14 Dollar Store Decor DIYs That Look Way More Expensive Than They Are

Dollar store decor can make your home look like a page from a fancy catalog, and nobody has to know what you spent. Maybe you have walked past those glass vases, foam pumpkins and plain frames a hundred times and thought they looked too cheap to bother with. Here is the happy secret: with a little paint, some twine and one quiet evening, those same pieces turn into vases, trays, wreaths and signs that look like they cost ten times more. Searches for these budget makeovers are climbing fast this fall, and it is easy to see why. Every project below uses simple supplies, needs no special skills and is gentle on your wallet. Grab a basket, pick a favorite or two and get ready for friends to ask where you bought it..

Dollar Store Decor Vases Made From Stacked Glassware

Have you ever seen tall designer vases and gasped at the price tag? These ones started as a plain glass candle holder, a small bowl and a skinny bud vase from the dollar aisle. Glued together and trimmed with a thin gold rim, they look like heavy studio glass. Fill them with pampas grass, eucalyptus or a few orange stems and your mantel suddenly feels styled. Make three in different heights for that layered look. Which shelf in your home needs a little height and sparkle first..

You will need: 2 or 3 glass pieces (candle holders, small bowls, bud vases), clear strong glass glue, gold paint pen, dried stems.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the glass so the glue grips. 2. Stack the pieces and glue them together, then let them cure overnight. 3. Run a gold paint pen around each rim and edge. 4. Fill with dried stems and group them in odd numbers.

Textured Foam Pumpkin Makeover

Those shiny orange foam pumpkins in the dollar store decor aisle look a little plastic straight off the shelf. Give them a stone-like coat and they turn into the chalky, earthy pumpkins you see in boutique shops. The trick is mixing baking soda into regular craft paint so it dries thick and gritty. Soft cream, warm white and sage green look lovely together. Swap the fake stem for a real cinnamon stick and your kitchen smells cozy too. How many will you need for your table?

You will need: Foam craft pumpkins, acrylic craft paint in cream, white and sage, baking soda, a chip brush, cinnamon sticks, twine, craft glue.

How to make it: 1. Pull off the plastic stems. 2. Stir about 2 spoons of baking soda into half a cup of paint. 3. Dab it on with a brush and let it dry. 4. Glue in a cinnamon stick and tie on a twine bow.

The $10 Boo Basket That Makes Someone’s Day

A boo basket is a little surprise bag of fall treats left on a friend’s porch, and it is pure joy to give. You can fill one beautifully for about ten dollars with a few small finds. Think fuzzy socks, a mini pumpkin, a mug, cocoa packets and a sweet handmade tag. Tuck it into a cute bucket or basket with crinkle paper and it looks like a pricey gift box. Who on your street would smile the most if one showed up at their door?

You will need: A small basket or bucket, crinkle paper, fuzzy socks, a mug, cocoa packets, a mini pumpkin, a small battery LED light, a ribbon and a paper tag.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bottom of the basket with crinkle paper. 2. Place the tallest items at the back and small treats in front. 3. Tie a ribbon around the handle. 4. Write a friendly note on the tag and leave it on a porch.

Dollar Store Decor Welcome Sign From a Wood Round

A welcome sign on the front door sets the mood before anyone even knocks. The wood rounds sold with the dollar store decor supplies are the perfect base, and they cost next to nothing. Paint the edge, add a simple word with a stencil and hang it with jute rope. Add a few faux leaves or a little bow and you have a sign that looks like it came from a craft fair. You can repaint it every season. What word would you put on yours?

You will need: A wood round, acrylic paint, a letter stencil or paint pen, sandpaper, faux leaves, jute rope, craft glue, a small drill (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Lightly sand the wood round and wipe off the dust. 2. Paint a border and let it dry. 3. Stencil your word in the center. 4. With adult help, drill two holes at the top, thread rope through and glue on the leaves.

