3 Must-have DIY Decorating Supplies for Instant Glam

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For many of us, the holiday season is a perfect time to spruce up our home and add some glam.

This, however, doesn’t have to make a major dent on your pocket since you already have tons of gifts to buy for yourself… I mean your loved ones. 😉  

Whenever I want to add glam to a space in my home, my go-to decorating supplies are spray paint, contact paper and craft/gift paper.

(The post contains some affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Read full disclosure here.)

3 Easy and Affordable DIY Supplies to Decorate Your Home

1. Spray Paint

Spray paint is seriously one of THE easiest and quickest ways to transform an item. If you don’t currently own any spray paint, pin this post and go buy a can of this gold spray paint… like right now!

Juuust kidding… kinda.

I absolutely love how you can easily upcycle or decorate something using spray paint. Gold is my absolute favourite but I’m loving copper spray paint as well right now.

As soon as I started spraying painting things a few years ago, I stopped seeing colour as a deterrent when shopping for an item or looking to switch things up. If the structure and bones were what I was looking for, I’d scoop it up knowing I could easily make it match my decor with a coat of paint.

If you look around your home right now, I’m sure you can come up with some items that can be given a new life with a coat of spray paint. Old jars and bowls, plain wooden boxes, decorative items, trays, or even furniture are usually good candidates.

Check out some of these projects for inspiration:

Tips for using spray paint:

If this is your first time spray painting something, it’s important to remember:

• Always spray in a WELL-VENTILATED area. 
• Build coverage by spraying several light coats. If you spray too heavily, it can cause the paint to run/drip and leave streaks.
• Leave items to cure overnight for better durability over time. Although the paint usually dries quickly and most items can be handled after 15/30 minutes, I’ve found that letting the paint properly cure (i.e overnight) before using the item helps the paint job to last longer. Especially if a sealant isn’t being used.   
• If it’s a highly-touched item, like a cabinet handle, I generally use a clear sealant spray over the item.

2. Contact Paper

Like spray paint, contact paper is a DIY home decor staple. It’s great especially for rentals since it allows you to temporarily transform the rented space and revert to the original when you leave.

The marble trend is still en vogue (I don’t think that will change anytime soon) and social media is filled with so many ultra-glam marble interiors – from desktops to side-tables.

I LOVE the look of marble but always flinch at the cost. Yet, at every turn bloggers, YouTubers and influencers are showcasing beautiful homes filled with marble surfaces.

The not-so-secret secret behind some of those stunning interiors? Marble contact paper.

These projects were done with mainly marble contact paper:

Tips for using contact paper:

Sometimes contact paper can be finicky to work with, especially if the adhesive is strong,  so be sure to:

• Measure a couple of times and cut once. After measuring, leave a little extra and trim the excess afterwards. Most papers come with a grid at the back which helps with proper measurements.
• Take your time. Working with the sticky surface can be frustrating but if you take it slowly and gradually cover the surface, you should be fine.
• Have an old credit/bank card or ruler on hand to smooth the bubbles as you go along. If bubbles remain, you and gently prick with a pin and then smooth.

Related: I also have a post about 27 fantastic ways you can use contact paper in (almost) every room in your home!

3. Craft paper/Gift Paper

I’m a sucker for pretty craft/scrapbook paper and gift paper. While they may not necessarily be as durable as the former supplies, if used on the right item, it can also enhance your decor on a budget.

For example, I LOVE using shoeboxes for hidden storage and I’ve found the easiest way to decorate them is using craft or gift paper. You can also cover flat surfaces such as drawers quite easily. 

Here are some examples to get you inspired.

Tips for using craft/gift paper as decor:

• Use gift paper on items that aren’t in high traffic areas as it can tear easily depending on the quality of paper used.
• After measuring, cut a little more than you think you need and trim the excess later.
• Use a spray adhesive such as this fast-bonding adhesive to stick the paper on to the item. Liquid glue can cause the gift paper to adhere unevenly or even tear while being applied to the item if the paper used is too thin.

I am all about decorating on a budget. And the great thing with all of the above is that they can be used for multiple projects to create a cohesive look without having to go out and buy new stuff.

Have you already given any of these a try? If not, which is your favourite? Let’s chat in the comments. 🙂

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