With the new year upon us, I look forward to sprucing up my home more than ever. A couple of years ago I decided to paint my kitchen table with a fresh coat of white paint to give it a new life. Now that the tabletop is freshly painted (and not freshly scratched and dinged), I have been eyeing easy diy table runner ideas to add an element of interest and texture to my tabletop. Not only is this a fun way to add another layer of design to your table, it can also be a great way to camouflage a scratched surface if painting a table just isn't in the cards this year.
Here are 7 of my favorite table runner ideas for adding a touch of beauty to your kitchen or dining table.
Add a Tasseled Fabric Runner
If you know me, you know I love anything that involves a yarn or tassel. You can find loads of fabric to work with at Goodwill from tablecloths to sheets that don't cost a lot. Repurpose this fabric into a simple table runner and add a beautiful yarn tassel detail to each end to add that handmade touch that I love to embrace in my home. You can get the scoop on this simple tasseled runner on Makers Society!
Add a Touch of Ombre
I am mad for ombre projects and all of my favorite fancy shops carry beautiful dip-dyed napkins and runners for your table. Have you tried fabric dying before? I did my first fabric dying project when I restored an old pair of jeans and was shocked just how easy it is. With this technique you need some fabric dye, water, and a spray bottle. Hunt for a basic white sheet, tablecloth, or napkins you can use to add a touch of ombre to your decor. This easy dip-dying tutorial from Handmade Mood is a great one to help you figure out some great strategies for achieving these beautiful hues.
Add a Bit of Whimsy
I love home projects that are whimsical particularly if the whimsy matches the homeowner. Lovely Indeed offers this cute tutorial for creating a polka dotted table runner in my favorite metallic shade. The great thing about this tutorial is that you can make this table runner really speak to you and your own personality choosing a shape or silhouette that really matches your style. In my home, I would be cutting out owls or foxes as a nod to my love for woodland creatures. You could also go geometric and modern with triangles or arrows. Adding touches like this to your home makes people say, "Oh, this house is just SO YOU!"
Add a No-Sew Frill
I love burlap projects especially when those projects do not involve sewing. Did you not know that I am a sewing school dropout? I really am! That is why I love this fun table runner from Liz Marie created for burlap. The ruffled detail on the edge adds a feminine touch to your table while still remaining beautifully neutral. What a clever way to disguise a scratched surface without a lot of effort!
Add a Little Lace
I am such a fan of beautiful lace doilies and am so inspired by this beautiful table runner made from a variety of lace doilies. I love little ongoing collections that take just a little bit of time and money to create a project and this would be such a fun collection to put together to create a beautiful table runner for your home. Check out this beautiful lace doily table runner created by Bayside Bride that just requires a bit of hand stitching to pull it all together. Isn't it beautiful?
Utilize a Drop Cloth for Styling
Drop cloth projects are perfect for a small budget and can be created into just about anything from table runners to beautiful curtains. Utilize this inexpensive fabric to create an adorable ruler table runner that adds that touch of whimsy I was talking about earlier, for a cute runner on a craft table, or as a fun addition to your back-to-school decor. Get the scoop on this fast & easy ruler table runner on Country Living.
Add a Woven Detail
As I said before, I love burlap and I love playing with texture on a table. These two ideas are combined into one in this beautiful woven burlap runner on Fab You Bliss that you can create by weaving strips of burlap to create a woven detail to your table. Although this one requires sewing schools (boo for this poor sewing school dropout) it appears that you just need to piece this one together and then sew a simple straight line down the edge to bring it all together. How pretty is that?