Yesterday I shared 25 ways to style a bed with kantha quilts, along with background on how kanthas (KAHN-taas) are made.
Today I’ll cover how to put kanthas to work beyond the basic bed and give your home even more boho edge.
I scoured the Internet and counted 30 more household uses. I wouldn’t recommend you do them all (boho overload), but pick and choose among what you like best and where your space needs some color, pattern and texture oomph.
These are textiles that demonstrate their value (and fun potential) with lots of options for use when you need a change and start moving them around.
Sit on them (1-7)
1. Upholster a sofa
Via Terra |
2. Layer a sofa
Jessica Bellef via Daily Imprint |
3. Upholster a chair
Plumo / Mela and Roam / My French Interiors / Few and Far |
4. Cover chair cushions only
Vive Terra |
Either sew fitted covers, or simply wrap, tuck and safety-pin—cushion back, bottom, or both.
5. Make/slipcover an ottoman
Either make your own bean bag pouf or slipcover an existing ottoman for a fresh look.
6. Dining-chair-seat cover
Bohemian Beach Company |
This is a simple DIY, but in case it’s your first time, here’s a tutorial.
7. Butterfly patio chair cover
Connected Artisans |
Chances are your chair frame came with a removable cover. Use it as a pattern to cut a new cover from a kantha, then bind the raw edges in double-fold bias tape in a contrasting color. Or ignore me and follow this tutorial.
Hang them (8-12)
8. Window curtains
A kantha throw will be just about the right size for one curtain panel. For easy open and shut, hang with clip rings usually sold where drapery rods are available. Or, if you can wield a sewing machine (or follow this tutorial), add a rod pocket and gather onto a rod.
9. Closet cover-up
Dabito via The New Bohemians by Justina Blakeney |
No closet door? No worries. This looks so pretty you might even want to REMOVE the doors you have and sub a kantha. Just like with the window curtain, hang from a rod with either clip-on rings or a sewn-in rod pocket.
10. Bed curtains
Via Inspiration for Home |
11. Shower curtain
Shower hooks come in sets of 12, so use your liner as a guide and mark spacing for holes. Then either install grommets in the kantha or make sewing-machine buttonholes to hold the hooks. Clip-ons also might work, depending on how hard you tug going in and out.
12. Wall hanging
Sarah Greenman via Decor Ideas |
Make a rod pocket either by following the tutorial under #8 for the fold-over method, or buy extra-wide bias tape and sew it onto the back.
Admire them (13-22)
13. Tablecloths / 14. Placemats / 15 Runners
April Cornell / Viva Terra / Fairly Worn / Jaypore |
Just use a Kantha throw as is for a tablecloth, no cutting needed. Here is a tutorial for round placemats and rectangular placemats. Use the latter for table runners as well, but adjust the size. Runners are typically 14-17 inches wide and extend over each table end at least 6 inches.
16. Drape dining-chair backs
Via Decor Ideas |
They’ll brighten up your table and, if you’re eating outdoors, be close at hand in case it gets chilly.
17. Lamp shades
Bellacor / Scoutmob / Another World Trading |
These purchased shades are no longer available, but you can make your own. This woven-ribbon lampshade tutorial may provide the techniques needed for the lampshade at left. For standard shades, try one of these DIYs: HGTV, Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge.
18. Display in a cupboard, 19. on a blanket ladder, 20. on a peg rack, 21. in a stack anywhere at home
We all know how beautiful quilts look in an open cupboard or one with glass doors. I couldn’t find a photo of a cupboard with kantha quilts, but just think how boho-beautiful the cupboard at left would look stacked full of all those exotic sari prints.
22. Bed canopy
Jonathan Kozowyk via Boston Magazine |
Talk about sweet dreams!! And if you can’t sleep, you can always count stitches until you nod off.
Snuggle on, against, in (23-30)
23. Throw pillows / 24. Floor pillows
Mikkel Adsbøl via One Kings Lane |
Size is pretty much the only difference between throw pillows and floor pillows. I prefer to make envelope-style pillows and stuff with a pillow form or existing pillow because there’s no zipper to mess with. However, I do like a corded or fringed edge, so I chose a tutorial with that included. To make it even easier, skip that step.
25. Headboard
Decor Ideas |
Headboards can be slipcovered or upholstered. Here’s one tutorial for making a rectangular headboard and slipcover and another that covers curves.
26. Throw on a sofa
One Kings Lane via At Home in Love / Knight Moves |
27. Throw on a chair
Via Decor Ideas |
28. Throw on an ottoman
Via Curated Style Shop |
29. Fill a basket with throws, ready for snuggling
Via The Clever Chronicle |
30. Boho pet bed for particular pets
A Simpler Design |
Working a kitty into a post is always the sign of a good day for me. Looks like kitties and kanthas are a match made in feline heaven.