Friday Favorite: Working With What You Have
I’m not sure why mattresses have to have the ugliest fabric one them, it doesn’t matter for the mattress, but the box springs can be seen. In our guest bedroom, we have no beds so the mattresses are simply on the floor. Hopefully Mr Chiots will be building a few beds soon, but until them we’ll make do. The box springs were hideous! Generally, I cover them with fitted sheets, but I didn’t have any extra twin sized sheets laying around and I didn’t want to buy any.
I though about covering them with classic blue ticking, but it was too expensive. I was considering burlap until I remembered I had some empty coffee bags (you can buy these for $2 each from Sweet Maria’s). We received ours for free with coffee purchases.
I pulled out my scissors, staple gun, yarn needle and my hot glue gun and got cracking! It took me one bag and a half of another one to cover each twin sized mattress. That means it was only about $3 per mattress, not bad!
I wanted to add a little interest to the top of the box spring, so I whipstitched it around the top. It took extra time, but I love the result and am super happy I did it!
Our guest room is starting to come together, the quilts are finished, the box springs are covered, I’m making a rug – all I have left to do it start painting the walls!
Do you cover your box spring? Is it an ugly design?
Filed under Around the House | Comments (17)
Love it! What a great solution.
to Stephanie StClair's comment
Our box springs are covered by a comforter, so we don’t need to cover them. Those bags could be used for so many projects! What a great resource!
to daisy's comment
Very clever! It looks so good with your homemade quilt.
to Kathi cook's comment
Susy, the box spring looks very much like something that would be found on a homestead. As for me, I’m a guy. I don’t really care what the box spring looks like. It’s in the bedroom. I just go in there to sleep. :-) When my life was alive, I did learn all about bed skirts, mattress covers, and such things but haven’t given it a thought for almost 13 years. My bed comforter hangs down enough to cover it up anyway. It really does look great.
Have a great working with what you have day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
I have a plain white bed skirt for our bed (they are expensive but you can make one yourself) and when my daughter got a new bed recently her box spring was black, which was perfect because her duvet cover is a black and white print. I think someone in the industry finally caught on!
to Elizabeth's comment
Ha – that really is terrific. I love the eclectic look.
to DebbieB's comment
Bed skirts are not my thing. Next winter we are redoing the upstairs bedrooms. This is one of our planned projects Haven’t quite decided on the material yet but burlap is definitely on my list. Yours looks terrific…great job!
to judym's comment
It’s such a satisfying feeling, isn’t it? …using what you have. Very inspiring!
to Patti's comment
love it!
to Jill's comment
And, I forgot to tell you, your quilts are brilliant, too! I wish I had the patience to quilt… I just made some slipcovers, so am working my way up to quilts.
to Jill's comment
Cool look! I get burlap bags from our local coffee shop to cover my plants in winter. It’s good protection against the bunnies.
to Mary Schier's comment
A very cool, clever and creative way to cover your box springs! I don’t cover ours because the comforters and quilts hang over enough but if I did, I would definitely try and find some coffee bags! :)
Do you have other uses for them?
to Chris's comment
That looks so much more beautiful!
And probably will fit the feel of the room much better when it’s painted!
So crafty. I love it!
to Donna A.'s comment
I’ve always used spare fitted sheets. I like that they’re washable, even if I don’t wash them very often!
to Lorna's comment
Very cute!
to Songbirdtiff's comment
We usually use a bedskirt, but I LOVE your solution. You’re right, the whipstitching really adds a nice touch!
to Wendy's comment
great job – love your ideas – so original!
to Jeannette's comment