This is what I did in my dining room turned school room. My non-negotioable was that I did not want to paint the walls. I wanted something cheery, but was feeling stuck and confined by the dark green on the walls. Off to the fabric store I went.
I always shop the discount and sale aisles first. There are so many great finds to be had. That is exactly what happened on this particular day. I stumbled across a cheery floral print that had a green in it that just about matched my wall color perfectly. This fabric became my springboard for the rest of the room.
From that fabric, I decided on a tertiary color scheme using shades of blue, green, orange, and red. It is somewhat busy and bold, but because I was decorating a space for my kids to learn, I wanted fun and colorful. This is the fabric I worked from and used to recover my dining room chairs. I took the fabric with me to the paint store on the way home and bought blue paint to paint the dining room chairs, giving them a vintage flare.
From my springboard fabric I chose a monochromatic orange fabric for my drapes, which a friend graciously offered to make for me. The round table in the picture was in my husband's house growing up. We kept it and did not paint it because it has an awesome veneer on top and the thing is indestructible--perfect for kids!
This child's table and chairs was handed down to us from our babysitter. When we inherited it, the table was already black and the chairs were bright primary colors.
Again, using my springboard fabric, I pulled four colors for the chairs. I love the way the chairs work with the walls. I'm telling you, I never would have come up with these colors or dreamed they would have worked with my wall color if it weren't for the fabric I found on sale at the craft store.
The oval platter and red-rimmed plate were given to me as wedding gifts. The red-rimmed plate is a bold accent for the room, but works because of the red cherries in my springboard fabric. It also ties in with the red child's chair around the black table. The bulletin board was found at a consignment store. It was originally a dark black and gold, but I painted it with a simple coat of white acrylic and light blue on top for an antique look.
The next place I utilized fabric in my home was in my family room. My husband and I had been around and around about whether or not to keep the oriental rug that he purchased before meeting me. In the end, we just couldn't part with it. We love it and decided to work around it.
Because the rug is busy I was always reluctant when it came to choosing colors for accessories. I found these frames on sale years before I ever decided to use them in my family room. They were $6 a piece and I had to buy them. They sat and sat in my basement until the idea came to me to frame fabric in them!
Again, I headed to the fabric store not really knowing what I was looking for. The navy peacock fabric drew me in instantly. I love the clean lines and style it has added to our family room.
I decided to use some of the leftover peacock fabric to recover this cute red chair that my son uses for his school desk. His learning zone backs up to the family room and I love the way the matching fabric brings cohesiveness between both spaces.
Where could you use fabric in your home to help add a little style to your space? If you're still unsure, grab a friend and some coffee and go walk the fabric aisles together. I'm sure inspiration is bound to come your way.
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