Use Fabrics to Give Your Home a Face-lift

One of the easiest ways to transform an area in your home is to add a splash of color. Fabric can add that much needed color as well as some interesting patterns and designs. Here are some ways that added fabric in your home can drastically update the appearance of a room.

Window Treatments

Window treatments are a must have in any home or apartment. Usually some type of blind is hung on the windows, but while these aide in privacy, they do not add much to the room's décor.

Window treatments come in many styles, colors, and designs. Decide whether you want light curtains, long drapes, valances, etc. Then, as with any decorating challenge, you need to determine the look that you are trying to achieve for the room, such as country, contemporary, eclectic, bohemian, or just a particular color or style that suites your taste.

Next you need to begin searching for the right fabric for the window treatments. This again leans toward the theme in the room that you’re looking for. It would look a little out of place in ultra-modern décor to have wagon wheels on the window treatments. The right choice in window treatments will add style to any room.

If you're a natural with a sewing machine, making your own drapes should be easy for you. If not, you can make curtains without sewing.

Pillows

Pillows are an inexpensive way to brighten bedroom, living room, or guest room décor. Several well-placed pillows on a couch or love seat will make the furniture look more comfortable and inviting, as well as add color to the room.

Pillows can be found in just about any size, color, and design to fit most style preferences. If you have looked for pillows and just can’t find the perfect ones, try making your own.

Find the material that you would like to use, purchase pillow stuffing (or reuse the stuffing from older pillows), and fire up the sewing machine. Measure out two pieces of material the same size, pin them together with finished side on the inside, and sew three sides of the material together and about half of the forth side. Turn the material inside out so that the finished side is out. Through the opening, fill the pillow with stuffing, pin and sew the remaining half. If you are a more accomplished seamstress, put a zipper on the forth side for future fillings.

Bench Pads

If you have space that could be used as extra seating, consider buying an inexpensive storage bench and making a bench pad. This will not only give you extra seating for the room, but also extra storage. Better yet, turn an old coffee table into a bench seat as a great way to repurpose old clutter you've got in your garage or attic.

The thickness of the foam you use and the size of your bench will determine how much fabric is needed. This project is not only user-friendly, it’s also great for the person who likes to change décor often. When putting the fabric on the foam, stretch the fabric and use a staple gun to secure it to the bench. That way, when you want to alter the fabric on the bench, simply remove the staples and change out the fabric.

Headboards

A fabric-covered headboard is constructed in a similar manner as a bench. In fact, upholstering a headboard is a great, easy way to add color to your room with fabrics. If you have the opportunity, you can buy enough fabric to make the headboard and some matching throw pillows to transform your whole bedroom.

Decide on a design, such as a button tuck style. First lay out on the plywood the location of the buttons to be attached and drill small holes. Put the foam on the plywood and use some spray adhesive to help hold the foam. Next, place the fabric over the foam and staple the fabric to the plywood back. Pull the material snug as you work around the headboard, tucking and overlapping the corners. Lay out the button location as you did on the plywood using chalk or a marker that won’t stain the fabric. Using a long needle and nylon thread, place the buttons through the fabric and the plywood and tie or staple the thread. Make sure to pull all buttons evenly. Once completed, your fabric headboard is ready to hang.