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By the end of this list you’ll have thirty ways to make a whole room look pulled together for practically nothing!
That’s the promise here. It’s a real one.
These ideas came from scrolling through hundreds of pins over a few long weekends. Most of them got tossed, honestly!
The ones that stayed had to check three boxes. Doable with basic supplies. Cheap enough to try twice if the first attempt flops. Good enough to actually keep out on a shelf.
You’ll notice a lot of mason jars, twine and plain wood showing up again and again. That’s farmhouse style for you, lol! It’s basically three materials wearing thirty different outfits, am I right?
Grab a basket, hit the dollar store aisles and use this as your shopping list. Skip around to whatever catches your eye first.
DOLLAR STORE FARMHOUSE DIY IDEAS
Mason Jar Wall Sconces
We’re starting off strong with mason jar wall sconces. A cheap jar, a candle and a mounting bracket turn into instant farmhouse lighting.
Hang a few in a row above a mantel and the whole wall gets warmer looking. No electrician required, which is always a win in my book!
- No wiring involved
- Battery candles keep it simple
- Looks custom in an afternoon
Farmhouse Style Utensil Crock
A plain crock from the dollar store becomes a farmhouse style utensil crock with about five minutes of sanding and a coat of chalky white paint.
Distress the edges lightly so it looks like it’s been sitting on somebody’s counter for decades. It hides spatulas and looks intentional doing it, haha!
- Counter clutter, solved
- Sandpaper does the aging
- Holds every long handled spoon
Chippy Paint Picture Frames
Chippy paint frames are everywhere in farmhouse decor and they’re shockingly easy to fake. Layer two paint colors, then sand through the top one in random spots.
The trick is not overthinking it. Messy sanding actually looks more authentic than careful sanding, which feels backwards. But it works!
- Fake old on purpose
- Two coats of paint total
- Sandpaper is the whole tool list
Galvanized Bucket Planters
Galvanized buckets from the dollar store make surprisingly good planters once you drill a few drainage holes in the bottom.
Group three different sizes on a porch step for that layered farmhouse look. Faux greenery works fine if watering slips your mind. Nobody will ever know the difference, lol!
- Drainage holes are non negotiable
- A drill bit handles metal fine
- Looks great with real or faux plants
Dollar Store Lantern Makeover
That plastic lantern in the seasonal aisle looks nothing like farmhouse decor until you spray paint it matte black or aged bronze.
Swap the flimsy handle for jute rope and drop a flickering candle inside. It goes from party favor to porch decor in one afternoon. Who doesn’t love that?
- Spray paint changes everything
- Jute rope handle upgrade
- Battery candle keeps it safe outdoors
Whitewashed Wood Slice Coasters
Wood slice coasters get a farmhouse glow up with a quick whitewash. Water down white paint, brush it on, wipe off the excess.
The wood grain still peeks through, which is the whole point. They protect the coffee table and look like a boutique bought them!
- Boutique look, backyard price
- Water down the paint first
- Grain shows through the finish
Burlap Wrapped Vases
Any plain glass vase turns rustic the second you wrap it in burlap and tie off the top with twine.
This is the fastest project on the whole list, probably five minutes start to finish. Dried wheat or faux florals both work great inside it. Either way it looks like it took way longer than it did!
- Five minutes, tops
- Hot glue holds the burlap
- Twine finishes the top edge
Farmhouse Kitchen Sign Board
A farmhouse kitchen sign board is basically a thrifted picture frame, a piece of wood and stencil letters from the craft aisle.
Paint the board a soft cream, stencil something simple like Eat or Gather, then distress the corners. Lean it against a backsplash instead of hanging it. Easier and it still looks intentional!
- Stencils do the hard part
- Craft aisle letters work great
- Leans against the backsplash easily
Twine Wrapped Candle Holders
Wrap plain glass candle holders in twine from bottom to top and suddenly they look like they came from a farmhouse boutique.
Hot glue a few rows at a time so the twine stays tight. This is the project I hand to anyone who says they’re not crafty, because it’s basically foolproof, lol!
- Foolproof for beginners
- Hot glue every few rows
- Works on any glass shape
Rustic Clothespin Photo Display
Rustic clothespins clipped to a stained board make an instant photo display for the hallway or a bedroom wall.
Stain the wood dark, screw in a couple hooks and clip on postcards, photos or little notes. It’s the kind of display that grows with you since swapping photos takes two seconds. How cute is this?
- Swap photos in seconds
- Wood stain in one coat
- Clothespins clip on instantly
Wooden Crate Storage Shelf
An old wooden crate mounted flat on the wall becomes open storage with real farmhouse charm.
Sand it, stain it, screw it to a wall stud and load it up with towels or mason jars. It holds more than it looks like it should, honestly!
- Holds more than it looks
- Mount straight into a stud
- Stain deepens the wood grain
Painted Mason Jar Vases
Painted mason jars are the gateway project of farmhouse decor. Everyone starts here for a reason.
A coat of chalk paint, a light sand on the edges, done. Add faux stems and a windowsill and it instantly reads farmhouse. Cheapest transformation on this entire list, easily!
- The gateway project
- Faux stems finish the look
Farmhouse Style Napkin Rings
Plain wooden napkin rings from the craft aisle get a farmhouse upgrade with a quick wash of white paint and a strip of twine.
They dress up a plain table setting without spending real money on new dinnerware. Even a weeknight dinner feels a little fancier with these on the table. Small change, big difference!
- Dresses up a plain table
- Wood rings from the craft aisle
- Twine adds the rustic touch
Distressed Frame Chalkboard Sign
Chalkboard paint inside a distressed frame gives you a farmhouse sign that changes with the seasons.
