Home decor tips using repurposed fabric

Well-loved sheets, drapes and other fabric can get a second lease on life by being repurposed as slipcovers, upholstery or doorway curtains.

Remember how Grandma would fold her best quilt or comforter over the foot of the bed so it wouldn't get mussed during the day? That's the inspiration for quick, cost-free and modern bedstead slipcovers — one at each end. Use fabric or a bed sheet you already have; only a few yards will bring a whole new look to a plain bed.

• Take the vertical and horizontal (between the end posts) measurements for the head and footboards, then double the vertical measurement of each board. (If the horizontal measurement is wider than your fabric, you'll have to seam two lengths together.)
• If you use a sheet, cut it down to size. Hem the edges and add fabric ties to both sides. This look can be as nostalgic as Grandma's bed or as sleek as a New York loft.

Slipcovering is also a smart way to protect the finish on an antique or much- treasured bed.

If the upholstered seats of your dining room chairs are removable — some lift out and others are attached only by screws underneath — you're in luck! You can make a quick, temporary change with some fabric and strong masking tape.

1. Remove the chair seat and use it as a template to cut a piece of material extending eight to 10 centimetres (three to four inches) beyond the edges.
2. Next, centre the seat, top down, on the wrong side of the fabric.
3. Drape the fabric over one side of the chair bottom and secure it with a piece of tape.
4. Do the same on the other side, pulling the fabric taut. Repeat on the other two sides.
5. Tape all four folds all the way to the corners. Fold the fabric over each corner for a neat finish.
6. Secure the cover with an extra layer of tape, replace the seat and voila!

Further tips:

• Use what you have on hand: fabric remnants, a tablecloth or bed coverlet, large scarves, sheets or pillowcases.
• Mix and match colours and patterns if you like.
• Choose a medium-weight material, since heavy or highly textured fabrics won't always give a smooth, finished appearance.

Curtaining doorways is a very old way to keep heat in or out of interior spaces. If you have a set of long window drapes you're not using, you've got ready-to-go door curtains.

1. For a standard door, mount a curtain rod at or slightly above the door frame.
2. Extend the rod 15 centimetres (six inches) or more beyond the frame, making room to slide the curtain to one side so you can easily close and open the door.
3. Next, hang one drapery panel that's long enough to reach to the floor. Standard door frames are approximately 2,040 millimetres (seven feet) tall, but measure yours just in case.

Further tips:

• Metal or plastic curtain rings or clips make it easier to move the curtain along the rod.
• To prevent billowing on windy days, you can sew weights such as metal hardware washers inside the hems.

It doesn't take much to add a new element of decor to your house and with these easy-to-do projects, you're friends will be asking for the name of your decorator. Shhh! We'll never tell!