Thursday, August 6, 2009

Getting Creative with Jute Upholstery Webbing

Tara Dennis
With so much focus on burlap and antique grain sacks we are starting to see a trend using other utilitarian products in home decor.
google
Lately I have started to notice jute upholstery webbing, usually hidden inside sofas and chairs, in the most unexpected places. I was just over at Velvet and Linen admiring the new bench that Steve Giannetti had made for a client in Maine. The bench top is woven with jute upholstery webbing. It reminded me of my Father. The Long Threads
Many years ago my father found a huge box of upholstery webbing at the dump. As a child of the depression, and not one to waste, he rightly scooped it up and brought the box home. Similar to the photo above, he took chairs with broken rush seats, probably also acquired from the same dump, and wove new seats out of the webbing. We used them for years in our cottage on the Cape. Click the picture link to learn how to do it yourself.
Of course it wasn't a unique idea-Scandinavian designers have been using cloth webbing for ages. Both photos above from Retro Moderne give you the basic idea.
Better Homes and Gardens
But I am really intrigued when I see the upholstery webbing in more unexpected places. Here are some fabulous pillows -adding some webbing is a simple way to bring the burlap look into your home.
Little Byrd Vintage
This pillow above is wrapped with one length of webbing. The webbing costs about .50 cents a yard - so wrapping the pillow this way is very inexpensive. Here is a fabulous jute table runner from Tara Dennis. Click on the link to learn how to craft this yourself.
Always in the front of pack in terms of trends is Martha Stewart, with this lovely webbing hall runner. The link will also show you exactly how to make one for your home.
If you're feeling really crafty you could stitch up a few of these jute webbing napkin rings.

Learn how to make these at Vintage Indie-
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I prefer the webbing when it is woven. This is a photo of a display wall in Anthropologie. Not sure how this would translate in everyday living, but its an interesting look.
This is the back of wonderful headboard designed by Steve Giannetti. It is so pretty I think I might want to display it this way.
Here is another shot of Steve's bench. You can learn more about both projects at Velvet and Linen. The headboard here and the bench here.
This little pooch looks happy on his new upholstery webbing bed - very clever!
You can find instructions to make your own at Jezze

northeast stage
I really like the webbing detailing on this curtain - great for a play room.
Here the webbing is used as a background for art at the Shabby Nest.
Here is an interesting bag from Hoganfe, a seller on Etsy. The webbing is used around the drawstring top.

Finally we see a mix of webbing used in other ways from Sadie Olive - to the left is a memo board weaved with webbing and the lower right picture shows the webbing wrapped around a stack of antique books. Charming.

I'd love to hear about any other creative uses for this inexpensive material!

Check out Southern Hospitality for other great ideas here !!

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