Did you see the bandana feature in July's Martha Stewart Living? Classic cowboy-beloved bandanas are used and displayed in such gorgeous and sophisticated ways, they feel exotic and new...
As the article teaches us, bandanas have always had a bit of international flair, despite being iconically "American". Even the word bandana is derived from the Hindi "bandhana", which means "to tie". Bandanas are put to many uses by the always-crafty MSL team, such as table-topper (under glass), wastebasket cover, and lampshade. It was the framed bandanas that hit me hardest of all. What a subtle but striking display! That range of indigo would look good with anything, like jeans you can hang on your wall. The story's creators admit that these are all particularly fine (and rare) vintage examples — to the antique mall!
Image: The Crafts Department for Martha Stewart Living


Shaw's Original Fir...
The bandanas look nice, but that room is blue overload.
Ditto. I adore the bandanas, but with that wall color- yuck!
I kind of like the wall, blue and all.
I love the bandanas without qualifications and the dog bed is awesome.
I just returned from a week-long stay in Singapore where the hotel room was this same dark blue and the bathroom was tiled in black. It was the most depressing room I have ever stayed in and I was glad to be back home. I've now decided that I need to repaint my own bedroom which is also blue--though not that dark a shade. Ugh! Singapore was great but that room was miserable to return to each night!
Wow, those bandanas actually look quite pretty. Agree that the room is waaay too blue, though.
It is actually pretty difficult to get bandanas in this many different designs.
Love this idea. Love it with the bandannas. I have a handkerchief collection that I have been aching to hang on the wall like this...so hoping I can do it this year (I need a wall first! ;) Wish me luck!
I like the idea, but not crazy about what appear to be custom frames that are slightly different sizes. I'd have done identical frames with some folding over of hems as needed. Or probably would have mounted them stretched or wrapped on blocks, actually.
I don't mind all the blue.
Does anyone know where to find that bench reasonably inexpensively?
What I absolutely love is the carpet. Too bad they cost an arm and a leg.
i think the monochromatic is what makes this work or makes the statement, love the bandana idea, i am going to borrow it ;)...
I would have never thought that bandanas could look good.
I have vintage handkerchiefs I've been wanting to do this with as well. I can't afford to have them custom framed but I can't seem to find any square frames to do it myself.
http://www.pfile.com/product/par-j-ff/Cheap-Picture-Frames
check out the MCS format frames- u can get either 8 or 12 inch squares... very easy to use & relatively cheap... :)
The slightly different size of some of the frames bothers me too.....I would have used only the ones that would have been the same size in the end. The putty colored chair doesn't work for me either.....why not plain white?
hey, martha's people borrowed that from the levi's stores... i do love it though! i have been collecting vintage bandanas for a long time. they are lil pieces of art.
I can't decide whether the frames differ in size or are just not aligned. Either way, surprising that someone as exacting as Martha would have let this happen (though the imperfection of it has some appeal for me).
Love the bandanas, can't stand the Martha. I'm just sayin'....
great idea, I'm going to start collecting!
This is really pretty and affordable.
Love the blue wall colour, and the misaligned frames - gives the whole ensemble a 'quilt' feel.
I love bandanas. I have many, in different colors, that I use as napkins. It creates a colorful, casual table. Especially for lunch or an outdoor BBQ.
Where are you guys buying bandanas?
@JosieDaisy- Ebay has a ton of different styles/colors.
I love this! This may be how my grandpa's bandannas end up. hmmm
These look beautiful, I never would have thought of displaying bandanas. I really like the blue-on-blue thing going on here, but I have a feeling it would be unpleasant to actually be in a room like that in person.
hm I'll have to see what's available out here, thanks JWTX but I think they're easier to get in the US. :(
I have had bandanas hanging on my wall for 5 years now...ever since my Japanese student brought me two as gifts from Japan. I have to say the design on the fabric of these Japanese bandanas struck me and I decided to hang them up, rather than wear them. I also have a piece I made from special origami paper - a very thick kind. There are many things we can make "wall art" out of - among things in my apartment there is a piece I made from a blue-green ultra thin silk scarf, bamboo stick and necklaces - I never wear jewelry and I found this a good way to enjoy the beauty of the ones I have been given as gifts. Then I have a piece which is basically stamps (rubber stamps) on brown supermarket paper. I have framed a poem a friend of mine wrote on my vintage typewriter, which I decorated with some black ink drawings. A bunch of favorite posters and photos also find there ways on my walls...and well, I do have one painting - a gift from a friend.
I did the vintage handkerchiefs on the wall. I didn't get custom frames though--just scour Goodwill and put them up when I find one. I've learned that the old record album frames work particularly well.