A few months ago I shared my bedframe makeover with you. Many of you commented on how pretty the “wallpaper” behind the bed was. Well, I have a confession to make. It wasn’t wallpaper at all.
Today I’m going to share with you what that thing behind the bed was and how I was able to easily warm up a room with fabric.
This is what the room had looked like for many years. It’s a spare room but also pretty stark. The “headboard” is actually a piece of plywood. I had wrapped it with an old comforter and stapled that on. And then I had covered it with the plaid fabric. It was that simple.
I did this to give the room some much needed color and also add a bit of warmth. And at the time I was trying to add cohesiveness to the beds which were not a set.
And no, painting the room was not an option. Usually my go-to solution is paint but we had painted the room and it was clean. No reason to go painting it again. I have lots of other things to paint.
Here is a photo of the room a few days ago. The pretty fabric you saw on the first photo is in fact a duvet cover. I had used it for staging only. Shhh, I’m giving blogger secrets away. But in reality, it had no business being there.
Once I had painted the bed frame and the dresser, it no longer looked right. The red clashed with the soft green. I think the only time I could get away with this combination was at Christmastime.
My solution was to change the cover of the headboard.
But that was the hardest part for me. I searched through my fabric stash and found this pretty floral but it was the wrong green.
I even tested this geometric which I had used to stage the fabulous Ikea desk makeover. However it was too bold for a bedroom. No one would get any rest with those vivid colors?
And then it clicked! Back when I first started blogging, I had made a wall hanging using a pretty fabric to place over my bed. You see, here in earthquake prone Greece we have to be careful what we put on the walls over the beds. I found some of the fabric but I didn’t have enough. Not to worry, I covered the whole piece with a neutral wool fabric, of which I had plenty.
Here you can see that I just stapled it in a haphazard way over the red plaid. No one will know what goes on in the back.
Like I said, I didn’t have enough of the fabric to cover the whole piece so I just draped it, making sure to center it. A few staples in the back and a couple on the bottom front and I was done.
And this is how it looks in the bedroom.
Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content. There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.
Here you can see how nice it looks next to the green furniture.
It has a calming effect in the bedroom.
And you know me, if I get bored with it, I can just switch it out with another piece of fabric. Just like I will do with those striped curtains.
It even looks great next to the wooden chair.
And there you have it. A simple and easy way to add color and warm up a room with fabric, without having to paint it. Did I pick the right fabric or were the other selections better?
What is your go to solution when you want to add color to a room?
If you like what you see, share it with your friends, or save it on Pinterest. Above is a Pinterest worthy image!
If you really like what you see subscribe to my blog and get my adventures twice a week in your mailbox. The form is on the sidebar and your e-mail will never be shared with a third party.
You may also like:
Mary what a clever and frugal way to add warmth to that wall and your guest bedroom! It makes a huge difference and looks so welcoming! I always wanted to try making a headboard, although our bedroom is kind of small for one and now we got a bed with a high frame, but it’s still on the list and so easy too, right? Have a lovely Monday!
Katrin you know I’m all about frugal and using up what I have at home. This was a simple way to add some interest into the room. And it’s not even a headboard! The bed headboard was so small it would not have made the impact that this giant thing does. And yes, it’s super easy!
Dear Mary,
I love the fabric you’ve put up on the headboard – just my cup of tea actually. Such a pitty you didn’t have any more left. Though it looks great with the original headboard showing at the sides.
We cannot put anything above our bed as it’s right underneath the pitch of the roof – which is a pitty. Whilst still living alone with the boys I had the most beautiful girlish bedroom with a board above my bed, full with pretty little things a girl cannot do without (Tiffany-ish lamp, frame with Mary Kay cross stitch, jewellery box with painted roses on the surface, a little vase with silk roses,…) – things I had missed during my first marriage. Luckily W doesn’t mind my dresser looking pretty much as mentioned above – think he loves my spleens (just think of my obsession for crochet)…
Have a lovely week,
Marjan
Marjan, silly me I had used it years ago to make the wall hanging. Because we can never be too careful here in Greece when it comes to earthquakes.
I’m glad that your dresser is full of all your pretty things. It’s these little prettys that make our lives a bit more joyful.
