HORCHOW INSPIRATION AND KNOCK-OFF PILLOWS

We have matching brown love seats in our family room, each one with matching brown pillows.  This long room has windows at either end, but it still tends to have low light.  So today, I tried to bring more light into the room by making pillow covers in off-white denim and then "embellishing" them using stencils, tape, and brown fabric paint.   My inspiration came from these beautiful Horchow pillows - minus the high price!

I love all of these, but especially the number and "grain sack" pillows.

French Laundry Home Pillows - Horchow

$73 - $136

They also had a great monogram pillow and another number pillow.

French Laundry Home "Spring Garden" Pillows
$115 - $190

Then I walked past the entrance to Pottery Barn and saw this "U.S. Mail" bin and I thought, "That would be perfect on a pillow top"!

(I might have to try making a "bin" like that too!)

So.  To begin.

 I washed and dried the denim and then began tearing it into 22 in squares for the pillow tops.  The number pillow was done with a freezer paper stencil.  If you've never used freezer paper for stenciling you should give it a try.  It's so easy and works beautifully!  As a matter of fact, freezer paper stencils turn out a lot better than traditional stencils because the stencil is "tacked down" onto your fabric and won't move around while you're applying the paint.  I've read that they can be used over and over too!

I think black might look more authentic as a french laundry fabric, but since the love seats are brown, I used a dark brown fabric paint.  For the number pillow, I used this Vintage Typography from The Graphics Fairy.  

After enlarging the typography graphic and tracing it onto freezer paper, I carefully cut it out and ironed it onto the center of the 22" square.

 

       Then, applied paint using a stencil brush . . .

and pulled away the freezer paper!  Works like a charm!

Next, I used a stencil I've used for some other projects - like the table runner shown here.

I bought this stencil about a year ago on Etsy.  It's well-used!

 Using the same brown fabric paint - this one was quick and easy!

Then, on to the monogram pillow top.  Using painters' tape, I taped off some "grain sack" stripes - a wider one in the middle and two skinny ones on either side.  Then using the stencil brush and the same fabric paint, I filled in the stripes between the tape strips.

         

For the monogram, lay a piece of tape horizontally across the center of the pillow so the monogram is level.

       

I used very inexpensive cardboard letter stencils . . .

 . . . and placed my husband's initial along with mine on either side of the stripes.

For pillow #3, I used the design from the mail bin shown above, added some heavy duty upholstery strapping, and a button and loop.

And that's it!

Four new pillows, inspired by Horchow and Pottery Barn, for the price of some denim - a far cry from the $100 plus price tag!

  

      

Now, what's next? 

 This ottoman that sits in front of the love seats will be needing an update also.  I posted about making this ottoman here it was also inspired by Horchow!  The fabric was great when the love seats and pillows were solid brown.  But, I think it would look great with a new off-white denim slipcover . . .      

Sharing on:

Freckled Laundry's Air Your Laundry Friday

Funky Junk Interiors' Saturday Night Special  Potpourri Friday 2805

Sundae Scoop  Brag Monday  Metamorphosis Monday  Tip Me Tuesday

Time Travel Thursday  Transformation Thursday  Show and Tell Friday  

Frugal Friday