While I work on my posts for how to make the carpet tiles and cornice boards, I thought I would dig into my files and show you some adorable, simple and inexpensive projects that I thought worthy of saving for future consideration.

Before flat screen TVs, many tried to hide their TVs in armoires. Now, those that bought flat screen TVs are trying to get rid of them!

I searched Craigslist while doing this post, just to see, and there were hundreds of armoires, many of them for free! Try to imagine them with a coat of paint, molding added to the top, different door knobs, added shelves, etc.

Here’s why:

Finding one this wide would require patience, but what child wouldn’t love a little nook like this?

Children adore hiding spots, so another option for an armoire, if you can find one with full length doors, is remove the back and place it in front of a door, so it’s a “secret” entrance, whether to a closet or a room.

This doesn’t even have to be for a child; if you want a “hidden door”, this is a good option without all the work! You could even hinge the back instead of removing it completely, so if it’s opened, it looks like a regular armoire. I just came up with this while writing this and now I want to do it!

You can add shelves for storage, or use it as an office/homework station with cork, peg or chalk boards attached to the inside of the doors.

How magical! White twinkle lights is a nice option too.

Here’s a medallion sold by Marie Ricci. You can also use an inexpensive medallion ($20 at Home Depot), paint it and glue on letters painted a shade lighter. Sometimes chandeliers like this can be a little pricey; don’t be afraid to go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a chandelier, spray primer on it, then paint it the exact color you want.

I bring this up because I’ve seen light fixtures with acanthus leaves just like this at these stores. You can also add the crystals as well by drilling small holes where you want to add them. Crystals come in all colors and shapes too.

Artwork doesn’t have to be store bought. I came across this picture, but you can dissect it and figure out how they made it. My guess is you would need 8 baseballs, 4 bats, some light plywood and trim.

• Cut the 8 baseballs in half.
• Cut the 4 bats in half length-wise
• Cut 2 bats in half in the middle.
• Paint half the bats white and the other half red.
• Cut a piece of plywood large enough for the bats and balls.
• Paint a blue rectangle at top large enough to accommodate 15 baseballs.
• Mount balls and bats by nailing them in from behind.
• Add trim to the outer edges.

So unique, perfect for a boy or maybe even a man cave. You could even do something like this with golf clubs and golf balls.

Little houses. Another idea for birds is to find a large branch, set in a pretty urn and put these colorful birds and ribbons on the branches.

Attach birdcages with interesting shapes that you have painted.

Use a paper punch on magazine pages or colorful paper for cutouts. Bend them for 3D effect and mount them with glue dots. Punches for dinosaurs, airplanes, etc. are all readily available.

This isn’t a DIY, but I wanted to show the effect of attaching things to the wall in different layouts. These flowers by Chiasso are made out of chrome and are priced at $22 for a set of 20.

Simple frames bought at a craft store are great for adding prints and pictures, many of which can be found online and printed on a color printer.

My favorite is framing my children’s art. I wait for sales at craft stores and buy frames, canvases and paint to display their art and for them to create new art.

Here’s another idea for displaying artwork for the artist that produces many masterpieces. By Clean and Scentible

A magnetic strip can be run along a wall – or (and I don’t have a picture for this, sorry!), you can paint a wall with magnetic primer!

A clothes line with clothes pins is a nice idea because you can attach bulkier projects as well. Photo by this vintage chica/flickr

A sofa can be made out of cushions with bolster pillows as the arms.

This isn’t what is done on the wall but it reminded me of another project. After Christmas is a good time to buy plastic deer. Sounds gruesome, but saw their little heads off, paint, hot glue them to a wooden plaque and hang on a wall. Being a huge animal lover, it feels so wrong even though they aren’t real 😉

Hanging pompoms and paper lanterns are a fun way to inject color, either clustered together or sprinkled throughout the room.

Instead of tucking hats away, why not embrace them and make them part of the decor.

To make a mural three dimensional, incorporate objects.

With a valance and curtains, you can make a secret vignette (or even a closet) for your child.

Install narrow shelves to display books, which engages your child by letting them see all the books instead of just the spines.

Painting furniture, like a room, is an easy and inexpensive transformation. Why not mix it up and gradate the colors? Take it a step further by painting the drawer sides, so that when a drawer is pulled out, the color is revealed.

Painting furniture breathes vitality, freshness and new life into old pieces. I didn’t paint my little girl’s furniture because it was my grandmother’s, so I wanted to leave it alone. But, if I had bought it, I may have painted it.

I’m happy that you all liked the checkerboard rug and I have extra pieces of the rug that I bought in case any of the squares got stained, which will help in showing how to do it for my post. I’m also digging up the supplies for the cornice boards. The pictures are going to slow the posts down a little, so I’m not quite sure when I’ll have them ready to go.

Also, if there is something in particular that you need inspiration for or are looking for, let me know and I will try to help. I never throw away a design magazine and have thousands of pictures on my computer!

I hope you all like these tidbits and that there is something that you may find useful. Have a great day 🙂