Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
Make RealSimple.com My Homepage
  • Food & Recipes
      • Browse All Recipes
      • Recipe Collections & Favorites
      • Cooking Tips & Techniques
      • Shopping & Storing
      • Tools & Products
      • New Uses For Old Things
      • All Food & Recipes
      • Guide: Everyday Meal Planning
      • Checklist: Pantry Staples Checklist
      • Video: How To: Cut a Mango
  • Home & Organizing
      • Organizing
      • Cleaning
      • Decorating
      • Home Improvement
      • Gardening
      • Green Living
      • New Uses For Old things
      • All Home & Organizing
      • Guide: Easy Home Makeovers
      • Checklist: Mail Organizing Checklist
      • Video: How To: Paint a Wall
  • Beauty & Fashion
      • Clothing
      • Shoes & Accessories
      • Skincare
      • Makeup
      • Hair
      • Makeovers & Tips
      • Clothing Care
      • All Beauty & Fashion
      • Guide: The Best Beauty Buys
      • Checklist: Wardrobe Basics Checklist
      • Video: How To: File and Shape Your Nails
  • Holidays & Entertaining
      • All Holidays & Entertaining
      • Holidays
      • Weddings
      • Birthdays
      • Entertaining
      • Gifts
      • Guide: Wedding Budget 101
      • Checklist: Dinner Party Checklist
      • Video: How To: Make a Cosmopolitan
  • Health
      • All Health
      • Nutrition & Diet
      • Fitness & Exercise
      • Mind & Mood
      • First Aid & Health Basics
      • Preventative Health
      • Guide: Summer Health Survival Guide
      • Checklist: Weekly Workout Plan Checklist
      • Video: How To: Tone Your Upper Arms
  • Work & Life
      • All Work & Life
      • Money
      • Family
      • Life Strategies
      • Technology
      • Travel
      • Etiquette
      • Entertainment
      • Your Words
      • Guide: Money & Main Street: Secrets of Saving Money
      • Checklist: Kids' Road Trip Essentials Checklist
      • Video: How To: Pack a Suitcase
  • Television
  • Homepage
  • Home & Organizing

Instant Decorating Upgrades With Old Linens By Joyce Bautista

Ten fuss-free projects add stylish touches to your home.

Table settingDavid Prince
Recycle Pillow Shams Into Place Mats
What you need: Boudoir-size pillow shams (usually 12 by 16 inches).

What you do: Nothing―the simplest project ever. Boudoir shams will cover much of the table when used this way, so you can skip a tablecloth.

Also works with: Napkins and dish towels. For a French-bistro effect, use a king-size sham draped across the table, with place settings at opposite ends of the sham.
Skip to Daily Finds slides.
Table setting
Chair with seat cover
Decorated headboard
Woman wearing a dish towel apron near a mixing bowl
Beach towel as shower curtain
A dog bowl and toy
Child wearing pillowcase smock and painting
Coverlet as slipcover
Photo album
Cocktail on linen napkin coaster
  • email
  • share
  • print
  • Mouse Icon Tools
  • Camera Icon How-Tos
  • Checkbox Icon Checklists

Tools

Browse All Tools
Tools
  • Storage Solutions
  • Dinner Recipe Finder
  • Clean Your House Naturally
  • Your Perfect Foundation

How-To Videos

Browse All How-To Videos
videos
  • Open a Bottle of Sparkling Wine
  • Pack a Weekend Bag
  • Apply Lipstick
  • Chop Rosemary and Thyme

Checklists

Browse All Checklists
Checklists
  • Houseguest Prep
  • Gas Grill Maintenance
  • First Aid Essentials
  • Beach Vacation Packing
Advertisement

More About Home & Organizing

Mirror with candles centerpiece

Use a Mirror as an Elegant Centerpiece

A clever way to repurpose an everyday item.

  • What to Look for When Buying Sheets

Top Galleries

See All Galleries
  • J. Crew Floral Straw Beach Bag

      8 Seaworthy Beach Bags

  • People eating outside on picnic tables

      30 Tips for Easy Outdoor Entertaining

  • Blue living room with a blue sofa

      40 Decorating Tips for Your Living Room

  • Messy bun hairstyle

      20 Gorgeously Simple Hairstyles

  • Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

      A Simple Fourth of July Spread

Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
In The Magazine
  • This Month's Issue
  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Customer Service
ON REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE.
  • Episode Guide
  • Browse by Topic
  • Host & Experts
  • Tools
  • About the Show
Inside Real Simple
  • Food & Recipes
  • Home & Organizing
  • Beauty & Fashion
  • Health
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Work & Life
  • Weddings
  • Travel
  • Technology
  • Decorating
  • Gardening
 
  • Money
  • Family
  • How To Guides
  • Ask Real Simple
  • Simply Stated Blogs


Real Simple Products
  • Organizing Products
  • Books and Back Issues
More Information
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Advertising
  • Real Simple Rewards
  • Site Map
RSS
  • Sign up to get ideas instantly!
Real Simple Newsletters To receive any of these free e-mails, select the ones you're interested in and enter the required information.
  • Weekly Tips Newsletter (see sample)
  • Daily Finds (see sample)
  • Daily Thought (see sample)
  • Wedding Newsletter (see sample)
  • Daily Recipe Newsletter (see sample)
  • Ask Real Simple (see sample)
  • Keep-It-Together Checklist (see sample)
Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.