I've recently begun my own re-design of my homes interior decor this past few weeks... on a BUDGET!
I am writing this blog, inspired by a previous blog on Bahamian style, thinking that perhaps my ideas, finds, decorating tips (I have an A.S. in Interior Design) and thoughts might inspire you to create your own Island environment in your home.
I learned this in college: If it's right for you, and it makes you happy, then there's no wrong in your design. (I couldn't agree more) Do what moves YOU! Your environment should suit you.
Being ecclectic and gypsy in nature, I love ALL things and can't just stick with just one choice in a design theme.
Where to begin.
The SPARK: New, Di by the Sea Adventures website and blog.
The PLAN: An ENVIRONMENT change to surround myself in all things Island, specifically Sea!
A little history of my current interior: My homes main design theme has always been Old World and Ghetto Fabulous. (I've always referred to our home as, Ghetto Palace) I am a barracuda at heart and love anything sparkly! (thus my nickname: Glitter Girl) New and old mixed is always the agenda. I am a big fan of royal colors, bright, bold and vivid...
The task: How to incorporate what I have already into my NEW style without breaking the bank!
New style: Seaside Chic - Ghetto Palace by the Sea (organic mixed with modern is what I am going for now)
First design change: COLOR, it's easy and inexpensive to change the color in your home. You can repaint things pretty inexpensively. *Tip: buy paint for $5.00 a gallon in the "oops" area of your locale paint center. Spray paint for accessories and smaller items, you can get those for under a few bucks as well.
Since I love the caribbean sea and beaches I decided my color scheme for my accent pieces would be caribbean blue and beachy beiges, mixed with pops of green (adapting the current GO Green scheme into my space as well), keeping my current purples, aiming for cool tones for a relaxing and calm atmosphere. My pre-existing base colors are neutral earthy tones, dark chocolate tiled flooring, seafoam, barley, brown hued and white wall paints, mostly fill my main rooms (2 bathrooms, 1 purple and the other orange/rust morroccan colored) should be easy to incorporate (neutrals are always a no brainer for adding color) So you might want to get the basics in your home set to neutrals first. Design tip: The brightest most intense colors/hues should be on the smallest elements in your decor.
Being a travel enthusiast and past travel agency owner, I already had globes, maps and interesting things displayed throughout my home. Gypsy chic. I decided that I wanted to add and focus on something more specific and comforting to me. My inspiration, my travels but focusing on beach side and tropical elements. Started off with found stuff from my travels... sand, seashells, coral we've collected. Pink sand from Bermuda, Black sand from Hawaii, Conch shells from Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas, rocks and pebbles from Arizona, Nevada and beaches all around the world.
You can hit any beach or playground and collect sand, rocks, shells and the like for FREE! Fill jars, trays, glass, wooden trays etc and display in your bathroom, this gives a beachy seaside feel to any room! Add candles for a more zen spa feel.
I'v also incorporated "bought" treasures like towels from Italy (made in Turkey), bottles, trinkets and souveniers from various islands. Those were just small additional changes, I needed more, so I set out to find things at local stores.
Below are some images of things I recently purchased to create my personal style.
I found most of these at Discount stores like Target, TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls, Big Lots and Ikea for under 20.00! Be sure to shop these places if you are a budget minded shopper like me. You can also shop Cost Plus, Pier 1, Z Gallery, but keep in mind, these can get expensive. Check their clearance sections, I got lucky on some great deals on dishes.
Garage sales are the scorzy! My husband bought me the shell votive bowl and the white glass (urchin looking) vase below for next to nothing!
I added some purchased blue sand, filled the garage sale vase to bring some color against the white. I've noticed that a lot of stores have sea side elements and accessories going on right now and lots of GO green selections of dried plant, organic finds, like rocks, sticks, shell packs etc. So that's made my design shopping easy!
