• Display them like art. This certainly isn't a new idea, people have been hanging delicate textiles such as tapestries for a bizillion years, but it's one that never ceases to be fresh. Depending on your intention, wall hangings can look casual and easy-going — tacked to a wall, as in Ellen Pompeo's room featured in Elle Decor (Picture 1) and the gypsy wagon-esque room from Marie Claire Maison (picture 2)— or clean and refined— mounted on canvas stretchers (picture 3) or framed (picture 4).
• Use them as a wall covering. I'm sure I'm not the only one who was delighted and intrigued by Lonny's feature on Liz Bauer's home in which she used decorative textiles like most people use wallpaper (picture 5). Art and other decorative elements sit atop the wall hanging, setting the tone of the accent wall rather than being the main focus.
• Dress up a piece of furniture. Draping a textile over a chair or sofa back (picture 4) or bed frame (picture 1) can completely transform the look of the piece of furniture— what once may have seemed dowdy can look carefree with the right textile accent.
• Use them as bed throws. In Anna and Dan's loft, the couple draped their bed with a decorative cutting that plays up the eclectic vibe of their space.
• Use them as upholstery fabric. Not all decorative textiles will be up for a functional task, but there are plenty that are. Better Homes and Gardens has an awesome tutorial for turning your beautiful global textile finds into stylish ottomans.
What uses and display ideas have you found for your decorative textiles?
Images: 1, 4: Elle Decor, 2: Marie Claire Maison, 3: Martha Stewart, 5: Lonny Mag, 6: Rachel Grad for Apartment Therapy: DC, 7: Better Homes and Gardens
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do you know where i could pick up bureaus/dressers similar to the two in the main picture (likely painted blue)?
Use them as Tablecloths?
To make Pillows?
Table Runners?
Placemats?
Xmas Tree Skirts?
I love the patterns! I have a bed spread just like the one in pic 6 :D
I love the challenge of incorporating textiles into my decor! Here are two examples:
1. I picked up a gorgeous embroidered textile in Costa Rica over a year ago and was inspired by the Elle Decor ikat cover page image (which you have here)..here is the before: http://thesalerack.blogspot.com/2009/04/help-how-should-i-frame-my-textile.html. Here is the after: http://thesalerack.blogspot.com/2009/05/new-living-room-decor.html
2. A few years ago, I found beautiful embroidered fabric at ABC Carpet in NYC and used it to cover my ugly TV stand...http://thesalerack.blogspot.com/2008/11/using-fabric-to-create-gorgeous.html
I had hung a beautiful tapestry from the ceiling in a very large living room in order to make it feel smaller and more intimate (didn't have as much furniture). It was lovely, but I've use it now to cover the loveseat, and another that serves as a tablecloth.
Great post Leah! I'm obsessed with beautiful textiles, so it's always great to have advice on what to do with them.
Love the mounted canvas idea. Great post.
Great post! That's an excellent roundup.
Picture 1 - to die for!!!! Color and print combo is totally covetable.
I really love using textiles like the pic of the bed with the fabric in place of a headboard. Using the large circle pattern with the square pillows really does create a good feeling of balanced yin and yang.
@jokerman --are you collecting the really old very rare Uzbek pieces or the newer ones? i know a source of museum quality Uzbek and Chinese textiles: fishgirl@earthlink.net
jade3226- a similar style is posted today on CL.
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/fuo/1887165957.html