In my house, it’s no secret that I love adding color and texture to my walls through paint and various fiber mediums. I’m a fan of adding soft textures and a tapestry rug is a simple way to do this.  They’re easy to switch out and this inexpensive DIY project is a fun way to freshen up your décor.

 

Materials + Tools

IKEA Sortso Rug (here)

Acrylic craft paint

Acrylic paint fabric medium

Paint brushes

Pencil

Wooden dowel

Scissors

Hot glue or Quilt clips

Instructions

 

  1. Fold the tapestry rug to your desired size. You can get creative with this step! If you want a double layer of fringe at the bottom, cut the fringe from the top and hot glue it to the bottom (see finished shots below).

  1. Hot glue to form a pocket large enough to slide the wooden dowel through. Or you can use quilt clips to hang your piece if you don’t want to cut and glue.

  1. Use a pencil to lightly sketch out your design. If you like, practice on paper first to get the look you want.

  1. Mix your paint with fabric medium, per instructions on the bottle.

 

  1. Paint to fill in your design. The tapestry will soak up the paint, so there will be some threads showing through. Do a couple coats of paint if you prefer to have the paint fully cover the fabric. I let some of the fibers show through on mine to preserve the natural raw texture.

  1. Allow the paint to dry, then slip the dowel through and find the perfect spot to hang!

 

 

 

*Note: If you like this look, you might want to research the famed French artist, Henri Matisse from whom I’ve taken inspiration. Matisse was known for his “cut outs” using organic, abstract shapes and bold colors. He said, “There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” In these shapes, I see flowers, coral, maybe a vine or an island. Enjoy the creative process and have fun seeing your work bloom!