It’s the personal touches that make a house a home. However, putting your personal stamp on your property can get expensive – especially since it’s so easy to get carried away home shopping! To make that personal touch even more personal, and to avoid your wallet taking a bashing, why not make your own home accessories? Try our brilliantly simple and cheap craft projects to make something lovely for your home:
Glow-worm jars
These jars that look like they’re filled with glow worms are great for winding down in the evening, either as soft lighting to create a relaxing bathtime atmosphere or as a soothing bedside nightlight. Grab an old jam jar, or a bigger jar like a mason jar if you like, and wash and dry it. Carefully cut the top off a glowstick – you may need a few depending on the size of your jar – and pour the glow-liquid into the empty jar. Screw the lid of the jar back on tightly and gently shake to get it glowing. Once the light fades, you can pour in another glow stick, wash it out and add a tea light candle, or if you’re using a large jar, fill it with fairy lights. Why not experiment with different colours and scents?
Painted vases
Vases are something we find it hard to justify buying but need to have on hand in case anyone brings us flowers! Home-made vases upcycled from something else and decorated can be a stunning and unusual way to decorate your home, and make great gifts, too!
Hold onto any bottles you come across that have interesting or attractive shapes to them – wine bottles, fancy cordial bottles, sauce bottles – they’re all great for this, but clear glass is better than coloured. Pick up some colourful paint – we recommend an oil based paint so it will resist water better – and pour into the bottle. Start with a small amount and build it up, moving the bottle gently until that the inside is completely covered. Once done, place the vases upside down in a sink lined with paper towels to dry. Get as creative as you like; try a selection of different colours or even mix two types of paint in one bottle!
A knife holder that fits any blade
Keeping your kitchen drawers organised can be a nightmare, especially for those with a culinary flair who have a lot of different sized cooking knives and scissors. An easy solution is to fill an old, clean tin – preferably a tall one – and fill it dried pulses or bamboo sticks. The filling will hold the knives still and steady, without the restrictions of certain size slots, making this kind of knife block a very flexible storage solution!
If you don’t have a big enough tin to hand, a large glass jar will do, or perhaps your friends or family can donate to the cause.
Create a lighted feature wall
Turning a white wall in your home into something more interesting can be tricky – after all, it’s a blank canvas!. There are only so many photos you can put up, and things like mirrors and artwork can be expensive. Plus, if you’re renting, you may not be able to hammer nails and hooks into your walls without your landlord having something to say about it.
For something a little different that won’t damage your walls, pick up a cheap mosquito net and some fairy lights. You can pin the net flat against the wall, or hang it on the ceiling above your bed and poke the lights through the net in different places. Once turned on, this creates a calming net of light – perfect for cosy nights in front of the TV or reading in bed.
Rake wine glass holder
For an unusual, rustic and quick wine glass holder, why not use an old rake? You’d be surprised how attractive this can look – some rakes have lovely ornate details on them. Simply detach the rake head and attach it to your kitchen wall byusing nails or pins and some sturdy string or rope. The rake teeth will support the wine glass bases – perfect to keep them dry and dust free!
