Though I would love to be one, I am not a plant lady.  All plants have a hard time surviving in my care.  So when I updated my living room last month and decided to add a fiddle leaf fig tree, I knew I needed to go fake.  I know there are others of you like me out there who cannot keep plants alive, so let me show you how I made my fiddle leaf fig tree look real!  (And p.s. – this trick will work for making any fake plant look real – not just fiddle leaf figs!) 

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After searching for realistic but fake fiddle leaf fig trees online one day, an ad popped up for this faux fiddle leaf fig from a surprising place, and the price could not be beat!  I promptly ordered it and was ecstatic when it arrived on my doorstep.  After unboxing it, I loved how the plant itself looked, with its varying shades of green and intentional imperfections, but immediately knew that it would take a little bit of work to get it looking real. 

For one thing, the tag had to be removed (lol), and for another, that tiny black pot in which the fiddle leaf fig rests was not doing it any favors.

So, I ran up to Dollar Tree and picked up everything I needed to make my fake fiddle leaf fig tree look real!

First, I put the small black pot inside a larger plastic pot. 

Next, I placed the pot and the fiddle leaf fig inside this gorgeous, embroidered basket. 

Everything looked okay from this angle (minus the tag still hanging from the tree), but I knew that anytime you’d look in the basket, you’d see those ugly plastic pots.  Not very realistic at all!  So, the next step was to cut a piece of black foam core board from Dollar Tree into a circle that fits inside the basket, with a slice cut out for the fiddle leaf fig tree trunk to rest in. 

Once that was cut, I laid the foam core board circle into the basket, resting it on top of the larger plastic pot, and shoved the fig tree trunk into the cutout. 

Finally, I pressed Dollar Tree craft moss into the basket, allowing it to cover up the foam core board.  I used two bags of craft moss to cover this piece of foam board. 

Now the fake fiddle leaf fig tree looks real!  But thank goodness I don’t have to water it or try to keep it alive. 

I moved it into the spot where my grandma’s painted green table was.  (Don’t worry – I kept that table!  I moved it to our basement family roombasement family room for a pop of color and to replace the junky table we had down there.) 

It adds a nice touch to the room and looks great with my new brass sconces, too!  (Those were also a bargain!)

I just love how easy and inexpensive it was to make my fake fiddle leaf fig look natural.  Can you believe it basically takes some dollar store supplies to do it?  Do you have any fake plants on which you could use this technique?

-Bre

My little girl is growing up!  It’s hard to believe how fast it happens, and I know any parent out there can relate!  My daughter moved into her “big girl room” shortly before she turned two (to make room for her new brother in the nursery), and we hadn’t updated her bedroom since then.  Because of that, we all agreed it was time to give her bedroom a little refresh.  Her tween girls bedroom makeover turned out pretty darn cute on a small budget, and I’m excited to show you the space and share some tips for decorating a bedroom that grows with your child!  

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Before we gave it a new look fit for a tween, my daughter’s bedroom was very juvenile.  You can see pictures of the old look in this post where I painted a piece of furniture for her room.  One great thing we did all those years ago was pick a neutral paint color for the walls.  Because of that, and because the paint was still in good shape, we didn’t need to repaint for this makeover!  So come on in and let me show you around!

You’ll notice that the furniture is the same in the room, too.  We were smart enough to purchase furniture that we knew would grow with her as she got older.  This means she’ll get maximum use out of her bedroom set and we weren’t stuck trying to offload toddler size furniture for this makeover.  The only difference in the furniture is that I gave the butterfly bench a paint job (“butterflies are babyish, mom”).

She’s a real Harry Potter fanatic, so little dashes of Harry Potter fun are sprinkled throughout the room.  They’re all in inexpensive objects that easily moved or replaced if/when she outgrows her Harry Potter phase.  For example, the flippy sequin pillow on the bed, and the changeable letterboard above the bed.  You’ll also notice the Mirror of Erised on her dresser and some printable art from Etsy on a shelf.  Instead of investing in expensive themed items like a comforter or wall art, inexpensive items like this give her the sense of a “theme” in her room, and when she changes her mind I won’t be upset about swapping out those items!  

She chose the black and white comforter herself, and that was a compromise on my part!  I really didn’t want black and white for her, but since it’s her room, I gave in.  I made sure to soften it with other colors in the room, like varying shades of pinks and purples.  

The new lavender overdyed rugs were a steal, and I love the beautiful jewel tones they bring to the space!  

The funniest part about the room is the little reading nook area.  She really wanted a reading nook and she begged me for a beanbag chair.  I couldn’t believe how expensive those beanbag chairs are, so I found a dog bed at HomeGoods for half the price of a beanbag, and I told her it was a book pouf for the floor.  She loved it until she found a tag I forgot to remove that says something about dogs.  Ooops.  Well, I eventually convinced her that nobody will know it’s for dogs, and she seems to be okay with it now. 

Other little changes to the room include things like new curtains (I LOVE the ones we put up because they filter the light and have such nice drape and flow), and a new mirror over the dresser, which I found at HomeGoods for $24.  Score!

Pom pom trim added a fun touch to a plain lampshade, and I’m trying to convince my daughter to let me add it to the edge of her reading pouf, too!  

So there you have it!  With some simple swaps, we created a tween bedroom that my daughter and I both love.  Thanks for checking it out! 

-Bre

Shop This Tween Girls Bedroom

Click any of the photos below to shop!

