If your love for horses extends beyond watching them on TV or going out for the occasional ride, you’ll enjoy the rich but often challenging territory of equestrian-themed décor.
Many people fall into the trap of limited thinking when it comes to horse designs. Sure, the odd print or painting, but how many pictures of a horse can one person reasonably be expected to frame and put up on their wall?
While some homeowners have successfully found that there is no immediate ceiling to that number, it can be a frustrating place to begin and end your thinking. You want a little bit more out of your décor than just a few pictures.
Right now is a good time to have horses in mind. As you prepare to watch and maybe bet on the Breeders’ Cup on Twinspires, you might also want to think about giving your home a small glow-up in the theme of countryside living. In this article, we take a look at how you can do that in ways that are both creative and financially flexible.
Re-Imagine Your Color Palette
Painting your house is, without question, the easiest and often most affordable way to change up its appearance. Now, of course, there are qualifiers when we say affordable.
First of all, in no circumstance is it going to be cheap if you’re comparing it to, say, not painting your house. However, if you’re willing to do the work yourself, shop around for affordable paint, and take the steps required to do it right the first time, you’re looking at an investment of under $1,000 most likely to repaint your entire home.
For context, a professional painting company might charge close to five figures for the same service.
If you want to embody the equestrian spirit through paint, earth tones are going to be your friend: browns, tans, even greens.
These rich colors accomplish the equine imagery that you’re going for, but in a way that is much less limiting in scope than, say, horse-patterned wallpaper.
A good earth tone color scheme can be easily adapted to fit a lot of different décor options. It’s timeless, classic, and always attractive.
It’s also just one of the easiest ways to upgrade your home quickly over the course of maybe two or three weekends.
Reclaimed Wood
Antique barn doors and other reclaimed wood features are an incredibly powerful way to remodel your home and give it that classic, timeless, and very unique look that you’re hoping for.
The nice thing about using reclaimed materials, aside from the fact that they are more sustainable from an environmental point of view, is that they will inevitably be cheaper than, say, buying new flooring at Home Depot. But again, cheaper in the home remodeling context is not the same thing as cheap. You’ll need to shop around.
You’re also going to need to find a contractor who is comfortable working with these materials. Installing flooring is actually not as difficult as it sounds. Believe it or not, handy people have been known to accomplish it with YouTube. That said, the do-it-yourself route will appeal to only a small number of people.
If you’re trying to integrate antique flooring or reclaimed woods into your furniture décor, maybe float the idea on Facebook or the Neighborhood app. You’ll probably find a few handy people who are willing to work with you on a fixed-price basis. They will be cheaper than a remodeling service and often more flexible in how they bring your vision to life.
Prints, Pictures, and Knick-knacks
With the last two headings, we described interior solutions that require, at the very least, a trip to the hardware store. For simpler, faster décor adjustments, you can always invest in a few well-chosen equine- or countryside-themed prints, paintings, photographs, etc.
This is an area in which your personal taste is really going to heavily shape the outcome, for better or for worse.
It’s easy to find tacky and unappealing horse pictures, but if you’re willing to dig around and be a discerning buyer, you should be able to find quality materials at a reasonable price.
Don’t forget that the frame will play a big role in how the picture looks on your wall.
A professional framing job can elevate the appearance of even a thrift store print. It’s more expensive than doing it yourself, but as décor expenditures are concerned, it’s a reasonable investment.
Remember, It’s a Process
It’s easy to get frustrated with your redecorating efforts when you compare your experiences to what you see on, say, HGTV. On television, entire homes are remodeled over the course of a long weekend. In real life, it takes a lot more time and effort. Most people are going to take months or longer to get their home looking the way they want.
Not only does this reflect the fact that the majority of us can’t put in ten to fifteen hours a week thinking about decoration ideas, but it’s also the most economically sensible way to remodel your home.
Painting the house, changing up the furniture and flooring, and even buying knick-knacks costs money. You don’t need to spend it all in one place, as your grandmother probably advised you not to do when you were a child.
Progress will come, even if it’s incremental. Enjoy the process.