Fort Lauderdale Rolling Renovation Home Tour & DIY Decorating Tips

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with TD Bank and HGTV Magazine. All opinions are my own.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at the Fort Lauderdale Home Design and Remodeling Show on behalf of TD Bank and HGTV Magazine. (I previously mentioned that I also presented at their Lexington, SC tour stop, which you can read about here.) These speaking engagements were part of the TD Bank Rolling Renovation Home Tour, where they made their way down the East Coast spreading the word that they can help your renovation dreams come through with their home equity line of credit. This is of particular interest to me, as Chris and I have been talking a lot about our plans to finish our basement in the next few years.

My presentation focused on “Creating a Home You Love on a Budget with DIY.” I outlined some of my tips in my previous post, but I’ll share a few more with you today, as well as my experience at the home show. Here’s another shot of the inside of the TD Bank “Glass House” they set up at each tour stop along the way.

This event was much different than the Lexington tour stop since this one was at the Convention Center. The space was huge and there were tons of vendors and a whole lot of home inspiration. I gave my presentation twice, and here is the area where the audience sat. (There were actual humans in those seats later on, I promise.)

And by the way, how beautiful was this view of the beach from my hotel room? I had never been to Fort Lauderdale before, so it was a fun trip.

During my presentation, I shared several DIY decorating tips. I truly believe that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a beautiful home. I think especially if you are planning any major renovations to your home, often there isn’t much of a budget left over for the “finishing touches” or the actual decorating.

DIY Decorating Tips

Thrift Stores Are Your Friend

This kind of goes hand in hand with a tip I mentioned in my previous post about seeing things for what they could be, not for what they are. Thrift stores are a great place to find diamonds in the rough to make over without spending a lot of money. (Also, estate sales, yard sales, online buy and sell groups, flea markets, and just about anywhere you can find things second-hand.)

Here are some examples of thrift store items I have transformed.

These wooden sconces (before):

And after:

These wooden boxes before:

And after:

This dresser before:

And after:

Combine Thrifted, Store-bought, and DIY Decor

I recommend combining items found second-hand with your newer items, as well as DIY decor, because I believe it creates a more collected look and adds character to a space. It’s much more unique, and much less “generic” than just walking into a furniture store and saying “I’ll just take this whole showroom please.”

Here are some examples of how I’ve done this in my own home. (You can read about this in more detail in this post.)

Create Your Own Artwork, Even if You’re Not an Artist

Another tip I shared in my presentation was that anyone can create art, even if you don’t consider yourself to be an artist or “crafty” in any way. There are several ways to create art easily and without spending a lot of money, because let’s face it, art can be very expensive!

Here are some examples of DIY art:

Have engineering prints of vintage maps made and cut them to fit a series of frames. (The “how to” can be found here.)

Get your kids involved! Create a clipboard gallery wall and let your kiddos be the artists.

Make string art. (Tutorial here.)

Other ideas include stenciling a wooden sign; mounting 3-dimensional objects on the wall; making silhouette portrait art; spray painting cardboard monogram letters and mounting them on the wall; framing free printables; or making an abstract painting (and you can save money by using a canvas drop cloth instead of store-bought artist’s canvases).

I had a great time presenting these ideas (and many more) as part of the TD Bank Rolling Renovation Home Tour. If you’re thinking of renovating your home, be sure to check out TD Bank to find out more about your financing options. Thanks so much to TD Bank and HGTV Magazine for allowing me to be a part of such a fun event!

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

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