Oh Wow!!!! That’s such an ingenious idea Mary. Just brilliant and if I may, I think you chose the right fabric. The paisley print and the colors are the perfect backdrop for your gorgeous bed. I really love what you’ve done
Thank you for the vote of confidence Michelle. I drove the family crazy trying to pick a fabric. I can be such a pain when having to choose something!
Mary, this looks amazing and really makes such a dramatic statement in your space.
You are one clever lady.😉
Thank you Lisa. I even left the edges frayed like in your bathroom curtain. I’m always getting ideas from you! 😉
Mary the room looks great. If and when we come to stay, please don’t go to any further trouble. Looks great and comfy for us.
Baba I will put some flowers on the dresser and my comfiest pillows just for you!
Well, good for you — first, for being honest about it and second, for using such a cute and clever technique to warm up the wall. (And it does, you know!). Very smart!
I need to be honest Jeanie. Our homes are far from perfect and we wouldn’t want them to be anyway. We have people living here. I always try to make things that anyone can make regardless of skill level or equipment. Mainly because I don’t have any of those. Just my ideas. Thank you.
What a brilliant idea Mary! You always come up with brilliant yet frugal ideas that look great. I love the color of the frame and the change that you made with the fabric on the headboard looks so pretty. It goes perfectly with the paint color, and I love the pattern.
This fabric is one of my favorites. It has enough of a pattern to not be boring but the colors give off a relaxed calm vibe.
I love that fabric & it looks so nice with the color of the bed! Like the combo with the gray too, & love how easy it is to change out when you’re tired of it.
Florence trying to decide really drove me crazy. My poor family didn’t want to deal with me.
There’s no doubt you choose the perfect fabric Mary! It looks great with the other elements in the room, and it’s such an easy, inexpensive solution to your dilemma.
xxx
I am so glad to hear you say that Doreen. I really had a hard time. I pulled out all these fabrics and had them all over the room, it was chaos! It’s all about working with what we have.
All I can say here is ‘Mary strikes again!’ You are such a creative gal who really likes to think outside the box – love that about you. And this project is another example of this. I think the fabric pattern is just spot on and it looks so lovely against that pretty bed frame 🙂
Jelica the truth is that necessity is the mother of invention. I only do what I have to in order to find frugal solutions and of course easy is always welcome.
The fabric creates a nice focal point and enhances the pretty color of the bed.
Yes, Debra! Exactly what I was going for. I think the other fabrics overpowered the room. This one has a calming effect.
You’re right. The new fabric does warm up the room. It goes very nicely with the green paint on the bed, and I think the neutral wool fabric makes the perfect background. This was a creative way to refresh your guest room with materials from your stash.
Exactly Carol. Even if there is no need for frugality, it is good to use what we have if we are not getting rid of it. I have collected too much stuff and seriously need to use it or get rid of it. It’s time to declutter.
What a lovely idea and it will not break the Bank.I am going to steal it for me.Your fabrics are lovely,wool is beautiful as is the cotton.Great work,Mary
Mary I am all about being frugal. I think the most important thing we can have is inspiration and ideas. Everything else can be shopped at home or at the very least without breaking the bank as you say. Thank you for your sweet comment.
Very nice Mary! It has all the perfect colors!
🙂 gwingal
Thank you Nikki. It is really growing on me now. Everytime I walk into the room it puts a smile on my face, silly me! 😉
Your paint choice and fabric is beautiful well matched. You did a beautiful job and the results is amazing.
Thank you so much Ivory. I had a few sleepless nights over this. Sometimes you cannot rest until your surroundings are just right! Thank you for stopping by.
Mary, what a great way to add warmth to a room, and so smart too!! I like the pattern on the fabric. The room looks so cozy. I also really like that wooden chair.
That’s what I was going for Keri. Cozy. The white paint makes the room look so stark and these colors are really warming it up.
Hi Mary,
I like this fabric! It is warm, fun and has so many wonderful colors to pull out by changing other accessories. I pinned to my DIY Projects board so others can find your idea. Great idea!!!
Thank you so much Barbara. I took like it for the same exact reasons, it is such a warm fabric to look at.
I love the idea of using fabric to add interest and prettify a room. This room looks so pretty! 🙂
Thanks Mandy. It’s a very simple idea but it makes for a huge difference.
Mary, I love seeing the process that you went through in the room. It’s cool to see that not everyone comes to the perfect look on the first time. I know that I don’t. Love the tips and tricks to get the look and the stripes, green finish and the floral look perfect together.
