According to my teens, our house is decorated "Grandma Style"....

[Merry]

Well, we are grandparents with three grandchildren and one more on the way. But at the same time, we are parents of a ten year old boy. I don't want him growing up in an elderly decorated house if you know what I mean. We have pictures from when we first got married about thirty years ago. All of our furniture are second hand and in the style of the tv series, "Full House." We need to update but we don't have the money to get anything except for more second hand stuff which won't help, right? What changes can we make that will turn our house into a home that make our son will feel like he's part of the 21st century, not the "80's" generation? We want that for ourselves too by the way.

[Julie Smith]

As far as I'm concerned as long as you home doesn't smell strange (I found my Gramma's house always smelt , um strange) you are doing fine. :)

 

I don't know many people who don't have second hand furniture... Just say it's not gramparent style. It's college student style.

[AuntieM]

Request a Pottery Barn catalogue. While you may never purchase from them, or even decide you don't like their look, it will give you a good idea of today's decorating trends.

 

ETA Yes, PB is expensive! But you can copy the look via craigslist, garage sales and Lowe's. A couple of cans of paint (traditional and spray) can go a long way, and slipcovers are getting better and cheaper. Be sure you're on the mailing list for Bed Bath & Beyond, they're always sending out 20% off coupons and they accept them past the expiration date.

 

Have fun with this! Make it a one-room-at-a-time adventure!

Edited May 9, 2011 by AuntieM

[KnitWit]

Maybe your teens should have bought you some new furniture for Mother's Day? ;)

 

Ask them to pick out what you should have to redecorate, make a cost list and then tell them what they will have to do without in order for you to afford to bring your home into the year 2011. :)

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Maybe your teens should have bought you some new furniture for Mother's Day? ;)

 

Ask them to pick out what you should have to redecorate, make a cost list and then tell them what they will have to do without in order for you to afford to bring your home into the year 2011. :)

 

Definitely a great project for the teens to work on! Maybe have them work out a way to earn the money to update the house.

[goldberry]

We need to update but we don't have the money to get anything except for more second hand stuff which won't help, right?

 

No, second hand stuff can be great! As others have said, its the style, not whether it is second hand or not. Look at some magazines to get an idea of what you like. Then hit the thrift stores. Thrift stores in more affluent areas often have almost new furniture from folks who update their furniture every couple of years. Same with Craigslist.

 

It will take some regular shopping, don't expect to find everything (or anything) on your first try.

[laughing lioness]

Have you looked at Ana White's site? There are very simple, inexpensive furniture ideas that your son could even build. I've also been checking out other decorating blogs like The Nester and others (I have a few that I like listed on the side bar of my blog) for inspiration and ideas.

Since our house fire we've lived in "impersonal" space and our money is still going to house re-build and other essentials. I am trying to furnish and decorate a house with very little, starting with a blank slate;) There are TONS Of great ideas on the web that are virtually free and really cool. Lots of "knock off" ideas from Ballards and PB that you can make yourself.

 

You might actually have quite a bit of furniture that you could update with paint, etc. I am constantly amazed how a bit of paint, new knobs, etc can transform a dresser or old hutch. Look at things in unique ways. I just found a pot rack (stainless steel, complete with hanging knobs -it probably cost well over $100 new) at a garage sale for $6. We are going to use it as a "closet" in our ds's attic bedroom (when we get to that room). It has a rack, and a hanging bar, clean, modern lines, etc. Just what he wanted and dirt cheap compared to any other closet "thing."

 

Find a style that you like, traditional, country, modern, etc. and see what elements define that. Then start re-creating, with what you have, living spaces with those elements.

 

Start with one, small, defineable space, like a bathroom or your ds's bedroom. I've found great stuff at garage sales, craigs list (and I usually bargain), and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I have themes in mind for each space and really think through if the stuff I find will fit with the theme.

[Teachin'Mine]

I agree with Lisa - paint is your friend!

 

I'd look at keeping most of your furniture and consider painting it - white can give a very fresh look or black can give a very modern look - and accenting it with lots of color in pillows and other accessories. Painting the walls can do wonders too. Pick a style - great suggestion from Auntie M - and then do one room at a time. Sometimes a single pillow can be the inspiration. Have fun!!! :)

Edited May 9, 2011 by Teachin'Mine

[Tammyla]

I'll second the second on painting. Also change out old drapes and ditch any doilies:D.

[kristavws]

I will second or third the recommendation on paint. Paint is your friend!! I just repainted several rooms in our house. I can not tell you what a transformation it has made, even with the same furniture.

[Jennifer in MI]

I'll second the second on painting. Also change out old drapes and ditch any doilies:D.

 

:lol::lol::lol: Doilies!!!

 

I agree with the others - paint. It can make a huge difference. Pick some modern colors. Don't be afraid of color! We did our dining room (above the chair rail) in a dark blue and we get compliments on it all the time!!! We did our entryway and living room in a sagey/khaki color. LOVE it!!!!

