Five Dollar Decor: Decorative Letters

It's back! After a nice, long, break, and by popular request, Five Dollar Decor has returned. I'd like to thank Pinterest for making it possible for me to once again return this feature to the blog. Without it, I'd still be stuck in the doldrums, with no inspiration for what to write about next.

And then... inspiration struck!

Everybody seems to be really into decorating with letters lately, and I am totally ok with that. You could go to Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters and pay beaucoup bucks for them, or you could go to your local craft store, spend an hour with some mod podge or paint, and whip up your own on the cheap.

I, predictably, favor the latter. Want to know how to do it? Here are five different styles for you to try.




Most of these use some variation on the cardboard or papier-mache letter, which can be purchased in the 8" height size from JoAnn Fabrics for a mere $2.99 a pop.

1. Map Monogram


Normally sold by Urban Outfitters for $13, this letter can be easily made at home with an atlas (or maps printed off of this website if you want the vintage look). The cost? Nothing but the price of the papier-mache letter, if you have maps and adhesive on hand.

A little mod podge, or even good old Elmer's glue will get that map right on there and ready to hang on the wall or decorate a bookshelf in your office or reading room.

2. Metal Monogram

I have an unholy love for all things Anthropologie, and their oversized zinc letters are no exception. At nearly $100 per letter, though, they are way out of my price range for accent decor. So, what's a girl to do?

Well, there are two great, cheap copycat options, one using paint and one using tin foil. The one that uses paint is my preference:

But the one using tin foil has a great look to it as well and offers a little more shine for your buck. Both are easily a tenth of the price as the Anthropologie version. Even if you have to buy paint, you shouldn't break $5 per letter here.


3. Jute Monogram

Along with the trend for typographical decorations lately, there's been a huge upsurge in the use of jute and burlap. Why not combine the two? Heather at Simple Daisy did, with results that I just love and want to copy immediately.

Fortunately, jute is just as cheap as those papier-mache letters.

4. Book Page Monogram


It's no secret that I love using book pages as decoration, so a letter made of letters is definitely up my alley. I can never bring myself to actually cut books up for these projects, but it would be easy to copy the look by printing quotes from your favorite book on linen paper and antiquing it!

The tutorial for book page letters actually uses flat wooden letters as a base, which can be bought from Michael's or JoAnn's for about the same price as the 3-d papier mache ones.

5. Colorful Monogram

For a more colorful look, combine paint and bright scrapbook paper in coordinating tones and shades. Thanks to the great variety of scrapbook paper out there, this last method is really limited by nothing but your own imagination as to how many looks it could generate. Wood-grain, peeling-paint, fabric, solid colors, and more--all with nothing more than a little paint and a little mod podge on a pre-made form.

For the full tutorial, you can go here.

I could have kept going. There were so many great ideas. So many beautiful pictures. But alas, I only had room for five.

How would you decorate with letters?