Decorating With Canvas Drop Cloths

Recently, I have gotten excited about canvas drop cloths. They are heavy-duty, inexpensive, come in a variety of sizes, have a wonderful, organic texture, and they are readily available at both Lowes and Home Depot. (There are some quirky down sides to the cloths which I will cover below.) I have seen them used in magazines, mostly in outdoor settings. But I have brought them inside--into our master bedroom.

Our room has a couple of nooks and crannies. One of them is a step-up area with a large archway. I didn't want to block the light that comes through the windows up there, but I also liked the idea of being able to temporarily shut off the space when I want to. (Our ugly exercise equipment is up there, yuck, and I also wanted it to be a fun, hide-away/sleeping area while our grandchildren were here for Christmas.) So I measured the opening, put up a sturdy curtain rod (on the inside of the arch so it is hidden from the rest of the room), and purchased curtain hooks with clips for ease in hanging:

One of the potential down-sides of the large drop cloths is that they have a seam running through them, Fortunately, on the ones I purchased, whomever designed them decided to use french seams, so there are no raw edges. And, frankly, I kind of like the rustic look. As I mentioned, these cloths are heavy, so be sure to anchor your curtain rods in the studs or use toggle bolts. The drywall mounts and screws I used were not sturdy enough.

I was also ready to change out my dark and dated bedding and curtains. So I sewed two drop cloths together and created a bedspread. (Another drawback to the heaviness of this fabric is that it is awkward to sew. Use a heavy duty needle.) I inherited some hand-blocked cotton bedspreads that my family purchased and used while were living in Iran in the early 60's. They show their age a bit, but I think that they make perfect curtains for the window in the upper part of the room:

Another heirloom from Iran, a hand-blocked, cotton tablecloth, adds pattern and color to the bottom of the bed. Again, you can see the seams in the bedspread, but they don't bother me:

I call the look Bedouin shabby chic :)