Two Project-Filled Bedrooms

Inspired by the graceful aquatic flowers favored in Japanese design, this bedroom is a trendsetter with staying power. This bed features patterned pillows and a practical, pretty customized bed skirt.

Add pattern to a plain pillow with clip art. Using text-editing or other software, repeat the desired design nine times in a grid layout. Print the grid on iron-on silk-screening paper. Remove the pillow form from its cover. Following the manufacturer's directions, apply the grid to the pillow cover. Reinsert the pillow form.

Dust ruffles may be practical, but often they're not pretty. Dress up yours with a stencil and paint. If your skirt doesn't include ribbon, machine-stitch or hot-glue one just above the hem. Then, using the ribbon as a guide, apply your stencil design.

A stunning origami flower becomes a bold artistic statement when mounted in paper-backed shadow box. The lotus flower is made out of three colors of folded paper, then hung with foam mounting tape.

Getting started can prove to be the hardest part of decorating. Choosing a theme, such as the lotus flower, simplifies every decision after that. This bathroom is proof of a great decor theme.

For a window screen that creates privacy without blocking all light, use decorative and scrapbook paper. Trace a stencil design on the paper and cut it out with a crafts knife. Apply crafts glue to the edges of an empty frame and lay the finished paper on top. Pull the edges of the paper taut, wrap to the back of the frame, and glue in place.

Embellish towels with custom iron-on decorations. Iron fusible web to the back of a large-pattern fabric and cut out the designs. Press the cutouts onto the towel's banding.

Customize a shower curtain on a budget by sewing on fabric trim. Cut fabric strips to size, adding 1 inch for seam allowances. Fold each band in half lengthwise. Press the edges under 1/2 inch and lay each strip over a curtain edge. Stitch along pressed edges.

Take lined baskets from practical to pretty by adding a stamped design to the liners. Remove the liners and press. Stamp a motif along the top edges.

For color underfoot, turn painter's canvas into an area rug. Cut the canvas to size with a crafts knife. Prime and paint the surface; let dry. Apply painter's tape 1-1/2 inches from the edges and paint the border; let dry. Remove the tape. Add freehand or stenciled designs to the corners and center; let dry.

Layers of linens always exude comfort. Mix-and-match textures blend vintage with modern feel. This bed includes antique embroidered sheets, a vintage knitted bedspread, quilt-fabric pillows and skirt, velveteen shams, a satin quilt, and a boucle loose-knit throw.

Practical and pretty, this pleated cotton skirt stores books, magazines, remotes, and eyeglasses in its oversize pockets.

Why store your grandmother's sheets and pillowcases in a drawer when you can get them out and enjoy them? Most are made of sturdy cotton that can be washed to remove stains and odors. A bit of spray starch and a warm iron will work wonders to make antique textiles look good as new. Don't worry about mixing whites. A combination of shades just makes the look more interesting.

From floor to ceiling, this feminine bedroom is filled with warm color and texture. The layered look is evident in the window's tri-patterned panels, which were made by bordering purchased curtains with one of the pillow fabrics. Window treatments can finish anywhere from the sill to the floor, depending on how formal your room is. We stopped below the sill for this cozy, cottage-style drape and pulled the panels back with ties in a coordinating fabric.

In the bedroom, storage is always an issue. Use large baskets to hold linens and sweaters, and under-the-bed boxes for shoes, bags, and miscellaneous items.

Strategically placed sconces are perfect for bedtime reading. If you already have the wiring in place, any good electrician can install them. If not, look for sconces that have a finished silver or brass channel that houses the wires. They plug in behind your nightstands with no cords dangling down the wall. Cover or paint the shades in one of the room's accent colors.

Bold bursts of geranium red in the cotton fabrics, the quilt, and a three-drawer chest give this bedroom an air of excitement without taking away from its feeling of comfort and luxury. Simple cream stripes on the drawers and easy-to-paint leaves accent the flower pulls.

To pamper yourself this winter, stitch small pillows in a variety of sizes, using different but coordinating fabrics on the fronts and backs. That way, you can just flip them for a different look. Pile them up with velvet shams for a sink-into bed you won't want to get out of in the morning.

To get all the amenities you want in a small room, use multifunctional furniture pieces. Here, a small desk outfitted with a large mirror serves as both a makeup station and a space for catching up on correspondence. Fabric-covered boxes house cosmetics and writing materials. By blending a primitive country table with a traditional mirror and a painted French-style chair covered in red silk, the mix-and-match design of the room is unmistakable.

Soften the look of a headboard with a fabric-covered panel. Make your pattern by following the shape of the headboard. Cover the panel with upholstery batting, followed by muslin and then cotton fabric. Apply each layer separately, smooth and taut, with a staple gun.