How to Personalise Chain Store Decor

I’m not against chain store decor – it’s budget friendly and there are some great finds.  BUT it’s massed produced.  Let’s face it.  Even the decor you buy in independent stores is usually produced in scale from a factory and distributed by wholesalers to smaller retailers.  What makes chain store decor cheaper is they by-pass the wholesaler and go direct to the factories, meaning their prices are better.  Great for us, but it means everyone else can have one too.

I’m not saying, don’t buy chain store decor.  There are some great pieces out there.  Just try to personalise the budget buys and put your own spin on it.  Make it more personal to you!

Transform or Personalise It

When you see a piece of decor in the store, think is there a way to personalise this piece?   I’ve personalised and transformed many pieces of chain store decor to make it unique to me. Here are some ideas:

I spray painted this plain white tray from Kmart to transform it to a gold luxe tray.

I transformed this bamboo storage box into a table flower centrepiece.

You can make your own pom poms to customise a store bought throw blanket.

If you’ve ever looked at Ikea Hackers, you’ll know just how amazing some of the transformations are. On Instagram #kmarthack and #targethack are other hash tags you can search for inspiration.  And don’t forget Pinterest.

Style It

How you style your decor can make a difference to how it looks.  You don’t want your decor to look exactly like it does on the box it came in.  Unless you want your home to look like a store catalogue, mix up your pieces and add your unique styling touch.  You can make chain store decor look more expensive and personal just by styling it your way.

Not only did I paint the bottom of this Kmart hurricane vase rose gold, the way it’s styled with other items in my house means it doesn’t scream Kmart.

This Spotlight cloche is styled with a bird’s nest from Blake & Taylor and a pair of blue and white ginger jars from Early Settler.  The calligraphy brush from Hamptons Home adds a vintage touch.

This marble-stone and glass dome was from Kmart, but the way it’s styled in my home looks nothing like it did on the box.

Use Hi-Lo Decorating

I’ve written before about Hi Lo Decorating.  It’s all about mixing budget finds with investment pieces.

Here a Kmart tic tac toe board, sits on a sofa from Alfresco Emporium (an investment piece), and the cushion is from Three Beaches, and the blue throw rug from Pillow Talk.

Add Something Vintage or Unique

Add a vintage or unique piece to you decor mix.

An IKEA plant in a Kmart marble pot sits on an antique marble pedestal table from Brisbane antiques dealer The Old Boathouse

Pulling It All Together

To me, this image summarises everything I’ve written about personalising chain store decor.

On the Wall – Large mirror is vintage from an antiques stall, small mirror is a premium purchase from Laura Ashley, the white wicker bird and heart are from Kmart, but I customised them by adding a diamanté button and twine to the bird, and a silver heart and ribbon on top of the wicker heart.  The keys were black wrought iron from the discount shop and I painted them with a white distressed look.

On the Side Table – topiary conifers from Target sit either side of a vintage bird cage.  The bone inlay box from an interior design showroom sits on a vintage Don Bradman cricket book from the op shop.  The bird statue is from an independent retailer in London.

Furniture – The console table was purchased from House & Garden years ago, and the wicker basket was from Early Settler.

All together, this little corner of my home uses chain store decor, but in a way that is unique and personal to me.  Have you personalised any chain store decor in your home?

I'm Kylie, and I love to share practical home decorating and styling tips. I'm a qualified interior designer and self taught crafter and DIY'er. I'm addicted to decorating, and can't walk past a homewares shop without going in for a look. I live in a 1930's Queenslander in Brisbane's inner suburbs which I'm turning into a home one project at a time.