Growing up, doilies seemed to go hand-in-hand with plastic covered furniture and plastic runners over "new" carpet. But this slideshow at Country Living shows us how doilies can make a modern comeback that respects the skill and detail work that went into making them originally.
Above, different sized doilies are sewn together in an asymmetrical pattern to create an eye-catching, but sweet, runner.
Starch and a glass bowl to form the shape turn this doily into a pretty fruit bowl. While many of the projects in the slideshow work with, even celebrate, the slight yellowing that happens to an older doily, we think this project would work best with a crisp white one.
To make this textured vase, the doily was hand-stitched around a glass vessel. Below, doilies are sewn into a pillow and at the end of a sheer curtain. Overkill all in the same room maybe, but a dual purpose idea for covering up the ratty ends of an old curtain, or covering a stain or rip on an existing pillow.
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
I'm just not a doily fan. I'm impressed by people who can make them - I'm not gifted that way - but they're just not to my taste. That vase does look pretty nifty, though. Maybe I should reconsider my anti-doily position.
No matter how pretty these pics are. This is so grandma.
The only thing I like is the vase. The rest of the items reminds me a little too much of grandma's house.
These doilies lean "granny" because they are white and off-white....but look at the bedspread on the main image here: Look! Stunning Light Bedrooms with Dark Accents — it's very doilyish but because of the dark grey color, it looks much more modern.
Who's gonna dye some doilies?
I have a whole stash of doilies and hardanger, but I only use them as Christmas decorations.
Grandmas and doilies rule!
I like the runner-- since they're stitched together in an off-kilter way, it slightly modernizes them. it looks like something anthro would carry (the curtains, too). the vase is pretty neat and is small enough that it wouldn't scream grandma too loudly. I personally like the off-white/tea-stained ones better than the pure white ones-- they look more casual. it would take a very pristine room to pull them off, though.
Ah, doilies. If you traveled to China in the 1980's or early 90's, you would have seen doilies on furniture in all sort of places that were meant to look important and well-appointed. Even going back to the Mao days, you will see doilies on the backs of chairs in official photos. And you used to see them in taxis in Japan. I can't get that asoosiation out of my head when I see doilies. Doilies make me laugh.
...association...sorry.
I got some black doilies from Etsy, and I love them.
blech they need to be bleached or something
I'm sick of the revival of doilies. I hate doilies, hate them.
The runner has some charm, especially hanginf off the table like that... maybe a piece like that oculd become a wall hanging. Otherwise, not a fan of doilies either...
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
I heart doilies.
chartreuse chill out with your No! (:
i like the table runner & the vase..
the "bowl"?? weird
the curtain?? weird
Doilies remind me of the anti-macassars that were on the backs of furniture and car seats all over Japan when I lived there in the early 90's.
I gave all the doilies from my MIL's estate to my mom, and she was thrilled to have them... it's gotta be a grandma thing.
That said, if she gets tired of them and gives them back, they are going straight into a black dye bath.