The appearance of needlework in home decor is a definite sign that embroidery is making a comeback. While it’s often thought of as a pastime reserved for your grandparents, we’re here to tell you that needlepoint is enjoying its resurgence as a newfound hobby and collector’s item. With a needle, thread, and a little creativity, embroidery can quickly transform your space and allow your personality and imagination to shine through.
If you’re ready to get crafty and want some ideas to add a homey touch to your loft in New York, NY, or decor inspiration for your cozy home in Toronto, ON, we’ve got you covered. We reached out to embroidery experts to get their unique embroidery ideas to reinvigorate your space. So bust out your embroidery hoops and colorful threads to add some flair to your home.
1) Give fabric a trendy makeover
Warm, comforting colors with bright accents are trending for 2021, as seen with the Pantone colors of the year, Ultimate Gray with Illuminating (vibrant yellow). To create this trending style in your home décor, without spending a fortune on redecorating, add embroidery to pillows, kitchen towels, wall hangings, and table runners for an impressive appearance. –Blue Bunny Hollow
2) Use embroidery in your home decor to add texture to your space
Take your embroidered items to the next level by adding texture with your threads and materials. You can do this by couching threads for a 3D effect or embroidering on textured fabrics like velvet, linen, and woven home dec fabrics. The texture will add depth, interest, and a homey feeling to your home decor. –Tough Kitten Crafts
3) Create small pieces that incorporate textures and colors you love
If you have no wall space, no worries. Many modern embroidery artists create small pieces perfect for tucking into spaces in your gallery wall or on a bookshelf nestled between your favorite novels. Embroidery is like any other art medium – it must speak to you and pull you in when you see it. Look for pieces that inspire awe or conjure up fond memories, as well as have colors you enjoy and great texture and movement (successful embroidery pieces have all three). –Jennifer Smith Studios
4) Play with seasonal colors
Usher in the fall season with some needle and thread. Go nuts with your Autumn decor with this free acorn and oak leaves embroidery pattern. Your seasonal throw pillows and the napkins in your Thanksgiving tablescape will really pop with this embroidered touch. –Devin McSherry Design
5) Frame embroidery pieces and create your own gallery wall
Original art can be expensive; original needle art doesn’t have to be. Transform a bland wall in your home with framed needlepoint or embroidery. Use eclectic frames sourced from flea markets, frame a sassy or subversive saying in an elegant gold frame to nestle among your more traditional pieces, frame a tiny stitched piece within a large mat board, go bold with color or bargello patterns, or use fiber you find almost anywhere to create unique needle art. Then, mix it all up into a curated gallery wall that will evolve with your stitching collection – meaningful art that only you own. –Poppy Monk Needlepoint
6) Make an embroidered statement piece and display it right in your entryway
Show off your creative side to anyone who enters your home and you’ll immediately be recognized as an artistic and capable person. Your guests will feel compelled to explore more of your beautiful house and hunt for similar tokens of your enchanting artistry. Choose a color palette and a design that represents you, be it a modest, monochrome mandala or a vibrant and energizing floral bouquet. –Stitch Palettes
7) Add embroidery hoop-art into styled vignettes
Themed embroidery designs finished off in round hoops are a charming addition to styled vignettes on a sideboard or bookshelf. Display the embroidery hoop on a plate stand or mini-art easel for hand-crafted charm. It’s easy to change out seasonally. –Stitched Stories
8) Create a focal point in your meditation space
Embroidery is a wonderful craft to pick up if you’re a spiritually inclined crafter. An embroidered piece to hang as a focal point for your altar, your meditation space, or even a shrine to a beloved ancestor is a beautiful and powerful way to imbue that space with your focused and intentional energy for your practice in that space. It also works great for visualizing your intentions and manifestations. –Deidre Dreams
9) Incorporate texture and color with embroidered pillowcases
Embroidered pillows are an easy and inexpensive way to add embroidered decor to your home. They’re perfect to add a pop of color and personality to sofas, chairs, and beds throughout your home. –Pickle Pie Designs
10) Add personal touches to your home decor with embroidery
Whether it be embroidered bed covers, cushion covers, curtains, etc, embroidery adds an entirely new level of style and colors to your simple home decor and gives it that extra pep, just like an expensive painting on the wall would. Give your home a new look with a range of Threads & Décor. –Angad Creations
11) Accent your space with framed embroidery art
Artists are exploring distinctive ways to create art, and embroidery is resurfacing throughout the art world. A wonderful way to bring embroidery into your home is by incorporating framed unique embroidered art pieces that spark conversation, complement your décor, and bring beauty to your home. –Sew Unique Art