Nikki thanks. I don’t know about the stripes but for now they will have to be tolerated.
Mary, Pretty fabric. Your right the furniture is a perfect compliment to the fabric and visa versa! Great way to add a pop of color! Great to see you at Brag About It! Have a wonderful week!
Thank you Laurie. I love this cozy look now.
A fun and fantastic project with pretty fabric! You always find the right solution, Mary.
Poppy
Thanks Poppy. The real trick is to find a solution without spending money! 😉
What a clever idea, you are always so thrifty, using what you have!
Yes I am, thank you. I like to be good to the environment and I like to be good to my pocketbook! 😉
What a beautiful update, Mary. And like you said, my favorite part is that you can change it up if you get the notion. Bravo!
Thanks Larissa. We all like easy solutions!
I love this! I think I might wrap the three pieces of art in my office. I am soooo tired of them.,
Anything is possible Pam. And change is always good in my book. It lightens the spirit!
It is amazing how much some fabric can change the whole room…. nice work. 🙂
Oh I love using fabric to change things up. It was so cold and stark in there before I added that piece of plywood. It was just time to get rid of all that red.
Love you for being unafraid to try new ideas!
It looks great and I kept checking this post out since you posted it.
Keep on #keepingitreal and pretty <3
That has to be the motto of the year! Keeping it real! After all we are just regular folks putting our llives out there for scrutiny! Haha!
This is so creative Mary! It looks so amazing!
Thank you Cristina. The red was looking too over the top after a while.
Such beautiful touches!
Thank you Charlene. It’s simple and practical.
I really like the color combo and the pattern.
Thank you Sandra, it’s a super easy way to warm up a room.
Good Afternoon Mary, I do understand how careful you have to be, living in Greece where you experience earthquakes as it was the same when we lived in Cyprus.
What a brilliant idea. The material really changed the look of your bedroom and the fact you can change the look of the room very easily with a different material is such a good idea.
I tend to change the look of our rooms with paint. Easy to put on the walls and easy to change the colour to create a different look…. although you now have me thinking about using material to make a change.
Have a lovely day.
Best Wishes
Daphne
Daphne I cannot paint right now, I have to do all the decorating on a budget. Although that would be a great option. But I always try to use what I have around me before running to the stores. Thanks for dropping by.
Looks very pretty!! Love your choice of fabric. I have curtains hanging behind my bed because it is in a corner and I use the space behind it for storage….
Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Deb
That is such a clever idea Debbie!
Wow Mary! This looks fantastic! I love the pattern and everything seem so nicely coordinated!
It’s time to get this room pulled together.
I love this Mary! The fabric is so beautiful (reminds me of Kaufman’s floral designs). And I especially love that you can easily change the fabric when the mood strikes (and reuse the current fabric for another project). I’ll be featuring your work at House of Hollingsworth Blog this Wednesday xx
Thank you so much for the feature Kate. I have to say I am really surprised that this little project is such a hit. I guess easy and simple is what people enjoy the most.
Mary, I love it, all. I love the final product, I love your honesty about not painting a room that doesn’t need it and I love your disclosure of blogger staging secrets! You would ever do something like that? 😉
Kim ain’t nobody got time for that! I try to paint rooms as little as possible. It seems like such a chore to me.
I love how you used the fabric to warm thing up Mary and I adore your green bed
Thank you Amber. To think all of this started with the wrong paint color! When I had ordered the paint I ordered green instead of white and I knew I had to use it somewhere so this was the result of an error on my part!
Such a good idea, Mary–nice backdrop for the gorgeous work you did on the headboard (and dresser). Thanks for sharing your posts with us at Vintage Charm 🙂
Thanks Diana. It is a super easy solution.
Such a great idea Mary! This is fantastic to use some great vintage fabric and display it like this – instead of treasuring it on a shelf or a box!
I agree Maya. We should use what we have especially our pretty fabrics and vintage things, and enjoy them.
Great ideas. So pretty.
Thank you Alyssa, simple and frugal!
Beautiful room makeover! Thanks for sharing @ Sew It Cook It Craft It. I love the fabric. Do you still know where you got it?
Hi Mary, just hopping back to let you know that I featured your room makeover at this week’s Sew It Cook It Craft It Link Party.