Valentine’s Day is a great time to make DIY home decorations. While buying ready-made Valentine trimmings is convenient and time-saving, crafting homemade décor adds a bit of whimsy and warmth that your family will cherish. Try some of these creative and budget-friendly decorating ideas and create a welcoming setting in your home.
Kiss the Cook
With the time spent cooking and feeding family and friends, the kitchen is truly the heart of your home. Hanging pretty buntings is a sweet way to spice up the look of your kitchen wall. All you need to make these beautiful buntings are some string, colored paper, packs of pre-cut red and pink paper hearts, and pages from an old book. Spell out some of your favorite Valentines phrases on your bunting before hanging it on your kitchen wall or window. A quick note, I made my bunting from burlap. I cut out paper letters, glued them onto the burlap, and hung the bunting with a decorative chain and clips. You can also buy affordable paper or burlap bunting at a craft store such as Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.
Photo by Jen Lutz
Make the transition from Christmas to Valentine’s Day much easier by using white Christmas garland to hold hearts and paper flowers.
A few candles in the kitchen add a dash of romance and warmth on a wintry February 14th. To make thrifty and cheery decorated candles, cover ordinary glass votive holders with strips of assorted colored or patterned paper. Keep some simple while layer others with red ribbon and Valentine-themed Washi tape.
A Dreamy Dining Room
Whether it’s an intimate dinner for two or a family dinner party, delicious Valentine meals are sweeter with the right table décor. If you find heart-patterned tablecloths and heart-shaped tableware a bit overwhelming, keep your decorations simple and subtle. Stick with neutral-colored placemats and dinnerware, and use only minimal red and pink pieces on your table setting. For my placemats, I cut rectangles from burlap—super easy and affordable! Kraft paper would work just as well.
Photo by Jen Lutz
In my case, I used red doilies I purchased at a typical box store to serve as coasters. My centerpiece is a jar of red and white blooms with some tissue paper flowers scattered at the center of the table. For tissue paper flowers, all you need are tissue paper in two different colors and something to tie them all together (I used baker’s twine, but any string, or even jute, would work). Cut the tissue paper into squares of your preferred size and arrange the colors alternately. Fold the stack into a small triangle, and scallop the long, open end with scissors. Tie the pointed tip with baker’s twine, separate each petal layer, and you’re done!
Photo by Jen Lutz
I also made some Valentine napkin rings with some felt hearts and felt roses. I taped some kitchen twine onto the back of the felt heart and tied it around our table napkins.
Love Your Living Room
Cuddling up on the sofa is a great way to relax on Valentine’s Day. Cozy up to your loved ones as your handmade or store-bought heart garlands liven up your living room walls with pretty pops of color. To make this garland, cut out heart shapes and outlines from colored paper, or buy cut-outs at a dollar store. String them on transparent or white thread, making sure the hearts are evenly spaced out. Secure the garland to your window or wall with some tape or a hook.
Re-using traditional holiday decor is another creative, convenient, and cost-effective way to impart an amorous ambiance to a living room. Dress up a white Christmas wreath and garland with a variety of pink and red paper flowers. Mount the decorated wreath and garland on and above your mantel along with red candles for an unforgettable Valentine vignette.
Make Valentine’s Day with your special someone more precious and personal with these sweet and simple DIY home decorating ideas.
Jennifer Lutz is also the author of: Growing Produce with an Indoor Garden on Pantry Paratus. Jennifer is the talented home décor expert at www.christmastreemarket.com.