Friday Guest Blog Interview: Thrifty Decor Chick

I’m always inspired by today’s guest blog – whether it’s a $3 Goodwill makeover or a handmade mirror, Sarah makes thrifty DIY decor look so easy. Her blog, Thrifty Decor Chick shares everyday finds and the how-to for transforming them into your favorite Pottery Barn or Williams Sonoma look-alikes.

Loving this recent transformation of an old clock into a cloche:

Every post is inspiring! Whether Sarah is redoing an old desk, updating a lamp or putting up molding I love watching her projects and then learning how much she spent. After catching up with her posts each week, I’m always feeling a tad bit too guilty for that recent West Elm splurge when I should have been able to create {with much patience} the same look for just a few dollars {ha! lesson learned}.

So let’s jump out to the interview – and PDB’s four quick design questions – and learn more about Sarah, about her blog and what inspires her. You won’t be disappointed! {For more great Guest Blog Interviews, check out this link.}

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{PDB Interview with Sarah of Thrifty Decor Chick}

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What inspires your design style?

My design style is inspired by the way we live our life. I know that’s an odd answer, but more than anything our home has to be comfy, three-year-old proof and pretty to boot. I always want our guests to feel comfortable and “hugged” when they walk into our home and never, ever afraid to sit, touch or enjoy.

I get much of my inspiration from catalogs and DIY magazines, from the numerous home décor blogs out there right now and from hardware stores of all places! My mind works in mysterious ways – often I’ll see something I love and think of a different way of implementing it for our home, for a whole lot less. And if I have an hour to walk through a hardware store, I get positively overwhelmed with project ideas. The trouble is finding the time to do them all!

What do you love most about what you do?

Decorating is my passion, it soothes my soul, it’s my creative outlet. Blogging about decor is the best of so many worlds – I’m a writer and get to write about something I’m passionate about. It just doesn’t get any better than that! I love to inspire others by sharing what I do around our house. And the fact that I get to do it all from home, (with my son!) is the icing on the cake. It is truly, truly a dream come true.

What are three design suggestions that you would like to offer our readers?

There are three changes you can make to a space that will instantly transform it:

{1} Paint is the easiest and cheapest. Painting the walls creates a completely new space for the cost of a gallon of paint! But it’s easy to get creative with too – you can create stripes with different tones of the same color, use semi gloss and matte finishes to create interest, or use stencils to dress up a wall. The sky is the limit!

{2} Fabric in the form of pillows and draperies warms up a room like nothing else. I buy all of the fabric for our window treatments and make them on my own — I could not live without my hemming tape and iron! When you make them on your own, they’ll most likely cost less than store bought, and you’ll get the exact size, color and design you want.

{3} Molding – in the form of wainscoting, chair rail, board and batten, crown, or beadboard – brings the look of your room to a whole new level. It adds architectural interest, creates value and looks fantastic! The best part is you can do it on your own with an $8 miter box and saw, nails and a hammer. In my opinion, molding is the biggest bang for your buck.

Thank you, Sarah!

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