How I Created And Printed A Custom Fabric For The Bedroom (Plus, An Update On Tiger)
I’ve been searching high and low for a striped fabric to use on the bed that brings all of the colors of the room together in one fabric. I was originally looking for a wide stripe, but the more I tested out wide stripes on my bedroom mockup, the more I realized that wide stripes distract from the bird fabric. So then I turned my attention to fabrics with small stripes. But after a pretty exhaustive search, I couldn’t find one that had the right color.
So I decided to make my own. I’ve had this Spoonflower color map for several years now, so I used that to match the colors in all of my fabrics, rug, and wallpaper. Each color has a hex code on it so you know what hex code to use as you’re designing your fabric. If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember this color map from when I was working on my studio. At one time, I considered framing this color map and hanging it on the wall.
In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t do that because it would have been impossible to use a framed color map to actually match colors to our bedroom.
I don’t have any fancy design software like Procreate, but since I just needed a striped fabric, that was easy enough to do with my regular photo editing software. I’ve used Paint Shop Pro for years now, which is basically a stripped-down Photoshop-type of software. It has all of the basics that one needs to edit photos (brightness, clarity, aspect, etc.), plus a whole lot more.
I used that software, along with the hex codes from the colors on the Spoonflower color map that I matched to our bedroom items, to create one horizontal repeat of a striped pattern. These colors were pulled from everything — the rug, the headboard fabric, the dresser color, the bird fabric, and the drapery fabric. I went through several different iterations, testing out stripe widths (i.e., all the same width vs. random widths), color arrangements, etc. After all of those tests, I finally decided on this varied width arrangement of stripes. This is one repeat of the pattern, and I created this one repeat at 13.5 inches wide, 12 inches high, and 150 pixels/inch.
Once I had it just like I wanted it, I uploaded it to Spoonflower, used their options to further edit the overall look, and then ordered a yard of fabric to use as a pillow on the bed.
It arrived on Saturday, and here it is with the other fabrics, rug, and wallpaper.
Another great thing about Spoonflower is that it’s a quick and easy way to get the perfect color and shade of a solid fabric that you need for your project. In addition to the striped fabric, I also created a solid green fabric that I plan to use as an accent, probably as cording on the bird fabric pillows. It’s almost a perfect match to the green dresser, and it was so much easier to just create my own rather than searching all over the internet for the perfect solid green, ordering samples, waiting for samples, selecting the right one, and then ordering fabric.
I also found this fun fabric on Spoonflower (affiliate link) that I want to use as a lumbar pillow on the recliner. I don’t have a lumbar pillow form so I just wrapped it around an 18″ square pillow form for now to get an idea of what it will look like.
I tested out the idea of swapping the fabrics because I also really like the striped fabric on the recliner. But I think this pattern (which I do really love and want to use) is too large for the accent pillow on the bed. I think it’s way too big and bold to go in front of the bird fabric.
But I do love the stripe on the recliner…
I love how it brings all of the colors together in one fabric, but I don’t want to use the stripe in two places.
So I’m going to stick with using the larger print on the chair, and the stripe on the bed. I have seven pillows that I need to sew (six for the bedroom and one for the foyer), so I’m going to have to set aside a day to get all of these pillows made. But for now, I’m still trying to get the draperies and that second lamp finished.
In other news, look who’s inside!
I spent way too much time and energy last winter making sure Tiger was okay during our really cold nights and then worrying about him throughout the night. So I decided to bring him inside this winter. So far, he has preferred to spend his days outside, but then he comes in at night. Cooper (our dog) is still pretty aggressive with him. He’s not mean to Tiger, but he’s very hyper and hyper-focused on Tiger when he’s inside. I’m hoping that will wear off with time, but until that happens, I put Tiger in our bathroom during the night with everything he needs. He seems to love being inside at night. Each night around 9:00, he comes to the back door of my studio and waits until I bring him inside.
I’m hoping Cooper will calm down over time, and we can make the transition to Tiger being an indoor cat. Until then, Tiger seems content to be outside during the day and indoors at night, even if he has to be sequestered in the bathroom. He’s probably getting the most peaceful sleep he’s ever gotten having the bathroom all to himself and knowing that he won’t be bothered.
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Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
How did you get the colors in the stripe fabric to match the colors in the other fabrics so well? It’s always so hard to tell what the actual colors are in fabrics you order online. I think the fun Spoonflower fabric looks even better than the stripe on the pillow for the recliner. I had been wondering about your outdoor kitty. Glad he/she is happily staying inside for the night.
Ugh! I knew I left something out. Let me take another picture and update the post. The short answer is that I have a Spoonflower “color map” that I ordered years ago. I’ll take a picture and add it so y’all can see what that looks like.
Could you use the stripped fabric as a cording around the lumbar pillow? I don’t know if that looks too busy.
I love that idea!