I am writing this blog, inspired by a previous blog on Bahamian style, thinking that perhaps my ideas, finds, decorating tips (I have an A.S. in Interior Design) and thoughts might inspire you to create your own Island environment in your home.
I learned this in college: If it's right for you, and it makes you happy, then there's no wrong in your design. (I couldn't agree more) Do what moves YOU! Your environment should suit you.
Being ecclectic and gypsy in nature, I love ALL things and can't just stick with just one choice in a design theme.
Where to begin.
The SPARK: New, Di by the Sea Adventures website and blog.
The PLAN: An ENVIRONMENT change to surround myself in all things Island, specifically Sea!
A little history of my current interior: My homes main design theme has always been Old World and Ghetto Fabulous. (I've always referred to our home as, Ghetto Palace) I am a barracuda at heart and love anything sparkly! (thus my nickname: Glitter Girl) New and old mixed is always the agenda. I am a big fan of royal colors, bright, bold and vivid...
The task: How to incorporate what I have already into my NEW style without breaking the bank!
New style: Seaside Chic - Ghetto Palace by the Sea (organic mixed with modern is what I am going for now)
First design change: COLOR, it's easy and inexpensive to change the color in your home. You can repaint things pretty inexpensively. *Tip: buy paint for $5.00 a gallon in the "oops" area of your locale paint center. Spray paint for accessories and smaller items, you can get those for under a few bucks as well.
Since I love the caribbean sea and beaches I decided my color scheme for my accent pieces would be caribbean blue and beachy beiges, mixed with pops of green (adapting the current GO Green scheme into my space as well), keeping my current purples, aiming for cool tones for a relaxing and calm atmosphere. My pre-existing base colors are neutral earthy tones, dark chocolate tiled flooring, seafoam, barley, brown hued and white wall paints, mostly fill my main rooms (2 bathrooms, 1 purple and the other orange/rust morroccan colored) should be easy to incorporate (neutrals are always a no brainer for adding color) So you might want to get the basics in your home set to neutrals first. Design tip: The brightest most intense colors/hues should be on the smallest elements in your decor.
Being a travel enthusiast and past travel agency owner, I already had globes, maps and interesting things displayed throughout my home. Gypsy chic. I decided that I wanted to add and focus on something more specific and comforting to me. My inspiration, my travels but focusing on beach side and tropical elements. Started off with found stuff from my travels... sand, seashells, coral we've collected. Pink sand from Bermuda, Black sand from Hawaii, Conch shells from Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas, rocks and pebbles from Arizona, Nevada and beaches all around the world.
You can hit any beach or playground and collect sand, rocks, shells and the like for FREE! Fill jars, trays, glass, wooden trays etc and display in your bathroom, this gives a beachy seaside feel to any room! Add candles for a more zen spa feel.
I'v also incorporated "bought" treasures like towels from Italy (made in Turkey), bottles, trinkets and souveniers from various islands. Those were just small additional changes, I needed more, so I set out to find things at local stores.
Below are some images of things I recently purchased to create my personal style.
I found most of these at Discount stores like Target, TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls, Big Lots and Ikea for under 20.00! Be sure to shop these places if you are a budget minded shopper like me. You can also shop Cost Plus, Pier 1, Z Gallery, but keep in mind, these can get expensive. Check their clearance sections, I got lucky on some great deals on dishes.
Garage sales are the scorzy! My husband bought me the shell votive bowl and the white glass (urchin looking) vase below for next to nothing!
I added some purchased blue sand, filled the garage sale vase to bring some color against the white. I've noticed that a lot of stores have sea side elements and accessories going on right now and lots of GO green selections of dried plant, organic finds, like rocks, sticks, shell packs etc. So that's made my design shopping easy!
Another Cost free design option is to move your furniture around, within a room and amongst other rooms.
"When it's time for change, you've got to re-arrange... " (this song just went through my head!*
Re-arrange pre-existing furniture, wall decor, artwork. You can buy lamp shades for cheap and change out existing for new shapes/color. Move throw blankets around. Change out throw pillows.
