Ideas for using vintage textiles around the home

Creative ways to make beautiful fabric finds part of your decor

Vintage fabric has a unique appeal. Aged French linen, 1960s bold graphics or faded floral chintz, they speak of fashion and trends of former times, as well as often having a special soft laundered feel. Many old textiles – such as tablecloths – were decorated to show off the beautiful embroidery or lace-making skills of the homemaker, which has now become a thing of the past. Whether you have metres of fabric or a few treasured remnants that you want to use, here are a few projects to show off these finds around your home.

Tablecloth

Any cotton or linen can be simply hemmed and used as a tablecloth (or even left with soft frayed edges, as above), but make sure it is washable. Avoid using anything too precious where you’d worry about spillages leaving stains. If the fabric is too short for your table, it can be extended with a border around the edges or by adding delicate lace. Alternatively, it could be placed on top of a larger tablecloth for a layered look, perhaps contrasting a solid colour with a print, lace or embroidery.

Sink skirt

You may remember your granny (or great-granny) having one of these in her kitchen. Once considered old-fashioned (and not in a good way), the trend for cottagecore interiors has prompted the revival of the sink skirt, bringing it back to kitchens, bathrooms and elsewhere. While once it was used for practical reasons to hide unsightly plumbing under the sink, it’s now becoming a style feature in its own right, with cupboard doors being removed to accommodate one – and not just in rustic-style kitchens either. It’s still a great way to hide appliances for renters or if you’re in need of a thrifty kitchen makeover.

Curtains

Often expensive in terms of making as well as fabric, learning how to create your own curtains can be a worthwhile investment (check out soft furnishing expert Gemma Moulton’s online course at Create Academy). As with tablecloths, if you’ve sourced a few metres of fabric that run short for your intended window, consider adding a contrasting trim along the bottom edge to extend the length. Vintage lace-trimmed linen tablecloths make beautiful net-style curtains, providing a bit of privacy while letting in suffused light. Attach with clip rings, as here, to avoid damaging the delicate lace.

Chair cover

Making a loose cover is a great option if you don’t have the skills or budget to reupholster an old chair. It also allows you to remove the cover for washing – ideal if you have pets and young children (or are perhaps partial to red wine or chocolate…). It also offers the opportunity to refresh your decor with a seasonal swap, re-dressing your chair: perhaps light-colour textured linen for a cool summer vibe (think vintage grain sack), swapping to a warmer tweed or rich velvet come the autumn. The less-fitted style of loose covers is perfect for informal settings, creating a casual chic – and is more forgiving than upholstery when it comes to a little less-than perfect handiwork!

Cushions

The ideal project for a small piece of fabric, a silk scarf, retro tea towel or perhaps material from a garment that’s not wearable, cushions are a great way to show off a special find. If you only have enough material to cover one side of your cushion, use another plain-coloured fabric – picking a colour to complement – for the ‘back’ of the cushion. Don’t forget to embellish with smart piping, chunky buttons, pretty lace, or go for on-trend ruffles around the edges. If you’re new to cushion-cover making, opt for an easy envelope style (see this tutorial from Hobbycraft) which avoids having to worry about fitting a zip.

Pantry doors

Another look borrowed from farmhouse cottages of yesteryear, pantry cupboards often had cotton fabric over individual doors, covered by chicken wire. The fabric allowed air to circulate, while the wire kept the food safe from pesky rodents. For a more contemporary look, attach your fabric behind the doors of a glass-panelled cupboard. You can go for a gathered style and hang from curtain wire top and bottom, or for a simple hack just attach a section of material with a staple gun, as above. When you’re tired of the look you can give your cupboard (and kitchen) a refresh with a different fabric.

Bunting

And don’t forget to stash away all those ‘waste’ fabric scraps left over from your other projects, as they just might make the perfect bunting! These fabric garlands bring a sense of festival fun to any space – strung alongside festoon lighting in the garden, hanging from shelving in a child’s room, or under the mantelpiece at Christmas. Depending on how polished you want your bunting to look, you can sew classic pennants (see Debbie Shore’s tutorial on YouTube) or just go minimal as here, with a mix of remnants simply cut to size and stitched to bias binding.