Home Decor: 10 Simple, Affordable Changes to Make in 2017

Have you heard? The official Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 is…..Greenery! It’s a zesty shade of yellow-green that makes us think of spring, new life, and nature.

As we head into 2017, taking down our holiday decorations and reimagining how we want our homes to look, it’s no surprise that one of the top design trends for the year is incorporating GREEN into home decor. While we’ll all see plenty of beautifully staged rooms on Pinterest and in our favorite magazines, the reality is that most of us don’t have the budget to go out and buy all new furniture and decor just to keep up with the current trends. Even if we did, many of us like what we’ve got, and don’t want a complete overhaul. So, here are 10 quick, simple, and affordable ways to bring a little bit of green into your home without breaking the bank or getting rid of everything you already have!

10 Simple Ways to Add Green to Your Decor

1. Add live {or faux} plants.

The absolute easiest and most natural way to incorporate green into your home decor is by bringing in some plants! A large statement plant looks amazing in the corner of a living or family room, while smaller succulents are perfect for the kitchen and just about any shelf or mantle space. Live plants are great, or if you’re like me and you tend to kill anything in a pot, find some realistic looking fake ones to do the trick. Placing your greenery in a neutral planter will cause the color to really pop, as you can see with this gorgeous Faux Concrete & Gold Leaf Planter created by my friend Erin Spain.

Faux Concrete & Gold Dipped Planter

Photo credit: Erin Spain

2. Liven up a lamp shade.

Changing a lamp shade is one of the most simple, affordable ways to add {or remove} a particular color to your space. Shades are relatively inexpensive, and even more so if you’re willing to source your local thrift stores and yard sales for one! This year, buy yourself a solid green one, or add fun green accents to a neutral one like my friend Bev did on this fabulous Stenciled Lamp Shade!

Stenciled Green Lamp Shade

Photo Credit: Plaid Crafts

3. Hang up some eclectic wall art.

Turn trash into treasure by taking a funky wooden object, painting it green, and making it an accent piece on your wall! My friend Kathy at Petticoat Junktion is so good at this; check out how she made a table leg into an artistic statement. You can find all kinds of things at Goodwill that would fit the bill for this; a few coats of paint, a little distressing, and you’ll have a really cool piece of decor that will get your guests talking.

Green Eclectic Wall Decor

Photo Credit: Kathy Owen

4. Swap out some of your fabric bins.

Most of us have at least one piece of cube storage furniture somewhere in our homes. We have one in the basement, three in my craft room, and one in Little Crafter’s bedroom, not to mention my DIY Crate Bookcase, which could easily hold bins too. These Green Fabric Bins are just $4.99 at Big Lots; how quick and easy is it to swap out a few of your neutral ones {or another color} for a few of these in the year’s most popular color?

5. Hang a colorful canvas.

Create your own wall art with a few stencils and some paint, including FolkArt Fresh Cut Grass! Check out my full photo tutorial for this project, made as part of the Plaid Creators Gallery Wall project.

canvas022

6. Tie on a wreath.

Wreaths aren’t just for the holidays! A bright and cheerful little boxwood wreath like this one from The Cards We Drew can add just the right pop of green to any basket, wall, or other part of your decor. Tie it on with a neutral ribbon and let its natural simplicity make a beautiful statement.

Boxwood Wreath

Photo Credit: Plaid Crafts

7. Grow some fresh herbs.

Although I’m admittedly not much of a chef, I do enjoy having fresh herbs on hand to spice things up. Lavender, rosemary, mint, and basil are some of my favorites to grow and use. Plant your own favorites in a neutral container like this Stenciled planter and they’ll bring a natural touch of green to your kitchen.  Plus, you’ll get the added benefit of their wonderful scents!

Stenciled Planter for Herbs

8. Don’t forget the dishware.

Keep your trusty white plates and serving dishes, but add a colorful accent by swapping your clear glasses for green ones, like these Artland Iris Highball Glasses. Think of how gorgeous these would look in a formal table setting! And they’re just as easy and pretty to use for every day dinners too.

Got little ones at home? You can also opt for an unbreakable version; these Urmelody acrylic glasses are made from recycled plastic. They’re shatter-resistant, BPA-free, and you can get four of them for less than $20.

9. Toss a few pillows.

Hands down, one of the easiest and most affordable ways to change your decor is by adding some new pillows or swapping out their covers. Whether it’s in the living room, family room, or bedroom, new pillows bring a whole new look to your space. Sharon Joyce Interiors created these fun geometric navy and green pillow covers with some paint and Cutting Edge Stencils. Buy or make some with your favorite patterns and see how much they liven up the room!

10. Use a colorful vase

Not only do plants and flowers bring greenery of their own to any room, you can add an extra burst of color by displaying them in a green vase. This DIY Shimmery Glitter Vase has me drooling…how gorgeous is it?! With some glitter, some Mod Podge, and some black paint, you can make your own in no time. Or, purchase one in your favorite shade of green instead.

There you have it, 10 simple ways to add this year’s most popular color to your home decor without breaking your budget. Which ideas are your favorites? Have you already started bringing green into your home?

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5 Comments

  1. The idea of green is awesome. And the way you have used the green is super genius. I am glad I visited your blog. I got the idea of how to use green in my decor.Thanks for the idea. Keep posting more.
    Regards Akshay

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