10 DIY Home Decor Projects for Empty Nesters

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As the echoes of children playing in the house fade away, as they move on in their life journeys, the empty rooms become a reminder for a much awaited transformation. Here are 10 DIY home decor project ideas for empty nesters to infuse warmth and nostalgia in your surroundings.

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Book Retreat Corner

If you are a book reader, a personal retreat corner is a must regardless of your age. Find a good, cozy, and comfortable corner in your home, and use your personal style to decorate it. Place a small bookshelf on the side to park your book collection. A comfortable chair, an ottoman, soft throw blankets, and a movable tray for coffees and delicacies completes the look.

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Coasters

You can reuse old coasters this way. Wipe the old coasters clean. Select some family photos or memorable quotes that you resonate with. Print the images or quotes and laminate them. Lamination will prevent spoilage. Now stick the laminated pictures or quotes on the coasters using a glue gun, and you are done!

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Embroidered Throw Pillows

You need to know embroidery to do this DIY, of course. Select some fabrics. It could be old clothing that you have not discarded due to sentimental value. Reshape them into appropriate sizes and sew them together. Embroider some nice designs on them to customize it. Repeat until you have sufficient of them for sofas and couches.

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Furniture Upgrade

Before putting up old furniture for garage sale, you can reuse some of it to make new things. Old furniture in the attic that your kids once used can be repurposed to make new things like a stylish storage unit, or a bench, or a new side table, or small desk storage items, and so on. Sand and paint them to give a personal touch, and use them for the next few years.

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Gallery Shelves

This is a great DIY for living spaces and a fantastic way to showcase family memorabilia. Find an empty wall and install some floating shelves. You can get them at IKEA easily. Decorate them with LED lights or you can hand paint the shelves as well. Once ready, create a showcase of small artworks, family photos, and other meaningful objects you hold dear.

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Memory Wall

This is the simplest of DIY art and craft. Go through old photos and select a few. If they are too worn out, you can revive them using photo restoration services. Either DIY or buy some wall frames for the photos. Frame all and arrange them on the wall in a visually appealing way. Each picture should tell a story and combined all, they should tell the story of your family.

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Quilt with Upcycled T-Shirt

If you have old t-shirts from past years saved in the closet, do not throw them away. Instead, you can upcycle them to make a quilt. Start with collecting those with sentimental value. Cut them in equal pieces, such as squares or rectangles as they are easy to stitch. Use it as a throw quilt on the bed or the couch.

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Terrariums

Terrariums are aquariums from plants. They are quite trendy these days, with people exploring how to create their miniature flora and fauna. Get glass containers and read up on exact steps to create one. Get decorative stones and small flowering plants, enhanced with memorable items representing family members, like small figurines. Arrange them in the living-room or the windowsill for a touch of nostalgia.

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Travel Wall Art

This is an interesting and work-in-progress DIY art. Find an empty wall and hang up a huge world map. If that is not possible, you can collect the maps of places the family has visited before. Feature them on the designated wall. If you are using the world map, use flags or pins or any other identifier to mark them. Continue updating it as the family explores newer places.

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Wall Decals of Recipes

Each family has one or more recipes that they love. These get passed on from one generation to another. What better way to preserve them than creating wall decals out of them. Select a few recipes, use custom print services to turn them into wall decals, frame, and hang them in the dining area or the kitchen. This is an excellent conversation starter.