There are many elements to consider when decorating a room, such as focal points, accent pieces, colour and atmosphere. Decorating is also used to add interest to a room and to give it a more personalized look and feel. Cross stitching can be used in all of these decorating elements.
A focal point is an element in the room from which everything else revolves around, or in other words, is focused upon. In large rooms and in houses with open concept layouts, there can be more than one focal point. Focal points are often part of the architecture of the house, for example, a fireplace or a bay window. If no architectural focal point(s) exist, one can be created through the placement of an electric fireplace, a tv or a piece of artwork (including pieces that have been cross stitched). Once you have defined your focal point, place the furniture around it, to emphasize the focal point and to create a sense of unity in the room.
One way to create a focal point using cross stitching, is to group similar pieces together. Groupings work best when similar pieces are used, like the butterfly patterns in my “Butterflies” category. First, cross stitch and frame each design separately. Then, hang the finished pieces in a grouping. The groupings can have the individual pieces either spaced evenly from each other in a straight line (perfect for hallways or stair cases), in a shape (like a square or circle) or in a geometric pattern (which work best on a large empty wall). Remember, that to emphasize the cross stitching as the focal point, place the furniture around it. Pot lights can be used to illuminate the cross stitching and provide a cozy atmosphere to the room, while an area rug on the floor can help to tie the furniture, lighting and artwork together. Your focal point should inspire conversation, or at the very least, deep contemplation.
The most important aspect of accent pieces is colour, which is used in several different ways. The accent piece can be multi coloured to tie in the different colours in a room, for example, by using a picture as the accent piece. Accent pieces are also used to add contrast, through bright or dark colours. If the walls in a room are creamy beige, add contrast by having a small, dark brown coloured accent piece, such as a cushion on a chair.
Cross stitching can be used in accent pieces, such as pillow cushions. Pillow cushions can be placed anywhere – on a bed, a chair, couch or even on a bookcase. They can be any size, shape or colour, which makes it easy to accent your décor. Use the colour to add contrast or to tie in the different colours in the room. Best of all, pillow cushions are so easy to make. To see how, visit our Project Ideas webpage.
Cross stitching can also add interest to the room. One way to add interest is to take your favourite design and repeat it in real life. For example, if the design has a white blanket draped over a wooden rocking chair, then choose a room and place a white blanket over a wooden rocking chair. Next, cross stitch this design, frame it and place it in the same room as the rocking chair and blanket. The design doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be something as simple as a flower. When the design is simple, or small, just remember to place the finished cross stitch design beside the real life object. To add even more interest, repeat this idea for several small designs in the same room, or throughout the house.
A second way to add interest to a room is to build upon a pattern that you like. Once you find a cross stitch pattern you like, take several smaller images found within the pattern and cross stitch each image as a separate piece. You have two options of how to treat these separate pieces. One option is to frame each piece and hang the frames around the original cross stitched pattern. For example, in my pattern “Best Friends and Flowers”, each flower could be cross stitched and framed individually. The second option is use the separate pieces as accent pieces, such as pillow cushions, drawstring bags, or miniature wall hangings. For example, in my pattern “You Are My Best Friend”, each phrase could be cross stitched on its own pillow cushion and placed on chairs in the same room as the original design. Both options will make the room more interesting because people will want to look around to find where the smaller images have been placed.
Handmade crafts add a personal touch to a room. They are also great to show off when people come to visit. Handmade ornaments and linens are the perfect example of how handmade crafts can add a personal touch to a room.
For Christmas, make your own ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree. Keep the handmade ornaments for yourself or give them away as presents. If possible, write down on the ornaments the year they were made and who made them. Not only will this help you to remember when and who made the ornaments, but future generations will know as well. To see how to make your own Christmas ornaments, visit our Project Ideas webpage.
Decorate and dress up plain linens such as tablecloths, napkins, pillow cases and bed sheets by cross stitching small designs on them. For ideas on patterns to use, see the patterns in my “Samplers” category. Once you have selected a pattern, or several different patterns with the same theme (ie: flowers), cross stitch them onto the linens using waste canvas. To find out how more about waste canvas and how to use it, take a look at my newsletter from September 2006.
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