Cut fresh flowers from your garden and place in vases. Dry them out for free dried flowers. (buy some dye and color your dried flowers to match your color scheme) If you don't have a garden you can always do drive-bys with scissors and get some free plants just growing off the road sides, bike and hiking trails.
If you are crafty, there are lots things you can make for free! You can also by Rit fabric dye and re-dye any fabric for next to nothing! The possibilities are really endless...
Picture frames and photos are another easy and free change out where you can add color and imagery to replicate your feel. For me, adding travel photos of us in the sea, brings in more of the turquoise color and nature to my rooms.
I want to share another great and significant design element that you can add to your environment for a small investment. SMELL!!! via Scentsy products! If you haven't heard of them, then check out this link. SCENTSY wickless candles! If you are local to the OC area, my friend Kim is a consultant, you can check out their products and make your order via her facebook page here: FANCY THIS They have an array of fragrances from beachy seaside to classic smells spa, romance, seasons and fragrance just for men.
"When it's time for change, you've got to re-arrange... " (this song just went through my head!*
Re-arrange pre-existing furniture, wall decor, artwork. You can buy lamp shades for cheap and change out existing for new shapes/color. Move throw blankets around. Change out throw pillows.
Cut fresh flowers from your garden and place in vases. Dry them out for free dried flowers. (buy some dye and color your dried flowers to match your color scheme) If you don't have a garden you can always do drive-bys with scissors and get some free plants just growing off the road sides, bike and hiking trails.
If you are crafty, there are lots things you can make for free! You can also by Rit fabric dye and re-dye any fabric for next to nothing! The possibilities are really endless...
Picture frames and photos are another easy and free change out where you can add color and imagery to replicate your feel. For me, adding travel photos of us in the sea, brings in more of the turquoise color and nature to my rooms.
I want to share another great and significant design element that you can add to your environment for a small investment. SMELL!!! via Scentsy products! If you haven't heard of them, then check out this link. SCENTSY wickless candles! If you are local to the OC area, my friend Kim is a consultant, you can check out their products and make your order via her facebook page here: FANCY THIS They have an array of fragrances from beachy seaside to classic smells spa, romance, seasons and fragrance just for men.
Another fun change I made was to bring the indoors to the outdoors... Moving some indoor furniture outside. I now have a nice make shift margarita bar. Found some loungers for just 50.00!! at Target on clearance, bought 4 for the price of just 1 anywhere else! DEAL, thank you Target. Look around these deals can be found.
I've got my eye on this: at Z Gallery ... Waiting for a sale of course!
yep, it's a BARRACUDA! I never thought I would want to have a fish displayed in my house, but now I kinda do!
Tip: Sign up for z gallerys email: you get entered into their monthly 1,000.00 Giveaway and heads up on special memers only discounts!
yep, it's a BARRACUDA! I never thought I would want to have a fish displayed in my house, but now I kinda do!
Tip: Sign up for z gallerys email: you get entered into their monthly 1,000.00 Giveaway and heads up on special memers only discounts!
Another no brainer for a seaside tranquil feel.. an aquarium!... You can go with either fresh water or salt. (we used to have a 200 gallon salt tank back in the late 80's - 90's, awesome coral and color fish but had to nix it, it takes some upkeep) You don't have to go that large! You can always just buy a small bowl, funky glass vases and add, sand, rocks, plants (with or without fish) it can give the feel of the sea.
Or go with a free no care aquarium, change your screen saver on your household computers to "Aquarium", - no upkeep!
Or go with a free no care aquarium, change your screen saver on your household computers to "Aquarium", - no upkeep!
I will be continuing this post as I find DISCOUNT and FREEBIE ideas to share... Keep checking back!
Please leave feedback and SHARE any design hookups, ideas that you have!
Share your photos too, inspire us!
Please leave feedback and SHARE any design hookups, ideas that you have!
Share your photos too, inspire us!
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