DIY Home Decorating: Thrifty Chic

Those of us who love to decorate with thrifted, found, and vintage objects are always looking for ideas and inspiration to make this style feel fresh — not like a bad antique store. If this is the journey you're on, you'll love the ideas in Thrifty Chic: Interior Style on a Shoestring, by Liz Bauwens, Alexandra Campbell, and Simon Brown.

First, there's color. Thrifty Chic is not full of pictures of white slip-covered couches, white-washed walls and floors and neutral accessories. It has a bit of that, but it is not largely focused on that aesthetic. Instead, it provides lots of examples of how to add color as an accessory that adds life and personality to your living space.

Second, the format of the book is actually helpful and instructional. The way that the pictures and text are combined will not leave you feeling like you just spent an hour pining for a home you can never have. The first chapter is a primer on basic decorating components. The middle chapters are organized by and focus on various areas of the house, with bits of advice given as a good friend would. In the back, you'll find an illustrated guide to 10 "thrifty chic" DIY projects.

Third, it's attainable. I suspect a lot of us like the thrifty chic look because we can actually decorate that way. We can do it and we can afford it. This book is full of images and ideas for those of us who like the thrill of a good bargain and the hunt for vintage treasures but also love modern design.

As the authors put it, "You don't have to spend a fortune to have a stylish home. It is the small details that make it special." That, in a nutshell, is what this book reinforces to those of us who already believe it and what it teaches to those who are skeptical.

You'll flip through this book quickly, at first consumed by the beautiful images. Then, you'll go back and begin to read it, chewing on the text and analyzing the room layouts and decor. And when you go back that third time, you will be slightly annoyed that some of those beautiful images are reused over and over again in multiple chapters, but other than that, Thrifty Chic does not disappoint.

To start styling your own shoestring finds in a more modern way, pick up a copy of Thrifty Chic: Interior Style on a Shoestring (Cico Books) at Amazon.com ($20).