DIYWhen guests visit us, we want our home to make a great impression on them. Usually, a lack of time is what bars us from presenting our home at its best. Maya Girish pens down some quick, fun and budget decor ideas.
One amazing decor item which can be gender specific or unisex are beads. Beads are available everywhere and can even be made by drilling a hole through an eye-catching item. We can get pretty and girly beads in many different colours and shapes, like flowers or cute pets, but we can also get the 'manly' beads in dark colours with irregular shapes or even skull shapes.
Making beautiful things with beads is relatively simple. All you need is some twine or string, a bunch of beads and a variety of finishings.
Bead curtains
Ever wished you could partition a large room with something pretty and delicate? Well, get those beads out! Begin by measuring the distance between the curtain rod and the floor. Cut some string of the same length. Decide on which beads to use.
You could make it a single colour curtain to go with the other elements in the room or you could go funky with an eclectic mix. Begin by yourself or get the family to help...stringing beads is a good way for the family to spend time productively while talking or catching up.
Tie one end of the string to a curtain ring or make a loop to slip onto the curtain hooks. Then string the beads until you reach the end of the string, knot it or make a few short strings of tiny beads to use like a tassle. Finish as many of these as you need and then hang it up wherever you like. Remember to keep checking the length as you go along.
Bead curtains need not have a particular length...you mix and match different lengths depending on the effect you want it to have. Even a single string next to an existing curtain can add some charm to the room.
Bead chandeliers
Have you been eyeing the beautiful chandeliers in lighting stores? I have, but they are too expensive. Why bother when I can make my own? Buy a chandelier frame, use an old one or just one round frame. If you are using a chandelier frame, then you need to follow the step above and make some bead strings.
Connect these strings to the chandelier frame in any design you want...don't make it too tight; let it hang loose for effect. A round frame is a little more difficult. You can either just cover it with hanging beads or use taut wire to create a chandelier frame and then let the beads hang from it! The same technique can be used to make beaded table lamps or light fixtures. Rhinestone beads or glass beads are perfect for this project.
Sewing beads
Sometimes it isn't enough to just string our favourite beads. When furniture gets boring, some carbon paper, a cool design, beads and a sewing kit are all that are necessary to jazz it up. For example, take a dining chair.
The upholstery has begun to look drab...don't worry. Use the carbon paper to trace your chosen design onto the front or back of the chair. Then sit on it, get comfortable and carefully sew tiny beads onto the lines...make sure they are in the right place. This method takes time, but really does wonders for the decor. You can sew beads onto bedspreads, furniture, curtains, table cloths, etc.
Bead work
Beadwork is a craft all by itself. There are many methods like the herring bone, drop count, spiral, etc which can be used to make home decor. Websites like 'Beading Daily', 'Diy Network' and 'Bead Magazine' have many projects to choose from, as well as free downloads of certain patterns.
You can also purchase different kinds of beads from them.
Any method or pattern that is used for jewellery can be used to create miscellaneous objects like napkins and curtain rings or coasters and doilies. These patterns might be a little difficult at first, but once you've got a hang of it, decorating with beads is a breeze.
Beads and metal
Beads and metal go really well together. Any jewellery-making or craft store has the filigree metal finishings necessary for this type of beadwork. Here the beads can be strung on a short, thick and less flexible wire, where the ends are twisted into loops...these can be connected and used to make pretty items with space between the different sections.
Coiled, thin metal wire can be used to weave the beads tightly together creating a more opaque feel. All the times together should cost a fraction of what the finished product does on the market!
Paper beads
Not all beads have to be bought. Some fevicol, paper, string and paint can go a long way in creating temporary beadwork. This project is fun to do with children. Old paper is crinkled up into little balls, ovals or cylinders and then treated with fevicol so they stay in the same shape. These are left out to dry. Once they are dry, the beads can be painted with any colour and set out to dry once more.
Use two to three coats of paint. After they dry, use a long tick needle to punch a hole through them or string them with a thicker sewing needle. Voila, home-made beads! You can use glitter paint to give it some sparkle!
These projects can really impress anyone who visits! What's more, they can be easily stored, they're cost-efficient and recycling will not pose a problem; they can always be turned into something else. What are you waiting for? Bead it!