3 Ideas of How to Turn Recycled Items Into Functional Living Room Decorations

The modern green way of living calls for some imagination. When redecorating, the current trend is to repurpose and recycle items rather than to purchase new ones. Here are three great ideas that will be fun and economical for you to try. They’ll also let you add your personal creative touch to your living room. It’s amazing how ordinary objects can become the creative focus piece in a space.

Light Fixtures

After researching the cost of new light fixtures, you may be convinced that upcycling is the way to go. You will be amazed at the available options. Repurposing wicker baskets or crates is a cheap and easy way to make an overhead light shade. They can easily be spray-painted to match or contrast your color scheme. How about grouping them? When choosing light bulbs for your new light fixtures, keep in mind that efficiency bulbs use less electricity and last longer than regular bulbs.

Flower Pots

Another form of efficiency is to upcycle plastic bottles into flower pots. Using plastic bottles in this way not only keeps them out of the dump but also provides an inexpensive way to have plants in your home. With a little engineering, plastic bottles can be redesigned to become self-watering planters that cut down on maintenance. When using clear bottles, decorative additions such as natural colored stones or glass nuggets can be added. Depending on how you cut the plastic, different shapes can be made and spray-painted or covered with fabric on the exterior of the bottle.

Artwork

Have you considered using plastic bottle caps for creating a living room art display? Start collecting caps today and organize them by color. Decide the size you want your artwork to be and lay out the design. Once you assemble the colors of the caps you need and the background you want to mount them on, all it takes is a glue gun. You’re ready to make art. This is a fun way to get friends and family involved by asking them to save their plastic caps for your artwork.

Everyone will think you are so crafty and clever while setting an example of how to save money, recycle and tastefully decorate on a budget. Visit thrift stores like ReStore to find exciting items that need to be repurposed to give your living room a whole new look. You will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish with a bit of paint and a glue gun.

Looking to get rid of the unwanted items that are filling up your house? Click here to schedule FREE donation pickup for Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Canton!