Gold Framed Mirror, a Classic Dollar Store Decor Upgrade

A plain little mirror can look tired on its own, but a frame changes everything. Glue it onto a wider frame, add some chunky trim or wood beads, then paint the whole thing in warm metallic gold. Suddenly it looks like an antique piece from a vintage shop. Hang one above a console table or group three small ones in a hallway. Mirrors also bounce light around and make a small room feel bigger. Is there a dark corner in your home that could use one?

You will need: A small round or square mirror, a wooden frame or trim pieces, strong craft glue, gold spray paint or gold acrylic paint, painter’s tape, a picture hanger.

How to make it: 1. Tape over the mirror glass to protect it. 2. Glue the trim or frame around the mirror and let it dry. 3. Paint everything gold in light coats. 4. Peel off the tape and add a hanger to the back.

Wood Block Bud Vase

Wood block vases are one of the hottest decor searches this fall, and they are so simple. A chunky block of wood with a small glass tube tucked into the top makes a modern little vase for one or two stems. Many shops sell them for twenty dollars or more. Yours will cost a fraction of that and look just as sweet on a windowsill or desk. Make a row of three with different heights. What flowers would you put in yours?

You will need: Wood blocks or a thick piece of scrap wood, small glass test tubes or tiny bud vases, wood stain or paint, sandpaper, a drill with a spade bit (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Sand the wood block smooth. 2. With adult help, drill a hole in the top just wide enough for the glass tube. 3. Stain or paint the block and let it dry. 4. Slide in the glass tube, add water and a stem.

Tiered Treat Stand From Plates and Candlesticks

A tiered stand makes cookies and cupcakes look like they came from a bakery window. You can build one from simple dollar store decor pieces: two or three plates and a couple of glass candlesticks. Glue them together, let them cure and paint the candlesticks if you like. It looks gorgeous at a party, a bridal shower or just on the kitchen counter holding fruit. Nobody will guess it cost a few dollars. What treats would you stack on yours first?

You will need: 2 or 3 plates in different sizes, 2 glass or wooden candlesticks, strong glass glue (food safe on the eating side), a ruler, a marker.

How to make it: 1. Find and mark the center of each plate. 2. Glue a candlestick to the center of the biggest plate. 3. Glue the middle plate on top, then the second candlestick and the smallest plate. 4. Let it cure fully for 24 hours before using.

Painted Terracotta Pot Pumpkins

Little clay pots are a dollar store decor favorite: cheap, sturdy and surprisingly easy to turn into pumpkins. Paint them warm orange, cream or soft white, flip them upside down and add a twig or cinnamon stick as the stem. A twine bow and a faux leaf finish the look. They are perfect for steps, windowsills and kids’ craft tables, and they last for years. Stack two pots for a taller pumpkin. Would you paint yours bright orange or soft neutral?

You will need: Small terracotta pots, acrylic paint, a sponge brush, twigs or cinnamon sticks, twine, faux leaves, craft glue.

How to make it: 1. Paint the outside of the pots and let them dry. 2. Add a second coat for solid color. 3. Turn the pots upside down and glue a stem into the hole. 4. Tie twine around the stem and glue on a leaf.

Wire Frame Fall Wreath

A full fall wreath from a home store can cost forty dollars or more. A wire wreath frame from the dollar store decor shelf holds the same beauty for far less. Tuck in faux leaves, small berries, wheat and a few mini pumpkins, then finish with a big plaid or velvet bow. You can see how lush a homemade wreath can look in the photo above. It brightens a front door, a window or even the wall above your bed. What colors would you choose for yours?

You will need: A wire wreath frame, faux fall leaves and berry picks, floral wire, wire cutters (adult help), ribbon for a bow, a wreath hanger.

How to make it: 1. Cut the faux picks into short pieces. 2. Bundle a few together and wire them to the frame, all facing the same way. 3. Keep layering until the frame is covered. 4. Wire a big bow at the bottom and hang it up.

