One Yard Décor: Fabric Covered Boxes

After the great response I got from the One Yard Window Treatment – 3 Ways post I wrote,  I thought I would create a series called One Yard Décor, showing what you can decoratively do in your home with one yard or under of fabric.

Fabric can get pricey and I usually save every scrap from my projects. I have a stash in my basement that I recently went through and found enough small pieces of fabric to cover a stack of storage boxes I have had for a long time in my studioffice.  As I am redoing the room  – the boxes, which were taupe and black, no longer went with the white with pops of color scheme I am trying to create.   I used many different fabrics and colors. Now my stack of storage boxes adds a cheery bit of interest to the room.

If you don’t have a full yard of fabric or have smaller boxes to cover – use Fat Quarters. Fat Quarters are pre-cuts of fabric that quilters often use. They measure about 18″ x 21″. I also have a group of smaller boxes that I want to use on one of the shelves in the room.   The fabrics I used to cover them are from Imagine Fabrics where you can find all sizes and cuts of decorative and designer fabric at affordable prices. They sell many designer lines of coordinating fabrics which look great on a stack of storage boxes. The fabrics I used are from designer, Annette Tatum. I covered them in the same way, but left the tops in their original state since they matched.

You can also mix and match coordinating fabrics on the top and bottom.   Add a ribbon bow or tissue paper flower topper and you have a very pretty box in which to give a gift.  You can use any type of box that has a separate lid. Craft stores sell them very inexpensively if you don’t have a shoe box laying around.

How To Cover a Box With Fabric

supplies needed:

• Fabric or wallpaper remnants
• Spray Glue
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Optional: White Glue and a small paint brush

1. Measure the bottom and sides of the box, then add 1-inch to each side; cut the fabric to this size
2. Spray bottom of box with spray glue. Let it get tacky. Set box on top to adhere. Align a ruler along one long side of the box so it extends beyond the edge. Draw a pencil line along the inside edge of the ruler. After cutting this line you will have a flap that will be the exact width of the box.
3. Cut along line.
4. Repeat on the other 3 corners.
5. Bring on long side of fabric up and wrap excess around the short side of the box. Use scissors to cut a straight line from the edge of the the fabric and into the corner. Tuck and adhere to the inside of the box.
6. Repeat on other long side and then, after each side flap is adhered to the short end of the box, bring the end flap up and over the box. Repeat on other end.

Repeat steps to cover the lid. Optional: If the sides of the end flaps of fabric are fraying – dab some white glue along the cut edge of the fabric. It will dry clear and stop the fabric from fraying.

Staples sells a line of Martha Stewart stick-on metal label holders in a few different finishes.  I put one on the front of each box so I will know what is inside each one at a glance.

I made the labels using MS Word on my computer.  The font is Hand of Sean.

 Cover a few to create a colorful stack of fabric covered boxes to organize your stuff while adding to your decor.