Native American decor – authentic or not – can be extremely expensive, but you can make your ordinary decor look like Native American pieces, simply by adding Native American novelties, fabrics and notions. Anyone can spot Indian-theme fabrics, but when it comes to novelties and notions, you’ll often find them scattered across a craft store, with some pieces in the Native American aisle, and others pieces elsewhere.
The reason for having the notions scattered is that many aren’t necessarily considered Native American. For instance, turquoise-colored beads aren’t actually Native American, per say, but can be used in many Native American projects. The same goes for brass rings, strips of leather, pieces of wood, and silver paint.
You don’t have to have a lot of money to make various pieces in your home look Native American. One good example is the use of craft arrowheads. You’ll sometimes find them in colors, or can purchase them in black or white, but you’ll generally get two or three for about $5. Real arrowheads can be even cheaper, sometimes. I once visited a tourist attraction where real arrowheads were so plentiful that you could purchase small ones at 2/$1 and larger ones at a buck a piece. There were buckets full of them, some chipped, some not.
You can use these arrowheads, and similar items to makeover most any room in the house. Glue the colored, craft arrowheads onto a lampshade, add a piece of turquoise trim, and you’ve got a Native American lamp. You can even cut scraps of Native American fabric that can be decoupaged onto the lampshade itself.
Remove the drawer pulls from a cabinet and replace them with arrowheads – real or craft. Use adhesives appropriate for plastics when using the craft arrowheads, rock-type adhesive for real arrowheads.
Craft arrowheads are generally three to four inches in length, and have a hole at the wide end, for threading sinew or thread. Braid three strips of the sinew, threading on a colored arrowhead in the center, then use the braids as tie-backs for curtains.
It’s easy to glue the craft arrowheads onto canisters, wicker baskets, shower curtain rings, bathroom tissue dispensers, picture frames, mirrors – even belts or denim boots. And speaking of boots, they’re a great way to add Native American touches to a room. Set a pair of old boots by the front door for holding umbrellas. Or, place a plastic bag in a boot, insert a cactus or other plant, then fill with dirt. You can even use artificial plants in the boot. Set the boots any ol’ place around the house for a whimsical touch.
Native American fabrics offer hundreds of craft and decor opportunities. Although the fabric might be slightly expensive per yard, if you use small pieces, a yard will go a long way. Cut images like tepees, buffalo, wolves and Indians from the cloth and stitch it to an ordinary quilt, stitch it to curtains, or even decoupage them onto your headboard and footboard. The decoupage adhesive is found at most craft stores, department stores and home improvement places.
Make place mats, small appliance covers, tablecloths, table runners, or even a cloth shower curtain. Or, use smaller pieces and attach them to vases, book cases, lamps, and other smooth surfaces. You can even put magnetic sheeting on the back of the cloth so you can make scenes for the refrigerator or freezer door.
Sinew, or strips of rawhide, can also be used to make various Native American decor pieces. Braided together, it makes the perfect trim for fireplace mantles, interior door perimeters, cabinet outlines, mirrors, picture frames and other projects.
Feathers can quickly add to your Native American decor, and they’re very affordable when you purchase them by the bag. Whether you choose assorted colors, or all one color, you’ll get hundreds and hundreds of feathers for a few bucks. Add them to curtain tie backs, poster bed posts, cabinet door knobs and other areas of the home.
You don’t have to have a lot of money to do a quick Native American makeover for a room. Just look for the inexpensive notions and novelties, like feathers, sinew, arrowheads, conchos, small pieces of leather, and silver roping. You’ll be surprised at how quick the projects are to do, how little you spent, and how much difference it makes in the overall look of the room – or the whole house!