Dollar Store Decor Serving Tray From a Picture Frame

Here is a clever one. A large picture frame with the glass still in it becomes a smart serving tray. Slide pretty scrapbook paper or fabric behind the glass, then screw two drawer handles onto the sides. It is perfect for carrying coffee to the porch or holding perfume bottles on a dresser. Pick paper that matches your room and change it whenever you like. It also makes a sweet handmade gift. Which room would you put your tray in?

You will need: A large picture frame with glass, scrapbook paper or fabric, 2 drawer handles with short screws, a screwdriver, paint (optional), felt pads.

How to make it: 1. Paint the frame if you want a new color and let it dry. 2. Place the paper behind the glass and close the back. 3. With adult help, screw a handle onto each short side. 4. Stick felt pads under the corners to protect your table.

Dollar Store Decor Mercury Glass LED Holders

Mercury glass has that dreamy, silvery, old-world shine that looks so expensive. It is one of the smartest dollar store decor tricks around. You can fake it on plain glass votive holders with a light mist of water and a mirror-effect spray. The patchy, speckled finish catches the light beautifully. Put a battery LED tea light inside each one and the glow is warm and safe for any room. Line them up on a mantel or dinner table. Can you picture these sparkling on your table at Thanksgiving?

You will need: Plain glass votive holders, mirror-effect spray paint, a spray bottle of water with a splash of vinegar, paper towels, battery LED tea lights.

How to make it: 1. Mist the inside of the glass lightly with water. 2. Spray a light coat of mirror paint inside, working outdoors with adult help. 3. Dab with a paper towel for speckles. 4. Let it dry, then add an LED tea light.

Pretty Apothecary Jars

Apothecary jars give a bathroom or kitchen that clean, spa-like feel. Make your own by gluing a glass candlestick under a glass jar and topping the lid with a round wooden knob or glass bead. Fill them with cotton balls, bath salts, seashells or wrapped candy. A soft pastel tint or simple painted label makes them extra charming. If you love glass crafts, our mason jar crafts are full of more easy ideas. What would you keep in yours?

You will need: Glass jars with lids, short glass candlesticks, wooden knobs or large glass beads, clear strong glass glue, paint pen (optional).

How to make it: 1. Clean all the glass. 2. Glue a candlestick to the bottom of each jar. 3. Glue a knob or bead to the top of each lid. 4. Let them cure overnight, then fill and add labels if you like.

Wood Bead Table Garland

Wood bead garlands are a perfect dollar store decor project, and they are everywhere right now, draped over trays, stacks of books and coffee tables. You can string one in about twenty minutes with a bag of wooden beads and some jute. Add a little tassel at each end and it looks like the ones sold for twenty dollars in home shops. Keep it natural, or paint the beads black for a bold modern look like the one above. Where would you drape yours first?

You will need: Wooden beads in two or three sizes, jute twine or cotton cord, scissors, embroidery thread or yarn for tassels, paint (optional).

How to make it: 1. Cut a piece of twine about 3 feet long. 2. String the beads in a pattern, big and small. 3. Tie a knot at each end to hold them. 4. Make two small tassels and tie one to each end.

Rope-Wrapped Bins for Tidy Dollar Store Decor

Plain plastic bins from the dollar store decor aisle keep things tidy but rarely look pretty. Wrap them in thick cotton or jute rope and they turn into warm, woven baskets that look like they came from a coastal home store. Use them for blankets, toys, towels or the mail pile. A few tidy baskets on a shelf make the whole room feel calm and finished. People love sharing these budget makeovers, and one popular makeover post drew close to 200,000 likes. Which messy spot would you tackle first?

You will need: Plastic bins or containers, thick jute or cotton rope, a hot glue gun (adult help), scissors.

How to make it: 1. Start at the bottom edge and glue the rope end in place. 2. Wrap the rope tightly around the bin, adding glue every few inches. 3. Keep going until you reach the top. 4. Trim and glue the end neatly on the inside.