Paisley curtains are an essential part of home décor, but have you ever thought of using them in unconventional ways? While perfect for a normal room, the stunning intricacy and colours of some Paisley patterned curtains can also be easily adapted to create a wider impact on the world.
How can you recycle your Paisley curtains?
Just Paisley has come up with 12 ideas to get you started on what to do with your Paisley curtains, although we think you will probably want to hang them as curtains forever:
Clothing
If your washing machine has broken down, and you haven’t had a chance to get it repaired, there is every likelihood you will eventually run out of clothes to wear. Never fear!
Your Paisley print curtains can be turned into the ultimate fashion garment. All you need is a little creativity and some sewing skills.
Because of its bold and eye-catching demeanour, and its huge size, you will be able to turn your Paisley print window curtains into anything – although there might be a lot of waste if you turn them into a Paisley pocket square or Paisley bow tie – so maybe it’s best that you look at something like a Paisley dress or a Paisley skirt.
Tablecloth or Table Runner
Don’t fancy wearing them? No problem – get your table to wear them.
Yes, Paisley curtains will make a perfect Paisley tablecloth for any occasion. Whether you are hosting a dinner party or having a casual lunch with friends, Paisley curtains can add a pop of colour to your table setting. You can use the curtains as a tablecloth or even as a table runner.
By using them as a tablecloth, you will completely cover your table, thereby preventing it from embarrassing you with its chips and other reminders of its previous inappropriate behaviour.
Not totally embarrassed by your table, but only that section in the middle which you gouged out while indulging in your own piece of inappropriate behaviour – then, why not turn your curtains into a table runner? (If you want to look like a complete saddo, you could also make yourself a matching Paisley scarf from the same material).
Room Divider
Modern Paisley curtains make a great room divider – perfect for those couples who can’t stand the sight of each other during the day, but just love each other in the evening. A room divider is ideal for giving a bit of privacy to the shy and for the not-so-shy who want to get up to some unnoticed malarkey.
The Paisleyness (not a real word) will bring some colour and verve to the Berlin Wall in the middle of the room – thereby making it feel more socially acceptable to those on both sides of what will become known as The Paisley Partition.
Shower Curtain
Oh… the Paisley shower curtain! True crime buffs will already be aware of some of the ‘alternative’ uses for the Paisley print shower curtain. Ironically, the iconic shower curtain can also be the subject of similar use by one of its closest relatives.
A pair of affordable Paisley patterned curtains make excellent alternative shower curtains, even though it must be pointed out that the number of uses you will get out of them for this purpose is likely to be minimal to the point of one. But, if you want your Paisley curtain to go out in a blaze of glory, this has surely got to be the way!
Wall Art
Ingenuously hung bohemian Paisley curtains can create a funky mural or a piece of bohemian wall art.
Hung to create a feature, they will dominate a room – in a nice way! And the fun you will have when it gets to that part of the night when people forget they are wall art and try to pull them apart to see if that is their taxi arriving – priceless!
Car Cover
Because of their boldness and girth, Paisley living room curtains make great alternatives to a bland, boring car cover. So, if your car is a show-off – or you are a show-off – there is no better way to draw attention to both of you than to decorate your car with a Paisley car cover.
Hammock
Paisley curtains are the perfect starting point for making an extremely noticeable hammock. So, much more socially acceptable than inviting someone back to see your bed, you can never go wrong with inviting someone back to see your hammock.
The paisley pattern adds class and sophistication to a back garden, and a colourful Paisley hammock will just swing perfectly on that beautiful summer’s day.
Picnic Blanket
Paisley curtains make ideal picnic blankets. If you are sociable, the additional curtain space will allow up to 10 people to sit on your improvised picnic blanket. If you take a pair of curtains, you might even be able to accommodate the whole park – but not if you live in the centre of New York.
Because your picnic blanket is so colourful, it will attract all the interesting characters from your neighbourhood—unlike the dull, boring regular picnic blanket, which will do well to attract dull, boring people.
Lampshade
Paisley curtains can be an excellent alternative if you're tired of the standard white lampshade. You can use the curtains to create a unique and funky lampshade that adds a touch of colour to your room. All you need is a wire frame and some basic sewing skills.
Book Cover
A pair of Paisley curtains can be cut up to make over 253 book covers - so, if you are about to go on a major reading spree – or want to do something different for your community – get cutting and sewing!
Tote Bag
We have featured Paisley tote bags elsewhere on the site. If you are industrious and attached to your elegant Paisley curtains – not literally – you can preserve their presence in your life by turning them into a Paisley tote bag – and an extremely large Paisley tote bag – if you are so inclined.
Bedroom Canopy
If you are a big romantic, what better way to add romance to your bedroom, than by turning your Paisley bedroom curtains into a canopy over your bed. Mix in some romantic lighting and who knows what will happen in that little Paisley wonderland.
Key Point: Before turning your Paisley curtains into a canopy for the bedroom, if the curtains come from the same bedroom, make sure you have replaced the old curtains with new ones – you would really feel guilty if your neighbours were to end up in court on a charge of voyeurism.
The great thing is that Paisley always remains in fashion, so you are likely to use your curtains as curtains for quite some considerable time. And when you finally feel that you would like to replace them, you are not consigning them to the scrapheap – no, they will be at the start of their second career.
You will get kudos for your ingenuity and consideration for the planet, and will also be doing your bit to make the world a more colourful place.