Holiday decorations using items already in the home

By Shanna Hogan, East Valley Tribune

Celebrating the holidays can get pricey, but decorating doesn’t have to be. Nancy Rhodes, owner of Furniture Affair in Phoenix, has three ways to cut the costs of holiday decor — re-purpose, reuse and recycle.

Instead of spending a ton of money on pricey Christmas-specific items, Rhodes, who lives in Scottsdale, recommends using things you own.

Set the stage by creating a beautifully decorated table.

Instead of buying costly tablecloths, use old bedspreads and curtains. Rhodes says she also dresses up her own napkins by tying inexpensive ribbon around them.

To ensure plates and centerpieces can be used all year long, Rhodes decorates her home with items that fit her decorating scheme. “Red and green doesn’t really go with my house. I like things that go with my own decor,” she says. “I just work with the colors in my house so I can use some of the things over and over again.”

Another way to class up a table is by using inexpensive candles and place votives in martini or wine glasses.

The outdoors also provide decorations at no, or low, cost.

Old tree branches and leaves, which Rhodes calls “roadage,” can be incorporated into centerpieces for a rustic Southwestern look.

Fresh flowers from bougainvillea plants also add a splash of color in vases.

Finally, Christmas bulbs aren’t just for hanging on the tree.

Cluster groups of bulbs and tie them together with ribbon for table accents. Christmas bulbs also can be used to fill large glass vases as centerpieces.

“I don’t have a tree, but I love to put ornaments everywhere,” says Rhodes. “They’re cheap. And they look great.”