Although I love that large scale fabric from Spoonflower I think it’s too much when combined with the art you plan to use over the panel box and I would dial it down a little and use the striped fabric. My 2 cents of course.
It might be fun to use one of those on the lampshades. But that might be too much pattern to try to coordinate with everything.
Thank you thank you thank you for taking care of Tiger! I know it is not as cold in TX as it is in CT (it is 19 here right now) …. but I do worry about the outside kitties in the winter. Thank you for being such a good Mom to him!
It got down into the 20s last night here! I would have lost sleep over him being outside in that. I slept soundly knowing he was tucked away in the bathroom sleeping on his comfy bed that I made him, and with everything he needs in there (food, water, litter box). He obviously slept very well, too, because he did NOT want to go outside when I opened the door for him. 😀 I let him stay inside a couple of hours longer than usual, but he let me know when he was ready to go outside.
Hi Kristi!
I love little Tiger- I had a Tiger growing up and now I have a Tigger who is also the sweetest:).
I think you should use the bigger pattern on the chair in the corner but use the striped fabric on the backside. I love two sided pillows- that backside that will usually be hidden will just be your little secret- so fun!
I love that idea, too!
Great job on pulling this all together! I love the mix of colors and patterns. You have a good eye!
This post melted my heart. I love a good heart warming story about stray animals. I’m sure with time Cooper will be bored of Tiger or at least hope so. Merry Christmas to you, Matt and the fur babies.
P.S. I love the ideas above, the double sided pillows and also the striped cording.
How do the 2 kitties get along? Merry Christmas to you both.
Tiger is a little bit aggressive towards Felicity, but not too bad. It seems like Felicity wants to be friends. She’s very curious and wants to get close to Tiger and sniff him, but she shows no aggressive behavior at all towards him. But when she gets close to him, he lashes out. And a few times, he has approached her and has been aggressive. But again, nothing bad. Mostly just a hiss and a swat of the paw in her direction. I think they could be friends once Tiger realizes she’s not a threat and she’s not out to steal his food (or that there’s plenty of food for both of them).
I love the fabrics and like your plans for them. But the fact you got Tiger inside makes my heart just smile. I too have a soft spot for strays. So happy Tiger found you. The bedroom is coming along, it is going to be beautiful and very Kristi (said with affection). Merry Christmas to you and Matt and all your fur babies.
I love everything about this post, but especially the bit about Tiger. Good for you! A pillow making day sounds fun to me. Much better than wrapping presents and baking goodies!
Your designs look yummy.
So nice you could get the colors you wanted. I’m having a real hard time now looking for a pattern with the colors I wanted to use in our new Living room. It IS a tough project when you get something in mind that you cannot find. Do you know if on Spoonflower, if you find a pattern you like, you can adjust the colors at all? I’m searching right now, but not much so far. I adore what you are doing…and the small things are truly coming together beautifully. I’m hoping you and Matt get into your new space before the new year. And I LOVE that Tiger is now YOURS, and is warm and safe on these colder nights. He deserved you, and I am sure he and the other furbabies will learn to live together after a while. Thank you for your kind heart.
I think if you have the Spoonflower color map and know which colors you want to change, you can ask that fabric’s designer if they would change them. Spoonflower won’t make changes themselves; they’re just the printer. I would think that it would either need to be a very simple swap or you’d need to be buying a lot of yardage to make it worth the designer’s time.
Chris is correct. You can contact the specific designer and see if they’re open to altering a design in your specific colors. Some of them specifically say they’re willing to do that and give their contact info. But others don’t have any contact info, so I’m guessing they’re not open to customizing colors since there’s no way to get in touch with them.
I use Spoonflower for solids as well. As you said, it’s so much easier to color match using the color map sampler than to try to find the right color looking at swatches. I just wish that they would enlarge the squares on the wider fabric to make it easier.
I really like the fabric for the lumbar pillow; it makes that corner it own while still coordinating with the bed fabrics.
So happy for you and Tiger!!!!!
He may always like to spend part of his day outside, but that’s o.k.
Thank you for your big heart!!!
I love how creative and how colourful you are. You are another Sarah Richard’s, who I have loved and followed for years. The ability to mix patterns and colours, just WOW.
Your striped fabric is fabulous and reminded me of the Origo dishes by Finnish designer ware ittala. You might want to check them out as for a complimentary mug of tea or coffee in bed 🙂
I think I discovered Spoonflower through your blog and have been using it ever since.
I’ve made my own wallpaper, fabric and now make custom designs for baby blankets and wallpaper. SUPER fun (as you know).
Just wanted to say thank you for the inspiration!
Somehow, I missed this post, so I’m responding while you are on your break. I love both your Spoonflower purchases. What about using the larger pattern on the bedroom foyer bench? To be honest, I don’t love the towel pillow cover, and I think this larger pattern fabric might be perfect on a pillow on the bench. You could still make a pillow for your chair — with either fabric. I think I prefer the striped pillow on the chair when the artwork is also considered.