It’s the night before (insert any special event here) and there’s absolutely no way that your home will be nicely decorated in time. You’re pacing around your house nervously in hopes of somehow coming up with a last minute save-the-day type solution. Flipping through magazines for inspiration is only making you wish you went to interior design school (who would think to hang a plate on a wall?!) and you’re really regretting the bland DIY job you did decorating. No worries, your home will soon be party-ready after just a few simple Shabby Chic touches.
Dress The Door
What better place to start decorating than from the very first thing your guests will see – the entrance to your home. You can make a pretty, seasonal wreath with minimal effort, so your guests will know your home is party-ready even before they enter. Here’s how:
- Make a base using two wire coat hangers, stretched out to form a circle. Wire the hangers together and cover with duct tape.
- Cut several 8″ to 10″ long branches of greenery (redwood, pine, douglas fir, etc.)
- Using lightweight floral wire, secure the branches to the wreath base. Overlap the stems. Keep adding stems until the wreath base is fully covered.
- Add and secure decorations with floral wire or hot glue.
Start From the Bottom
Layering rugs can quickly and easily bring your home decor to the next level. If you have time, look to purchase another area rug for your space. Besides for providing a home-y, designer’s touch, a rug will protect your expensive carpet, Persian, or hardwood underneath. Now you won’t have to scrub that wine stain out of your expensive carpet or rug with a toothbrush, or worry about those new marks your friend’s aggressive Louboutins made on your floor. Even if you have carpeted floors, layering a rug on top can look effortlessly chic and totally party-ready.
Style Your Table
The last time you played thought of a table in a creative way was probably when you were a child, but I’m sure some of the energy you used to Sharpie your stick-art all over your parent’s kitchen table and walls can be revived to inspire your creativity. Your table is like a canvas, and you should let your artsy spirit shine. Don’t be afraid to purchase mismatched patterned runners, plates, and cups. You can pair complimentary designs and test out different color schemes until you reach the look you’re going for.
Who has time to purchase fancy flower vases seconds before guests arrive? I love the girly-rustic contrast when fresh flowers are placed in empty kitchen bottles. They look even better when you paint them. It allows for a laid back, casual, country-like vibe that is especially perfect during the summertime and warmer seasons. I also keep a stash of silk flowers and some metallic paint on hand for occasions like these.
Scentsational Mason Jar Air Fresheners
Everyone loves the feeling of walking into a warm, apple-cider smelling home on a cold winter night, or an airy, lemon-scented summerhouse after a long day at the beach. Why not bring these wonderful scents into your own home yourself, and kiss that Bath and Body Works visit goodbye? It’s one less stop to make before the guests arrive…
Besides for the fact that you could practically make them in your sleep, these Mason Jar room fresheners could perk up any space with their bright colors and fresh looks, ideal for any party setting.
Citrus Mint Freshener – I love how the citrus compliments the mint in this fresh scent combination.
Ingredients: One lemon, grapefruit, lime, or orange cut into circles. Water. Mint leaves.
Instructions: Place fruit and water into a pot, and bring to a simmer. Add more water to the pot as it evaporates. When ready, transfer the liquid to the mason jar, and put in a few mint leaves. Enjoy the scent!
Cinnamon Freshener – This scent is especially great during the autumn and winter.
Ingredients: Whole cinnamon and water. Place ingredients into a pot, and bring to a simmer.
Instructions: When ready, transfer the liquid to a mason jar, and display in your home. Breathe in the goodness! For a nighttime party, add floating (beeswax or soy) tea lights.
Tip: To keep your bathrooms smelling fresh during your party, place a freshener in each one. If you want to make the scent even stronger, add some essential oils to the mix.
How will you spruce up your home for your next event?
Can’t get enough of your amazing DIY ideas! Can’t wait for more. I hope you post more soon. 🙂
Found your website while searching for shabby home deco ideas on the web. Seems like I’ve found just the right place! So many articles full of amazing ideas. Can’t wait to read them all in details!
Oh god yes! I need to get some stylish and colorful tableware. Thanks for the reminder. ?
I love the idea of decorating the door with a wreath. It could help any place look homely. 🙂
Beautiful ideas! I haven’t changed the decoration of my house in a few years, and I’m starting to get real bored of it. Everybody compliments how beautifully decorated my house is, but it’s starting to look dull to me.
It’s like starting a new life when you redecorate right? 😉
I just love these!! Such lovely small decorations that can change the look of a whole room!
Colors too. I tried to change the color of my bedroom from mint green to lavender. I put everything back to their exact places and changes nothing except my bed sheets. And it feels like I am in a totally unknown zone. Which is cool actually! New life, new room and new me!
Getting married at the end of the summer. We are planning a small wedding in my parents’ backyard. We have a small budget, so we didn’t hire a wedding planner. So far it’s been fun. My fiance helps a lot. He’s an artist so he’s a very creative man. That comes a lot handy when planing an all – DIY wedding. I’ve come across some stunning ideas on your blog, some are from this article, some are from previous articles. In a way you will have helped planing our wedding, so thank you so much!
Lovely ideas, Hilary. Not too shabby. 😉 Lol I’m not always full of bad puns like this I promise, but you’re always full of unique and inspirational ideas. Love you and Urbanette so much! xo
Greetings from Paris! I’d like to start off by thanking you for this wonderful article. Helped me out creating a better mental picture of how to decorate my apartment. – That’s where BUT comes in…- BUT my girlfriend is moving in with me next month, yes we are a LGBT couple and very proud! I want to go for a completely shabby style redecoration, but she’s more of an artsy-musician person, so she wants some bohemian spirit in the apartment. We figured we should meet up in the middle and mix shabby and bohem. But sadly we are confused and clueless as to how to do it without making our place look odd. Any tips or advice? Thank you!
Wow! Who could’ve ever guessed that you could learn so much from a quick read? Inspiration is flowing right now. I can’t wait to start redecorating my room. I’ll definitely be using the tips I’ve learned from you. 🙂