Last time I updated you on the master bedroom, I told you about some of the things that I’d picked up to go in there and I also shared a few things that still really needed my attention in here to keep things moving along in the right direction. One of the many little things that were bugging me was that the cords from the bedside table lamps were just hanging out there, flapping in the wind for everyone to see.
That outlet is really really in the middle of the wall, right in plain sight. It’s about as in the middle of that wall as it can get. I could have just painted everything to try to make it blend in with the wall, and that would have been just fine, but I felt like trying something a little more fun.
When you think “beginner sewing projects” you usually think about throw pillows and stuff like that, but trust me, this is about as beginner of a project as you can get, so it’s worth a try if you like this look!
This ruffly covered cord look will definitely be too fussy for some people, but I really like the contrast between the really traditional elements (like the lamps and the button-tufted settee) and some of the more rustic farmhousy elements like my light fixture and this garage-found side table. So it totally does the trick for me.
Want to know how to make one? It’s one project that you can have done lickety split! I promise!
Find some fabric that you like.
Iron, measure, and cut: For my two lamp cord covers, I actually made 4 little mini covers since my fabric wasn’t long enough for two giant cord covers. So I cut 4 strips of fabric. Instead of marking off my measurements, I like to iron a crease and just cut along the crease. I find it keeps everything neat and tidy and saves me from trying (and failing) to draw a straight line.
For one cord cover, I had 2 strips of fabric that measured a total of 1.5 times the length of my cord when placed end to end. This gave me the ruffly effect. Each strip was 5 inches wide to make the cord cover 2 inches wide and allow a 1/2 inch for the seams. So if my cord was 60 inches long, that means that each strip was 45 inches by 5 inches.
Once I had my strips all cut out. I ironed a little fold over to finish up the ends of each piece and sewed them all up.
Then I folded the whole thing in half, then I sewed along the edge using black thread because I didn’t feel like changing the bobbins, then one of my bobbins ran out halfway through so I had to change it anyway. I put another black in for consistency. Why I needed to be consistently the wrong color, I don’t know, but it just felt right.
Once everything was all sewn up, I turned all 4 mini covers right side out and put them onto my cords! Ta da!
I love my overly dramatic lamp cords. If you can’t hide it, feature it!
P.S. If you’re cringing as much as I am looking at those vinyl floors, don’t worry! A fabulous new rug is on its way to my door as we speak!
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.