Decorating on a Budget

One thing we desire here at the cottage is to make our guests feel welcome. We try to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. When my husband and I met we were students at a Bible college and then in missionary training, then serving in a mission, then parents of 3 small kids with very little income. Now, I say this so that you will know that our whole married life we have had to do things on a small budget.

I thank God that He gave me the love for decorating, and being creative. I love to pull things together. I have been known to stop by the side of the road to pick up furniture, or to find things inexpensively and find new ways to use them.

Five years ago we bought our home. It was a fixer upper to say the least. It needed so much work! The main reason we took on such a huge project was that the property came with 4 1/4 acres of land, a small creek, a huge dog run, and a massive master bedroom suite. This house was not in move in condition, even though it was less than 15 years old.

We pulled out carpet, linoleum, rotting subfloor. We painted everything, changed all the interior doors,(the old ones all had holes). My husband made new door trim, changed all the baseboard trim and put in wideplank pine floors. We still have work to do, but it is coming along quite nicely. It has taken us so long, because we only work on projects when we have the cash to do it.

When we first moved in, we painted everything in neutral colors. A few years ago when I was wanting to repaint some rooms, I asked my husband what colors he would like to see in our home and his response surprised me. He said "bold color." So we painted our basement red. Yes, red. "Cut Ruby" by American Traditions at Lowes. It is a gorgeous color! It makes our basement,which is still in progress, feel warm and inviting. We then painted our nursery two colors, a beautiful blue above the trim and a wonderful fresh green color called "lettuce alone" (also at Lowes). Those colors along with the soft white trim on the baseboard, windows, shelving combine to make that rooms so special. My husband also made this wonderful book and toy shelf.

My last decorating idea to share is from our bathroom. This room is painted in the same shade of red as the basement. We took a premade section of picket fencing and hung it on the long wall in the hall bathroom. We use it to hang bath towels on. This is always the favorite thing of everyone who comes to our home!