Who here actually enjoys the furniture store? It may be fun to look at home setups and pre-made beds, but even shopaholics tend to find this a bit of a drag. By the time you get halfway around, you’re probably scuffing your feet and wishing you could leave. Then, to make matters worse, you have to cope with the sting when you get to the checkout. In few other stores would we spend as much as we tend to when shopping for our homes.
Of course, we convince ourselves it’s worth it. These are quality pieces, and they’re going to turn our houses into the homes we so desire. At least until next season, when we head back and do it all again. Such is the curse of owning a home and making it look good.
If the idea of the furniture store makes you feel sick by now, we’re here with news. It doesn’t need to be this way. Getting your home looking the way you want needn’t be a chore. By letting DIY into your life, you can change the game, and create timeless decor which you’re sure to be happy with for years to come.
This needn’t even be as difficult as you might assume. DIY is reasonably straightforward once you have a basic toolkit behind you. All you need is a quality drill, plenty of screwdrivers, and a glue gun from a leading glue guns supplier. You may also want to include a tape measure and spirit level. With all that to hand, though, you can forget the furniture store. You’ll never need to buy these home basics again.
Tables
Let’s start with the largest DIY item, shall we? A table is a centerpiece in many a kitchen, dining room, and even living rooms. It’s one of the most substantial furniture items in your home, and it’s probably one of the most expensive, too. By the time you’ve paid for the table and the delivery, you’re looking at a hefty old bill. And, you can avoid all that by making this yourself. Admittedly, many designs do need some level of woodwork skill to pull off. That said, don’t assume they’re above you. There are plenty of easy to follow tutorials online for even table designs which seem complex. If you want to keep it simple, though, there are plenty of ways to strip projects like this back. By using an old palette, for example, you provide yourself with a stable base. All you would then need to do is add wheels and a countertop. Equally, it may look quite stylish to create a table of logs which you then glue together. These are simple ways around the more complex task of building a table foundation. Although, as mentioned, even that’s an easy enough task.
Hanging Racks
A hanging rack is a handy thing to have in near enough any room in the house. You can hang coats in the landing, utensils in the kitchen, and even dressing gowns in the bedroom. Yet, because of their versatility, these tend to cost a pretty penny in established stores. For the labor and materials used, those price tags are often way past where you would expect. And, there’s just no reason to pay for them. That’s because this is a basic DIY project indeed. With a few pieces of spare wood and some hooks from your local parts store, you can knock these up in no time. All you’ll need is that glue gun to hand to secure all the parts in place. If you wanted to, you could make a hanging rack for every room, all for less than $50. With that in mind, there’s no excuse to pay over odds for one of these. Which, by the way, is the reality you’ll face if you take the lazy route.
Shelves
Every home needs shelves. These are ideal for both storage and display, and they’re a priority most of us are willing to pay for. Be it bookshelves or floating options; we don’t think twice about reaching for these on our annual shop. The good news here is that these tend to be pretty cheap. Even a furniture store would struggle to charge a fortune for a plank of wood. That said, bookshelves and shelving units are a different matter when it comes to price. And, when you think about it, they’re just planks of wood in a different structure. Unlike a table, shelves don’t require much prior know-how. In fact, standalone options are pretty self-explanatory. As long as you have a treated piece of wood and some decent brackets, you shouldn’t stumble into problems. Then, all you would need is that drill and your spirit level for installation. Even making an entire shelving unit is a simple enough job. The chances are that you’ll be able to finish it in a few hours and save yourself a fortune in the process.
Ornaments
The ornamental section of the furniture store is the only one which brings even slight bits of joy. Let’s be honest; there’s something exciting about looking at all those little trinkets. Most of us save this until last so that we can treat ourselves after all our hard work elsewhere. The trouble is that this is often the area where we end up spending the most. You can’t just get one ornament, after all, and each one costs a fair amount when you buy it in store. Of course, you could argue that it’s worthwhile. These are, in essence, the things which set your room alight. But, you’d struggle to get that argument to stick when you consider how many ornaments you can make yourself. With a mason jar on hand, you could make everything from flower pots to candlelight holders. Old tins and bottles can also turn into amazing creations to fill those homemade shelves. You name it, and you can probably make it. All without needing to go bankrupt to achieve the goal.