Tuesday Tip

Fabric alternative.  Can't find the perfect fabric at a price you can live with?  Or maybe you simply don't have time to search for it.  The solution: head to the bath section of your favorite retailer and pick out a shower curtain.  Seriously.  I have found some fantastic 100% cotton shower curtains everywhere from Target, to Restoration Hardware, to Macy's.  Over the years, I have scouted them out and treat them like any fabric remnant that can do a small job.  I have recovered the seat of a vanity stool and a child's small chair.  I have used them to make tablecloths, sink skirts, pillows, cafe curtains, etc...

Last year, a client embarked on a project that involved moving her main floor laundry room to a more convenient location upstairs.  The existing space was then then turned into a mud room where her husband and two teenage boys, all ice hockey players, could be free to move about with all of their hockey gear.  She already owned the the black cabinet and storage bench and did not want to allocate any significant portion of her renovation budget to this room, but still wanted to give it an update.  The new additions included a Pottery Barn sisal rug and a skirt for the unattractive utility sink. I had the skirt made from a Target shower curtain.  I had my workroom add a simple pleat to the front and then double sided velcro so it could be attached to the mud sink and removed easily to wash.  The large pillows on the bench belonged to the client and serve to cover up the plate where the washer/dryer connections once were. I had the small pillow made with the leftover curtain pieces. 

This pillow assortment below occupies a basement media room...mine!  Can you guess which one is made from a shower curtain?  It's the large pillow with the fantastic, trendy paisley!!!   I purchased it  in December on sale for $15.99 due a damaged package.  The other two fabrics are from Calico Corner.  I wanted lots of pillows in different sizes and could not find another that fit my criteria of low cost and easy cleaning.  This space is used primarily by my teenage son and daughter and their friends.  The goal was to give it a modern, cool, lounge-like feel for guys and gals! 

20/10 rule: Next time you are shopping in your favorite stores, spend 10 minutes browsing the bath section for a shower curtain for less than $20 in a fun fabric!