Write a fall quote in October, swap it for a winter one in December. One frame, endless messages! It never looks tired.
- One frame, endless messages
- Wipes clean between seasons
Rope Wrapped Mirror Frame
A plain bathroom mirror wrapped in rope looks like it came straight off a farmhouse renovation show.
Hot glue thick rope around the frame edge, working in small sections so it stays lined up. It hides an ugly plastic frame completely, which is exactly what you want.
- Hides an ugly frame completely
- Thick rope covers plastic edges
- Small sections keep it neat
Vintage Milk Jug Vases
Empty milk jugs get a vintage makeover with white paint and a light distress on the handle and rim.
These vintage milk jug vases look great grouped in odd numbers on an entry table. Three different heights work better than a matched set, somehow!
- Odd numbers work best
- Distress the handle for age
- Groups of three look balanced
Farmhouse Bathroom Tray Decor
A wooden or galvanized tray corrals bathroom clutter into something that looks like decor instead of mess.
Line up hand soap, a small plant and a stack of folded towels. It takes two minutes to arrange and somehow makes the whole counter look tidier than it actually is, lol!
- Fakes a tidy counter
- Galvanized tray from the dollar store
- Two minutes to arrange
Repurposed Tin Can Planters
Save a few tin cans, peel off the labels and you’ve got planters with real texture once you add a coat of paint.
Punch drainage holes, wrap the outside in twine or leave the metal bare for an industrial farmhouse look. Herbs on a kitchen windowsill never looked this good for this cheap!
- Free planters from the recycling bin
- Drill holes before planting
- Twine wrap optional but pretty
Rustic Star Wall Decor
A wooden star cut from scrap wood or bought precut at the craft aisle brings instant rustic charm to an empty wall.
Stain it dark or leave it raw, then hang it slightly off center for that lived in look. Even one nail is enough to make it work.
- Slightly off center on purpose
- Craft aisle stars work fine
Farmhouse Style Coffee Station
Turn a kitchen corner into a farmhouse style coffee station with a wood tray, a chalkboard label and a couple of mason jars for sugar and stirrers.
It sounds fancy but it’s really just organized clutter with good lighting. Coworkers who visit always ask where I got it. The answer is embarrassingly cheap, haha!
- Organized clutter, good lighting
- Mason jars hold sugar and spoons
Wood Bead Garland Diy
Wood bead garland is having a real moment in farmhouse decor and it costs almost nothing to make yourself.
String unfinished beads onto jute cord and knot the ends. Drape it over a mantel or wrap it around a stack of books on a shelf. Not in my book does it get any simpler than that!
- Having a real moment
- Unfinished beads keep it natural
Painted Terracotta Pot Decor
Plain terracotta pots get a farmhouse makeover with a quick coat of white or cream paint and a little distressing along the rim.
This one takes maybe ten minutes per pot and instantly upgrades whatever plant lands inside it. Real or faux, either one works here.
- Ten minutes per pot
- Distressed rim adds age
Farmhouse Ladder Shelf Diy
A small wooden ladder leaned against a wall becomes a farmhouse ladder shelf once you rest a few boards across the rungs.
It holds blankets, plants or framed photos without a single nail going into the wall. Renters love this one for that exact reason. Same!
- Zero nails in the wall
- Boards rest across the rungs
- Great for renters and dorms
Faux Fixer Upper Signs
Faux fixer upper signs are everywhere for a reason. A plain board, some stencils and a distressed finish get you shockingly close to the real thing.
Keep the phrase short and the font simple. Overdoing the design usually backfires here.
- Shockingly close to the real thing
- Short phrases read better
Rustic Napkin Holder Diy
A rustic napkin holder made from scrap wood and a few nails solves that annoying pile of loose napkins on the counter.
Sand the edges soft so it doesn’t snag the napkins, then stain it to match your table. Simple, small and genuinely useful!
- Solves the loose napkin pile
- Sanded edges prevent snagging
- Stain matches any table
Dollar Store Faux Florals Arrangement
Faux florals from the dollar store look expensive the second you arrange them properly in a thrifted vase or crock.
Trim the stems shorter than feels natural. It forces a fuller, more expensive looking arrangement instead of one tall lonely stem. Worth the extra snip!
- Trim shorter than feels natural
Farmhouse Style Bread Box
An old bread box or a plain wooden crate can pass as a farmhouse style bread box with a coat of paint and a stenciled label.
Function first here. Make sure the lid actually closes before you commit to the design, lol!
- Function comes first
- Stenciled label finishes the front
- Fits standard sandwich loaves
Galvanized Tray Organizer Diy
A galvanized tray turns into an organizer the moment you add small bins or jars inside it for sorting mail, keys or spare change.
It catches the daily clutter that usually ends up all over the counter. One tray, way less chaos!
- Catches the daily clutter
- Small jars sort loose items
- Sits neatly by the entry
Rustic Wood Bead Bowl
Leftover wood beads pile up fast once you start any bead project, so a rustic wood bead bowl is the perfect way to use the extras.
Fill a wooden or ceramic bowl with loose beads for texture on a coffee table. It looks like a designer prop and costs about two dollars in materials. Who doesn’t love that?
- Two dollars in materials
- Uses leftover garland beads
- Adds texture to a coffee table
Painted Mini Wheelbarrow Decor
Last but definitely not least, we have this painted mini wheelbarrow decor idea. A dollar store toy wheelbarrow gets a coat of aged metal paint and a tiny pumpkin or plant inside.
It’s a small detail that makes a porch feel finished. Nobody guesses it started as a toy, lol!
- Small detail, big finish
