Beyond Pillows: Fabulous Home Décor Project Ideas

If you are a sewing enthusiast, some of the most obvious projects you can tackle are home improvement sewing projects to customize your living space. Fabric accessories and accents can add color, texture, and warmth to any home and help to soften a space and make it feel more welcoming.

For most sewers, pillows are the obvious place to start in home decor. But there are so many other fabulous sewing projects that can add to your home decor without having to resort to piling your sofa with too many pillow projects. Here are some of our favorites!

Soften Walls with Hangings and Curtains

Curtains and wall hangings can seem overwhelming due to their size, but they often feature straight lines and simple stitching and are a great way to use sewing skills to add warmth to your living space.

Get rid of bare windows and builder-special blinds and consider simple curtains or shades that you made yourself. By sewing your own window dressings, you get access to any fabric you want, allowing you complete control over style and color. Further, sewing your own draperies can often be less expensive than commercially bought curtains and shades, particularly if you are good at finding bargain fabrics. When choosing fabric for curtains, remember that heavier weight fabrics will have more drape and offer more light blocking ability than lighter, sheer fabrics. For warmth while still allowing light to enter the room, choose a lighter weight or sheer fabric for your project. 

Wall hangings are another great way to use a sewing project to spruce up your interior. Using photo fabric transfers, you can sew a picture collage wall hanging to show off your friends and family. Alternatively, choose a designer fabric or one of today’s popular printed cottons for an abstract or patterned wall hanging. Wall hangings are simple sewing projects that work great in large rooms to add warmth and dampen sound.

Ideas for Your Table Tops

There are a number of home decor sewing projects that are useful as much as they are beautiful. Got a dining room or kitchen table in need of some color? Serged placemats are simple sewing projects that can add color and seasonal patterns to your table while protecting the surface during meals. Placemats are easy to make and a great way to use up scrap fabric left over from other projects.

For a little more fabric-intensive project, consider a sewn and decorative table runner to add color and protection to your table center. Use single color fabrics or create a patchwork table runner to add a variety of texture to your room.

Fabric Choices Aplenty

Home decor projects give the sewer a valuable chance to use up small yardages of fabric in ways that add coordination and color to the home. Sometimes, home decorator projects are a great opportunity to use an expensive fabric that you only need a small amount of. Choosing your decorator fabrics, however, is an important part of your project. Be sure that you have enough fabric and that the fabric is suitable for the item’s use. Placemats that can’t be washed, for example, won’t last very long during a meal! Make sure that you make good fabric choices before you start sewing.

Armed with a few simple tips and ideas, you’ll be well on your way to sprucing up your entire home with projects you made yourself!