Inexpensive Ways to Decorate Your Cabin

It was your dream since you were little, buying that small piece of solitude in the mountains or down by the lake. You have finally achieved the American dream your very own summer cabin. How to decorate this little piece of heaven, and better yet how to afford it? There are a few inexpensive ways to give it that rustic look without breaking the bank. First decide on your style are you a great white hunter type or more of a colonial Quaker? I have advice for both personalities lets start with the one I know best, the hunter.

Materials:

Stuffed animal heads

White longhorns

Bleached cattle skulls

Bear Skin Rug (faux fur on ebay range 25.00 - 155.00)

Home made long bow

Home made arrow

Above are just a few possible materials to decorate your cabin in hunter style. You can find stuffed heads on ebay or from your local taxidermist, people will sometimes drop off a trophy and never go back and pick it up. I have also seen these at flea markets and estate auctions. To get a cattle skull cheaply try your local meat market or butcher, but be aware that you may have to bleach the skull yourself. Do not fear this is easier done than you might think. The best way I know is to let nature do the work for you, place your meat market skull in a safe place and let the sun bleach it for you. I would not suggest your window sill as there can be a slight odor for a few days. I used my carport roof to bleach one my husband found on the farm. Everything went well until the wind blew it off the roof and my puppy decided it was a good chew toy! We decided a hook placed on the corner post of the carport was a better choice. White longhorns could be a little trickier to come across unless you live in Texas, but when all else fails ebay to the rescue.

Which brings us to the bear skin rug, finding this cheap would not be an easy task but if you are just going for the look and feel and not necessarily the "real" deal then there are many options on ebay to choose from. Everything from cutesy baby type bear rugs to faux fur that has the look of the real thing. I found they range in price from twenty-five dollars to over a hundred, so they should fit in any budget. Finally top it off with some homemade curtains, you can find themed fabric at your local Wal-mart or fabric store. Simply measure your windows take the measurements in and an associate can help you get the correct yardage. From that point it is a simple matter to make a half in to an inch hem to slide your curtain rod through. You can throw an extra small hem in the bottom for neatness or leave it and get a slightly frayed look.

The last two on the list can be made for next to nothing, plain willow branches or whatever type of wood is available. You will need to find it green as dry seasoned wood will crack or break when you bend it to form the bow. Strip the excess bark away then notch each end, now you can take string or sinew wrap it several times and then tie it. Once it is tied securely you can bend the the branch and then tie securely the other end. A homemade arrow is even simpler strip a branch measuring around twenty-four inches, notch the end then you can either purchase a cheap replica from a flea market or use a similar shaped rock from the drive. The point is not to be functional but to create a look.

If deceased animals are not you cup of tea a colonial look can be a great alternative.

Materials:

Old cast iron cook ware

Plaid or gingham material

Milk churn

Metal milk bucket

Wooden serving spoons

Braided rug

These are a few items that will make a great old home place feel to any cabin. All these items can be picked up inexpensively from flea market, auctions and ebay. In fact if you check at grandma's house you may find many of these items already available to you. If you can not find a braided rug in the attic it will probably a more expensive purchase but the ambiance would definitely be worth it. These are a handful of easy ways to inexpensively decorate your cabin.