I got married three years after your in-laws but on the 26th (I’m dating myself). Are you having fun making those drop cloth rosettes? I recently made 75 and vowed I’d never do it again. LOL
Christy K. James says
Congratulations on a long and happy marriage! I’m at five years (2nd marriage), so I have a long way to go to catch up. š The first time I made a bunch of those rosettes for a stool, I vowed I wouldn’t do it again any time soon since I nearly burned my fingerprints off! This go round was much better! XO
Marie@The Interior Frugalista says
Oops, I should of mentioned that was my first marriage. Divorced in 1983. Second marriage will be 28 years in March. At least I got it right round two! lol. As for those rosettes, you brave woman you!
MaryJean says
Christy, you said you took the doors off your cabinet. I did the same thing to mine and painted it also. My question is, it looks like you didn’t have the indentation from the hinges. If you did, what did you do to hide them? I saved my doors too, just in case. Now I have a little indented area and screw holes where the hinges were and don’t know what to do with that. Any suggestions?
Christy K. James says
Hi MaryJean, I don’t have an indented area where my hinges were, just the holes where the hinges were attached. If you didn’t care to attach the doors back, you could fill the indentions in with wood putty, sand smooth, and paint it. However I’m guessing you want to keep that option open, so I don’t think there is much you can do about it. Honestly, I don’t usually mind those imperfections as they show the history of the piece, and it still probably looks great. š
Mary says
oh I love this idea!! I don’t change things out monthly but I do, do it often enough that it drives my husband a little nuts. I also love shopping my house. I did make a New Years resolution not to purchase the month of Jan and now the following months I plan to shop my stash before I buy. It’s been a little tricky and had to pass up some good pieces But I rediscovered items I forgot I had.
Can’t wait to see what you design next
Christy K. James says
I have a couple of containers in the garage that I have stashed several dĆ©cor items, but I never go look in them when I ‘m looking to change things up, I go buy new! I think I will surprise myself at how much I’ll be able to change things up with out spending a dime! š
Luisa says
Oh this is fun and a great challenge! I put myself on a monthly spending budget and for January, I hit that budget on the 10th!! Haha! Needless to say, I’ve had fun getting creative with what I already have on hand. I actually enjoyed it too! Looking forward to see what you do with the hutch in the coming months!
Christy K. James says
I needed this challenge! Not because I spend a lot redoing my dĆ©cor, but because I don’t ever change it! I’m too busy making stuff ha ha. I am excited to see how I can change it up now though! š