For those on a tight budget, decorating your home can seem like an impossible, unaffordable task. That’s why more and more people are making better use of the resources already available to them by undertaking up-cycling DIY projects. The increase in the popularity of Pinterest has meant budding DIYers are inundated with ideas and inspiration at the click of a button, so decorating your home on a budget has never been easier. One of the most recent big trends in DIY is up-cycling, where creative minds turn waste materials or useless objects into a new item they can add to their home. Many artists and sculptors are making a living out of up-cycling, but you don’t have to be a creative genius to do it yourself. Here are some simple ideas for up-cycling projects that anybody can have a go at…
Driftwood Necklace Holder
If you have any old wood in the garden, or even if you’ve recently replaced your old fencing, you can up-cycle a piece of wood into a beautifully unique necklace holder. All you need is a few pretty drawer knobs and a power drill, which you can pick up fairly cheaply on the Anglia Tool Centre website. Collect crystal and other unusual drawer knobs for an eclectic effect and simply drill them onto the piece of wood with equal spacing in between. Then simply attach the wood to your wall and hang the necklaces from the old drawer knobs.
Retro Record Serving Dishes
If you have old records lying around that are either scratched or just a little unloved, then you can up-cycle them into amazing retro style serving dishes for snacks or even for storing your trinkets in. All you need is an old record, an oven and a metal colander or oven-proof bowl. Simply place the record on top of the colander and put in the oven at 120°c. Bake it for a few minutes until it starts to melt a little, then take it out and mould it around the colander into whatever shape you prefer. Remove the colander and you’re left with a unique bowl for your home; considering how easy it is, you could even make a few and give some away as gifts.
