Recently, a number of news publications have been focusing on alternative home decor – particularly design ideas that involve recycling, reusing and repurposing old or found items. One homeowner's junk really can be your treasure as long as you're willing to think outside the box and get your creative juices flowing.

In Iowa, for example, the Creston News Advertiser reports that local residents Sheila O'Riley and Rene Foster are getting ready to open the doors to their new store, She-Nae's Rescued and Renewed Decor for Home and Garden, which will feature items that have been made from previously discarded material. They'll also focus on making their own products out of "junk" that they come across. 

The Rockford Register Star, a news source based in Illinois, also recently published a piece on repurposed decor that includes interviews with business owners in the area. 

"Hang a chandelier in a room that you might not think of, like a walk-in closet or a kitchen or guest bathroom, and all of a sudden you've got something really interesting," suggests Mary Dean of Creative Atmospheres, a shop in Rockford. 

Stan Gargani, the owner of a company in the same town that sells curtains and blinds, said that homeowners are even getting creative with non-traditional window treatments. 

"We've installed blinds as room dividers for our customers. Honeycomb, vertically oriented blinds work very well," Gargani explains to the source.

If you live in Milwaukee and you're interested in some unique custom curtains and drapes or blinds, you can turn to Bazaar Home Decorating for your interior design needs. We also offer custom bedding, pillows and even home organization solutions to make your closet, garage, pantry and other storage areas neat and tidy.