Bring your living room into bloom with these petal-perfect patchwork projects inspired by vintage floral fabrics.
Feedsack fabrics fuel the remake of this formerly blah living room. We used them to cover a lampshade, pump up a pillow, and brighten an ottoman cushion. An aqua blue accent wall (inspired by one of the prints) provides a glowing backdrop.
Upcycle an old lampshade with scraps from your stash. Use a foam brush to coat the outside of the lampshade with Mod Podge. Center a scrap on the shade. Smooth out bubbles with your fingers. Brush more Mod Podge over the scrap.
Repeat steps with more scraps—overlapping edges—until the entire shade is covered. Position some scraps so one inch of fabric hangs over the top and bottom edges. Wrap any extra fabric over the top edge; apply more Mod Podge on the inside and press to secure. Repeat steps with bottom edge. Let dry before using.
Make a patchwork pillow for your living room with regular squares of floral fabrics in coordinating hues. Here’s how.
Gather Your Materials
- Cotton fabric remnants
- ¾ yard of coordinating fabric
- Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Sewing machine, pins and thread
- Iron and ironing board
- 18-inch-square pillow form
Cut 16 5-inch fabric squares for the pillow cover’s front panel. (We used feedsack fabrics that matched other living room projects.) Cut a 20-inch-square piece of fabric for the back panel.
Using a ½-inch seam allowance, stitch four strips comprised of four squares each. Using a ½-inch seam allowance, stitch the four strips together to make one 20-inch-square patchwork panel. Press seams flat.
Right sides together, align the two 20-inch-square fabric panels. Pin. Plan for a large opening at the bottom. Using a ½-inch seam allowance, start stitching at one end of the opening. Continue sewing until you get to the other edge of the opening. Trim corners to remove bulky fabric.
Turn the pillow cover right-side out. Use something pointed to push out the corners. Turn the open edges under ½ inch and press all seams. Insert pillow cover; manipulate it until it fills the cover. Slip-stitch the opening closed.
Transform a used 35×22-inch pallet into an industrial-chic ottoman. Scrub the pallet with soap and water, rinse, and let dry. Sand the wood to remove splinters. Wipe clean with a tack cloth. Brush desired stain color onto all surfaces; let dry. Brush on clear satin varnish; let dry. Invert the pallet; use jumbo screws to attach heavy-duty swiveling casters to each corner (opt for lockable wheels to keep your footrest stable).
Flip over and top with a box cushion made by cutting urethane foam to fit, then inserting it into a patchwork cover made from feedsack fabrics.
Top your finished ottoman cushion with a large tray to hold drinks, books or a vase of flowers. We found an inexpensive option at IKEA but the plain white floor of the tray was a bit uninspiring.
An easy application of flowered contact paper (love this print!), et voilà, a jazzy new accent for the living room.
A grouping of framed artwork takes our flower theme onto the wall over the sofa. A mix of frames and artistic styles keeps the subject matter visually dynamic.
We found an oil on canvas still life at a local antique mall for $5. Not a Manet, of course, but nice enough. It was taped to a piece of cardboard so we purchased canvas stretchers, assembled the frame and stapled the canvas tightly around the frame.
A few quick and affordable projects later, we’ve got a flower-bedecked living room that’s inviting, cozy and unique.
© Caruth Studio