 

Replace draperies with something simple - simple hardware and panels to compliment the paint colors. Paint all trim white. That may be all you need to do.

 

We found adding carpets is a nice way to make it look more modern too. We've found some fairly inexpensive ones at Overstock and Sam's Club.

 

When I did my dd's room, I also looked at the Pottery Barn catalog! The looks are SO nice and VERY easy to replicate.

 

Furniture - ours is also handed down from family. We got some on Freecycle too. I think as long as the furniture is neutral, you can easily accessorize to modernize. Pillows. Throw blankets. ETc.

 

Can you post some pictures? I'd love to help!

[Outdoorsy Type]

A lot of my furniture is second hand. I try to find things with "good bones", like the circular table in my kitchen that looks like a PB table. Except it was $50 from CL and was scratched, smoky and a dated color when I bought it. A little bit of sanding and paint and that baby looks great! Plus I didn't spend $400+ to get the look. :D

 

 

I actually painted all of my ugly cheap pine dining room furniture black. It looks a lot like PB, but for a fraction of the cost.

[LifeLovePassion]

 

www.remodelaholic.com has super fun DIY ideas!

[snickelfritz]

I do think more modern 2nd hand can help get you away from the granny feel. Or, maybe, slipcovers. My grandmas house was dark, cluttered with tchotchkys, and had too many photographs. I love family photographs, but I think a few framed ones in prominent places are actually more visible than having them packed in every single nook and cranny.

[awstgs]

Check out IKEA or even just google. There are tons of things you can do to update a room without spending tons. Paint is cheap and can do wonders! YOu can paint walls and furniture to update most things. Curtains can make or break a room too. Decorating doesn't have to be expensive. You just need inspiration. You can do it!

[Denisemomof4]

It really depends on what you'll want to look at, what your taste is.

 

The easy answer to this is to go with bolder paint colors. You can find some real cheap wall decorations. Do you have a Homegoods near you? I was shocked to find some of my Homegoods finds at my favorite gifts shops up north yesterday, with MUCH more expensive price tags! I was THRILLED to see the hundred's I've saved on some of my decorations!!! I have a glass platter in a wrought iron plate holder that absolutely looks like some expensive piece done by an artist. I paid $15 and i'm telling you that if there was a robbery in our house, I think someone would steal it - assuming it was valuable!!!

 

Paint colors, slip covers, and nice but bargain priced decorations could totally give your home a make-over while not breaking the bank. I wish I lived near you, I *love* to take on projects like this! I've been asked to help people many times. *LOVE* it!!!

 

Don't move on anything now. Go to Homegoods andlook around,. Browse catalogs. Look at Pier 1. (Pier 1 has some really cool stuff!) Even browse decorating books at Barnes and Noble. You'll get an idea for the style you want, then find what you like piece by piece.

 

DON'T buy somethng just to fill a spot. Wait for just the right piece. I have literally waited for years to fill a spot with something I absolutely love.

[KarenNC]

Well, we are grandparents with three grandchildren and one more on the way. But at the same time, we are parents of a ten year old boy. I don't want him growing up in an elderly decorated house if you know what I mean. ....What changes can we make that will turn our house into a home that make our son will feel like he's part of the 21st century, not the "80's" generation? We want that for ourselves too by the way.

 

 

Well, first I would ask him to very specifically say what makes your house "grandma style" and what would make it "modern." You should ask yourself that as well. Without a plan, you won't end up where you want to be. Then start by looking at what you already have and whether or not it can be rearranged. That can make a big difference.

 

Paint is your friend, but it's not necessarily cheap. I bought a bookcase headboard for my daughter and told her we'd buy some paint to paint it black (compromise, since I won't let her paint the walls black;)). I was floored by the cost of paint and primer. Still probably less than I would have spent to buy one new, but more than I had planned. So I would suggest that, if you plan to paint furniture, pick a basic color palette so you don't have to buy multiple colors--accent with fabrics, etc.

[Merry]

"modern style". I think people still like antiques, don't they? But I guess it depends on what makes it an antique and what makes it just old. My teens suggested painting the woodwork white or black, just like you said. I'll go to the websites you guys suggested. I'm going out of town for a week but when I get back...thanks!

[AuntieM]

Just wanted to add, if you actually like your current artwork, changing out the frame to something more sleek/simple/modern is an option.

 

I do not use expensive paint for inexpensive furniture. Just last month I bought a quart of exterior latex black and redid a bed frame - $5. I also redid a table and chair set. Quart of dark blue custom mix exterior latex paint, just over $8. Colorful canvas fabric, about two yards, on sale for a dollar a yard. Staples for my staple gun, $3 for a box (I probably used fifty cents' worth). Can of Scotch Guard to protect the new cushion cover, $7, optional. That's a "new" dinette set for twenty bucks.

Edited May 10, 2011 by AuntieM