Thursday, May 11, 2023

Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor

Over the past few years I think I have really adopted the philosophy that our home decor does not need to be taken too seriously. We should have fun and play with our style, trying different things until it feels comfortable and personal and you.

These built-in bookshelves in our lofted library have been a thorn in my side since we moved in. they are not very tall or deep and were made for a certain sized paperback book. One day I will remove some of the shelves and paint, but until then I am playing with styling them.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
Last month I shared that I am adding some art to the front of the bookshelves to cover up some of the paperbacks. (See that post HERE.) I found another piece of vintage art to hang on the shelves.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
Being that I was an elementary teacher and that this is a library in an old schoolhouse, I thought the subject matter was perfect--three kids looking at a book (I think), talking. This is an original art piece by a Florida artist, Shirley Clement. Thankfully, someone taped a newspaper clipping to the back about the artist and the painting.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
This painting, Thursday's Child, won an award in 1973.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
I found this at one of my favorite local thrift stores for $12. It was framed, but the frame was not my style and was dented. 
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
I removed the framing points to "unframe" it. I used wood glue to glue two wood blocks on the back that I then added screw eyes to and picture hanging wire.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
I am treating the blocks of paperbacks on the shelves as a colorful backdrop wall to hang the art on.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
I've rearranged other books and added thrifted treasures and vintage, hardback books, arranging some in a rainbow colored array.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
A trio of vintage, framed prints are propped against the wall with a cast iron elephant bank and a brass, clam shell trinket box helping to hold them in place.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
Three unrelated thrifted finds have a cohesive color/material theme--brass. The vase, clock workings turned backwards, and solid brass penguin all work as a bookend.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
A Japanese vase with great colors also works as a bookend and peeks out from behind the Thursday's Child Painting.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
And a ship's wheel clock without the clock face sits next to a couple stacks of neutral colored vintage books. I placed a vintage, decoupaged map picture behind the ship wheel hole.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
None of these items are related or family heirlooms. But, they make me smile, they have personality and add color and texture and interest to the library bookshelves. The shelves are interesting to look at and are styled with a playful and fun attitude. Small family photos scattered throughout the shelves do add something personal to the space.
Thrifted Art and Having Fun With Your Home Decor
Your home should be a reflection of you--individual, original, an ever-changing canvas and workshop where you experiment and play. Mix and match colors and styles and eras. Take the time to curate items that you love and remember to not take yourself or your home too seriously.

1 comment:

  1. This is actually something I'm trying to practice. I have been watching a lady on youtube and to me her house would be cluttered, but she continually calls it "charming" and it's really growing on me. I'm trying to get better about not having everything so neatly situated and let the items live a little :) I really like the art piece with the newspaper article included. What a thoughtful touch for the person to leave those things together for the next person.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!