12) Make an embroidered book pillow for a kid’s room
Set your kid’s room up as a place of comfort as well as learning. A book pillow is an easy and fast craft for even a novice sewist. You’ll need an embroidery machine to stitch out the adorable design and a sewing machine to craft the easy, square pillowcase. –Designs by Little Bee
13) Use punch needle embroidery to upgrade your decor
You can add a beautiful, tufted texture to anything that’s made with cotton fabric, like curtains, throw blankets, and pillow cases. If you want to go bigger and bolder, try punch needle rug hooking and create beautiful throw rugs and chunky textured throw pillows with yarn. –Marching North
14) Personalize your bathroom with monogrammed pieces
Take your bathroom personalization to the next level. We have all seen towels monogrammed with a last name initial or a couple’s initials, but what about making an even greater statement piece by monogramming a shower curtain? Adding a monogram to the center of a shower curtain with applique initials or just embroidery can give a real “wow” factor to a place that might not have much character. Adding that extra touch of personalization can really help make your house into a home. –Creative Appliques Embroidery
15) Use embroidered wall decor to add shape variety to your walls
Most of us hang square and rectangular art and photos on our walls, but when a piece of hand embroidery is finished and left in the hoop, it gives us the opportunity to incorporate round art. Hoops that are used by embroidery artists come in a variety of circular and oval sizes and it is possible to hang these directly on your wall. Give your gallery walls more interest by mixing in a uniquely shaped piece of embroidery. –Heather Clara Designs
16) Dress up a dreary corner with some bright textiles or embroidery
For areas in the home that don’t receive as much natural light, a light-colored weaving or handicraft can help elevate the mood and bring brightness to the space. Add a piece with predominantly red, orange, or yellow-colored threads if the color of the wall is neutral or cool, or choose something with rich greens and blues if it’s hanging on a warm beige or yellow wall. –Boo Forever
17) Create a home space that highlights your creative side
Whether you crave natural materials, vintage pieces, or the comfort of traditional surroundings, there is nothing like owning a touch of “hand-made”. Accessories made with your personal touch like an embroidered pillow, or framed wall hanging will become a focal piece, and add unique character to your home. When creating that “special piece,” I suggest that you work with colors that you like and ones that compliment your style. –Christen Brown
18) Give any space a refresh with machine embroidery applique
Refresh any living space with easy-to-make pillows featuring machine embroidery applique. Quickly change the feel and mood of a space with beautiful machine embroidery applique designs that can be chosen and customized with fabric and thread to fit any décor. –Meaning of Life Designs
19) Plants and embroidery hoops make perfect pairs
Plants and embroidery hoops make perfect pairs. Prop up your finished embroidery hoop next to your favorite houseplant to add interest to your plant shelf. –Rikrack
20) Create a gallery wall of embroidered pieces
Embrace the maximalism of cottage core design with a gallery wall incorporating a hand-stitched embroidery piece. Find a vintage floral fabric (hint: repurpose a garment or linen with a design you love), place it in a hoop, and embroider key lines or favorite color blocks of the design. Hang your finished piece with a velvet ribbon and mix it with modern pieces to create an eclectic look on your wall. –wildboho
21) Use embroidery to create personal pieces of home decor
I would say that it is so much fun to make your own art. You never have to worry about it matching or coordinating with what you already have in your home because you control that when you choose your threads. You can dress it up or dress it down, depending on how you choose to display it (stretched on a canvas, hung with a cord, applied to wood, or sealed in a frame). And, you feel such a sense of accomplishment when you can say, “Thank you! I made it myself!” –Another By Anita
22) Relax in your home with an embroidery project
The benefits of embroidery go beyond beautiful décor. Sure, making your own embroidery projects allows you to add your own unique palette and style to your home – but it’s also really good for you. Study after study shows that creative hobbies like hand embroidery reduce stress and promote the growth of new neurons in your brain. So if you’ve been wanting to get healthier, hand embroidery may be something that you want to add to your daily routine. –Jacquelynne Steves
23) Enhance existing decor by incorporating unique embroidered accents
An easy, simple way to add unique accents to your home décor with embroidery is to begin with everyday items you already own. A touch of embroidery on pillowcases, cushion covers, napkins, or tablecloths is sure to bring new life to them and is easily customizable to suit your own style. –The Diary of a Northern Belle
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