You May Also Enjoy This DIY Ribbon Chandelier Post  

Now that the holidays have come and gone, you’ve probably packed away your seasonal decorations (or are just about to), and are left staring at a home that looks and feels somewhat bare.  Well, bare compared to how it looked when the halls were decked just a short while ago!  But don’t despair – with some tweaks you can create a cozy and inviting atmosphere that will have you embracing winter.  Simple winter decor will help bridge the gap between the holiday season and springtime, and let you enjoy a fresh new look in your home!  

Over the years you’ve seen me share winter mantel decorating ideas (such as my “Let’s Snuggle Mantel” of 2017 and my “Cozy Sweater Mantel” of 2018), because the mantel is a focal point in my home, and is in the room where my family spends most of our time.  This year, I used decor pieces from both of those mantels to create a similar, but new, winter mantel look that makes us feel right at home!  

Notice how many of the items used to create a winter look are non-seasonal?  Candles, books, and planters in complimentary colors all work together to create a cohesive theme, without being screaming WINTER! Look for items in your home that can work the same way for you!  

Other wintry items, such as the faux sled with snowflake stickers and the faux ice skates, add a definite seasonal touch.  These are inexpensive items that I updated with stickers and purchased in Bullseye’s Playground at Target!  For just a few dollars I was able to inject some winter personality into my decor.

Similarly, I updated everyday items with faux snowflakes of varying shapes and sizes.  These are all foam snowflake ornaments that I’ve collected over the years from places like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Big Lots.  

At this time of year, you can find similar items on clearance in just about any store!  Snag some and pop them into a bowl or lantern for instant winter decor.  

And before your toss your winter greenery, see if you can use it elsewhere.  I cut up my evergreen garland and used it in a display on my front porch (along with faux winter greenery found in the clearance section at Michaels).  The rest of the evergreen garland went into my window box to lend some green to the front of the house during the winter season.  

Notice the snowflake ornaments making an appearance on my front porch, too?  They make it so easy to “winterize” my decor!

Finally, don’t forget about cozy throw blankets and pillows.  Those can instantly update your decor for winter!  Look for pillows (or pillow covers – my favorite thrifty trick!), in fabrics like velvet, faux fur, and chunky knit, to add warmth and texture to your space.  Thick, fleecy blankets are perfect, too!

See how easy it is to make your home feel less sparse after the holidays have passed?  It really doesn’t take much at all to add some personality and warmth!

-Bre

You Might Like to Make This Cozy Sweater Embroidery Hoop Decor!  

It’s pretty safe to say the one thing that’s always certain about my home decor is that it’s always changing!  I am constantly tweaking things.  But, even though the decor is always evolving, I’m not spending a lot of money to get a new look, and you don’t have to either!  Today I’m going to give you my top three awesome tips for budget redecorating – all of which were used in the mini-makeover I just gave my foyer (you may be interested in seeing the foyer makeover I did last summer for some before photo reference!).

Tip No. 1 – Paint, Paint, and More Paint

If you’ve visited my blog before, you know by now that paint is my FAVORITE way to give things new life!  Whether you’re painting your walls or your furniture, nothing packs as much of a punch as paint, and it is (in the grand scheme of things), VERY budget-friendly.

Since my last foyer makeover post, we had our walls painted a lighter color because the foyer doesn’t get a lot of natural light.  I also painted my foyer table the most gorgeous shade of blue called Jitterbug by Country Chic Paint, which they graciously gave me to use for this project!  This table began its life as black and turned rusty red when I first painted it in 2013.  Seeing as I used red nowhere else in the house, it always bothered me a bit and didn’t feel quite right.  Now it flows perfectly with the adjoining living room and dining room, and I just love it!

Picking up a paint brush every few years and investing just a small amount of money in paint has allowed me to “redecorate” my home time and again without buying anything new!  I just love how I can get an entirely new look with a little bit of time and hardly any money.  If you’re interested in learning the basics of chalk painting, sign up for my weekly newsletter (no spam), and you’ll get my free ebook on The Beginner’s Guide to Chalky Finish Painting!

Tip No. 2 – Shop What You’ve Got

If you’re not keeping a bin or box of home decor in your attic (or basement or closet or wherever you’ve got a bit of space), you need to start doing that now!  One of my favorite places to shop is in my own house!  As I move things around and find new pieces to bring in, I put old pieces into my storage box.  Then, when I “need” to freshen up a room’s look, I go hunting for something I already have and try to make it work!

That is exactly what happened with these pillows I added to the bench opposite my blue table.  The teal pillow used to be on the couch in my basement, and the black and yellow pillow cover that I had in my storage box went over a “Give Thanks” seasonal pillow in my storage box.

Adding these pillows helped tie in the table and the rug with the bench, and it added yet another welcoming element to this foyer space.

Tip 3 – Sign Up for Store “Clubs”

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This is my newest way of saving money on home decor, and I am LOVING it so far!  Recently I’ve noticed that some of my favorite home decor stores (like World Market and Pier 1) have been rolling out loyalty programs or membership programs.  These programs usually involve you signing up with your email address  or phone number, but you can earn some really great perks!  Because of my World Market Explorer membership, I got 50% off this new area rug for my foyer, and it was a bargain!

Had I not gotten that special discount code due to my membership in their rewards program, I probably would not have bought a new rug for this space.  But the colors work perfectly with everything here, and I just could not resist.

So there you have it – three easy and practical tips for budget redecorating.  Do you have any tips to add to this list?  Make sure to let me know in the comments below!

-Bre