Three 'Free' Cushions in under Firty - bedlinen reno

Say it fast and see if you can get it right lol ... anyway... it began because I was admiring this bedroom on US Better Homes & Gardens 'Real Life Bedrooms'. I've never really 'got' how to use darker colours on the wall - actually no, I get that they work but I've always been a bit intimidated by them. Also I've been looking at various bed linen examples and found a few that I really really like but the price tag is well out of my reach. I'm not sure if this is my 'perfect' bedroom but it caught my eye and as my eye changes so too can the room, over time.

So I decided to pick out 'what works' from the pictures. Why does that room work the way it does? What of that room, can I replicate? Layout... colours... textures... decluttered for a start... and with the bedroom displays they always have loads of cushions on the bed to dress it up. Right. Ideas in mind. So I was talking to my lovely friend 'N' about paint... and how I'd be checking out Freecycle for leftovers and she said 'stop - wait!- come shop my 'paint store' - my shed has HEAPS!'... then not long later in the conversation I was talking about fabric because although there are some beautiful cushions in the shop, I knew I'd have to sew my own... and 'wait! stop! I come check out what I have - I've got the perfect thing in mind - it's only a few pieces but it sounds perfect!'... so we made a 'date' and later that week, inbetween 7 children and (a very lovely well mannered) dog, we found three possible paints, and the fabric pieces. Awesome, thanks N!

This bedroom will of course never be completely the same - the bedhead in this room isn't fabric for a start so that will change things a lot... but I wanted to stick with the 'theme' at least and try it out... With paint and fabric in hand, I 'shopped my home' for the rest of what I need. Obviously if you don't find them in your 'home aisles' then you may need to consult IKEA (what a shame - not lol! love IKEA!), the markdowns at your local shops - wherever. Since I couldn't squeeze a million dollar bed quilt, I used the white one I already have, with an older nuetral colour one folded in half and then laid across just the middle section of the bed, for colour contrast.

I made the two white throw cushions by cutting down two white pillowcases I already had and repurposing two cushion inserts that were getting lonely. When I cut down the two pillowcases, I cut the 'closed' end, so as to keep the 'foldy' end to tuck inside to make the cushions neat (did that make sense?), and sewed the cut end closed (right sides together, then turn right side out). They need an iron but this gives you the basic idea.


Then with the fabric pieces from N, I had a white pillowcase that wasn't so white any more and sewed the fabric piece to the front of that, at the same time cutting down the pillowcase to size. For the insert, I repurposed an unused 'toddler' pillow. It's not perfectly sewn so don't look too close. It's not finished by any means and I think I'll change a few things on it already, BUT I think it's an improvement in a good direction... and now the walls just need painting... amongst other things!


so here's where it's up to so far in the room that's being 're-thought'. The before, the slowly layering and the 'current'. I hope whoever sleeps in there likes it!


Total cost: time, a cuppa with a lovely friend and stretching some brain cells. Zero $ outlay.