Hi my name is Athena Snow, and I’m an Etsy addict. Every morning when I wake up and drink my coffee I browse through the Popular Treasuries tab on my Etsy app looking for trends and must-have items – especially those made of recycled or reused items. There are definitely themes that I’ve been noticing in eco-friendly home décor items, some of which I’ve tried my artistic hand in reinterpreting for my home. Here are my four must-do home décor ideas for this summer that all honor the spirit of upcycling.

Taxidermy – There are so many takes on this idea – from paper mache to wood to the actual stuffed animal – but no one does it to such an extreme as artist Marcus Kenney. I fell in love with his work while living in Savannah and continue to be amazed by how he incorporates so many reused items to bring these animals back to life.

Hot Air Balloons – If you haven’t been noticing hot air balloons, you must not be looking up these days. They’re everywhere, but most noticeably in the front window displays of every Anthropology store. I inquired with my local Anthropology sales associate to find out how I could purchase one of the balloons made with recycled items and ended up bringing home two! Here’s some inspiration if you’re so inclined to use some magazines or newspapers hanging around the house to build one for yourself.

Vintage Coffee Bean Sacks – Now that I have a deck in my backyard with built in seating, I was forced to figure out a solution to provide some cushion for the tush. I’ve noticed how vintage coffee sacks are being used for purses and wallets so why not make my new deck seating cushions out of some cool designed sacks (no sewing, just stuffing). This is the picture that set me on my way, and maybe it will spark and idea for your next home décor project.

Reusing Quilts for Curtains – I can never find curtains that I looove and therefore end up with bare windows. That is until I was in Free People and noticed the curtains in the fitting room. It was a simple idea that would bring so much color to my home. Whether it’s a Kantha quilt (made from reused Sari’s) or that quilt your grandma made – your windows are the perfect spot to frame these fabrics.

Main photo credit: Flickr user Pad Swift