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Decorating on a Dime: Masterpiece Restoration!

Whether you’re renovating, remodeling or redecorating, there’s always a focal piece that really makes a room special. For this feature of our series “Decorating on a Dime,” Interior Designer Lisa Ball shared her masterpiece that she found for a client, purchased from a salvage retailer. For her project, she successfully repurposed an old object in a new way.

“I was working with a client who was building a new home, but wanted it to have an “Old World” feel. We liked the idea of having a metal piece behind the range but found that new pieces were very manufactured looking and very expensive. I looking for another alternative I found a “summer cover” that had been removed from an old Victorian home. (The summer cover was put over the front of the fireplace in the summer when it was not in use) The size worked well and at $300.00 it was a fraction of the cost (and more interesting) of the newer pieces that we had found.” Lisa says the client loves having something unexpected in her home!

Lisa Ball is an interior designer in Minneapolis, MN. She is an independent interior designer and works on residential projects of all kinds – everything from new construction to helping clients select paint colors – and enjoys all of it. Lisa has roughly 20 years of experience in the field and started her own company, Design By Lisa, in 2005.

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Designing on a Dime: Creativity is King!

This gallery contains 15 photos

Kay Richards is founder and “Chief Miracle Worker” for Stage-Right Interiors. Kay got her start on ‘designing on a dime” while working the local community theater circuit as a set dresser/props mistress. There was NO budget, so creativity and the ability to make something out of nothing, counted. Interiors have always been my passion, along [...]

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Decorating on a Dime: How an Artist Shines

We are very excited to feature Pablo Solomon, an internationally recognized artist and award winning designer. He has been featured in 23 books, most major magazines and newspapers, TV, radio and even was subject of a short film. Pablo is best known in the design world for his eco-friendly designs and his work with recycled materials and furnishings.

For this feature, Pablo describes the tag sale items in the photos to illustrate various points in buying and in decorating. (The shown non tag sale art by himself and the other artists are in the big money range so I did not put prices–but who knows what will show up in a tag sale 40 years from now?)

I use this photo to illustrate that an entire room can be done basically with items from yard sales, garage sales, etc.–all in Texas. Both of the post-Civil War ( late 1860s) iron beds were purchased for $25 each. The antique oak dresser with mirror cost $100. The table lamp is from the 1920s and cost $5. The standing lamps was $7. The ornate candle holder is from the 1970s and cost $3.

This room’s decorative finds show how the new and the old can be used to create an interesting setting. The items include (except the art–sculptures by me and painting by NYC artist Franck de la Mercedes), the green antique Santa Fe cabinet ( about 1840s) was purchased for $300. The one of a kind pine coffee table for $10, throw pillows $3 each and the art rug for $15. On top of the cabinet is an exceptional large Colonial Texas ( pre 1836) wooden bread kneading bowl from one large piece of cottonwood –$100.

This photo is again a unique blend, all except the art are from yard sales. The 1960s art lamp is a Pierre Cardin, I purchased 2 for $25. I wrote Pierre Cardin in Paris sending him photos. He wrote me back stating his astonishment that they would show up in a tag sale in Texas. The carved wood picture frame is over 150 years old and was purchased for an amazing $8. The art vase for $5. And to top a great setting with a great story–the California oak tree of life cabinet was given to me in exchange for helping to set up a tag sale. The small painting on stone by me is featured in the Joyce Schwarz book on vision boarding and the large painting is by popular Texas artist Nancy Gray. The small bronze I picked up for 25 cents.

The patio shot shows a one of a kind cast iron table with a Texas fossil stone top purchased for $75. The Mexican pot was $1 and the piece of green glass 25 cents. The cat was free.

Pablo Solomon is an internationally recognized Artist & Designer. His work can be viewed on his website, PabloSoloman.com