Tips for Decorating with Quilts
There are so many amazing ways to decorate with quilts. I sat down and had a chat with my friend who is also an interior designer to talk about some tips for decorating with quilts in your home in a way that matches your aesthetic and design style. Scroll down for all my tips and then watch our chat where we talk about all things quilty!
Tips for Decorating with Quilts
Does this have you itching to quilt? Check out my free Quilting Crash Course Email series for a refresher or to start the learning process for quilting!
Are quilts out of style?
The short answer is NO, absolutely not!!! I would argue quite the opposite actually, that quilts are having a total moment right now!
The great thing about quilts is that you can make a quilt in ANY design! There are modern quilts, southwest quilts, rainbow quilts, vintage quilts, and everything in between. So no matter what your design aesthetic you can find a quilt that will add a wonderful pop to your decor.
If you don’t want to make your own, you can find vintage quilts at antique stores or thrift stores. Or you can commission a quilt from Etsy or by asking at your local quilt shop.
What are some uses of quilts today?
Quilts are often handmade with love, and the person making the quilt has every intention of you using the quilt! There are TONS of uses but here are just a few to get your brain going (we talk about a lot of ideas in the video below so be sure to check that out too):
- Use them!!! Pictured below, my son resting on his grandma’s lap on a quilt that I made for her. She keeps this blanket on the boat to use when we cruise around.
- Use your quilt as a tablecloth. You can add glass or plastic over the top if you are concerned about spills or stains.
- Add grommets and hang the quilt as a curtain. THIS tutorial will walk you through adding grommets to curtains.
- Use a quilt top to upholster furniture.
- Consider using a quilt as a backdrop for photos. They make a great backdrop for newborn photos. Or use them as a fun accent in your family photos.
- Hang them over stair or porch railings to add a special touch, see below!
How do you show quilts in your house?
I can think of dozens of ways to use quilts around the house. My quilts move around my house. I change their location frequently to make sure they feel loved! I recently moved them to a fun shelf, you can see HERE.
- Use the quilt on your bed, either as the main bedspread or folded to add an accent at the foot of the bed.
- Fold quilts over the back of chairs or couches.
- Place quilts in baskets or on open shelves.
- Fold quilts and show them in a pile in a chair or on a table.
- I have also displayed quilts on THIS garment rack from IKEA. This one is very dependent on finding a garment rack that first your aesthetic!
How do you display a large quilt?
Large quilts can certainly feel intimidating to display. Check out the video below for some of our tips for handling a large quilt.
Add loops to the back of your quilt to hang it on the wall or use it as a room divider.
Use your large quilt as an area rug in less trafficked areas. Use non slip material under your quilt to keep it flat and to avoid slippage.
How do you display mini quilts or blocks?
Mini quilts are very popular right now! I love mini quilts because they let me show off fun colors and fabrics with just a fraction of the work. You can find the tutorial for the BE KIND doodle quilt in the picture HERE.
There are a few ways that I like to display these smaller quilts. A quilt ladder, like above, is one great way to display several mini quilts prominently.
You can also hang them on a smaller wall or next to a window, somewhere without a lot of wall space. Avoid placing them on a large wall, unless you plan to hang many mini quilts to fill the space. You don’t want the mini quilt to be dwarfed even more by the size of your wall. Above the toilet or at the end of a hallway are good examples of a smaller area where a mini quilt would fit wonderfully.
What can I do with an old quilt?
Old quilts can be scary to use and work with. So much time and love has gone into the making of older quilts, because often all the work was done by hand, which equates to hundreds of hours of work and love.
But believe me when I tell you that even old quilts deserve to see the light of day, to be loved and admired. But maybe you want to handle them a little less and put them somewhere they won’t be touched or hassled as often.
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- Get a glass front cabinet to stack your quilts inside. Find an antique cabinet or something that matches your aesthetic and stack your quilts inside.
- Use a blanket ladder to display your quilts (pictured below.) Place it behind a chair or couch where the blankets won’t be touched as often.
View this post on Instagram
- Have the quilt framed and hang it on your wall. I recommend having it done professionally by someone who knows how to handle vintage items. This will ensure that they don’t use adhesives or items that contain chemicals that might harm the quilt.
VIDEO: A conversation about decorating with quilts
I sat down for a zoom conversation with my friend and interior designer Maria Reed from Moving with the Military. She had all sorts of amazing ideas and tips for decorating with quilts.
Pin Tips for Decorating with Quilts
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