Whether it was because of the emergence of grandmillennial style, or just a quarantine hobby that’s here to stay, cross-stitch has made a big comeback within the last couple of years. Not only is it a great way to incorporate your personality and style into your home’s interior design, but it also adds texture and a unique element to any space. However, the best thing is that you can practically cross-stitch any design on any piece of decor. From family portraits and quirky sayings, to throw pillows and furniture, the options are endless.
To help get you inspired on how to enhance your home decor, we thought who better to ask than cross-stitch experts themselves? We reached out to cross-stitchers all across the country and beyond (from San Francisco to New York, and even across the pond) for creative cross-stitch ideas that you can use to enhance your home decor.
Cross-stitch can be used to enhance your home’s aesthetic
The art of painting with thread (better known as cross-stitch) allows both texture and color to come into a room and dominate it. Fine art portraits and vivid landscape patterns can be used to showcase your works of art in an area of distinction highlighting and enhancing your existing color scheme. For a richer traditional look, elegant bell pulls and accent pillows stitched with cross stitch can be used to add flavor to a room, and can be the source for a conversation piece. – Sunrays Creations Needlearts
When choosing your design, consider the current mood of your home. Is it light and airy, bright and colorful, or dark and moody? Then consider what you want your piece to say about you. Are you sassy, funny, just plain awesome? There’s a design out there that is perfect for your home. – Sassi Stitch Boutique
Cross-stitch throw pillows and cushions that go with your interior design. Whether your personal style leans towards vintage, the need for comfort, or pops of color, various cross-stitch designs are available to create throw pillows and cushions. Designs range from simple to intricate to suit the stitcher’s experience level and the stitcher’s time available to finish the project. – Fox Trails Needlework
You can easily incorporate your home’s color palette through the matting and framing you choose. Always stitch the design you really like with no thought to color. Then, pick up the room’s palette with the matting and framing of the piece. You will see a spot on your wall you always enjoy. – The Sampler House
Embrace grandmillennial style with cross-stitch. What was old is new again – cross-stitch is a craft that has roots prior to the Dark Ages, and post-WWII period pieces offer unique designs that attract the eye of a grandmillennial. Upcycle a one-of-a-kind “antiquated” garage or estate sale cross-stitch find into a pillow covering for a timeless, vintage look that adds a pop of color and splash of texture to your living room. – Blooming Daisies Crafts
Give your photos a unique makeover. Find a photo you’d like to embellish with cross-stitch and give it a refresh – such as a landscape with lots of sky or a portrait with clothing or background that can be enhanced with colorful stitches. Take your chosen picture to a copy shop to have it enlarged and printed at poster size so it fits on or is slightly larger than your pegboard. Glue the poster to your pegboard and trim the edges if necessary. Carefully plan your design, so you know where to punch holes through the poster for your stitches. Stitch using one or two strands of yarn, and then hang on the wall according to the pegboard manufacturer’s instructions. – Penny Candy Handmade
Add personal touches throughout your home with cross-stitch
Cross-stitch can be a memorable way to add your unique flavor to your home’s decor. Do a family “portrait,” birth announcement, or one of your favorite sayings in cross-stitch and place it in an area where it will bring smiles to all who live there every time they see it. – Stitching Jules
Embrace your favorite hobbies and activities. Spotlight that one special room with a beautiful nod to your favorite hobby in cross-stitch. The wonderful thing is there’s a cross-stitch design for anything you love. – Tempting Tangles Designs
Transform your child’s artwork into a custom cross-stitch tapestry. Cross-stitchers no longer have to choose between images of cats napping in libraries or eagles soaring – we now have endless possibilities thanks to cross-stitch software. Take your child’s recent painting or sketch and convert it into a one-of-a-kind cross stitch pattern. This memorable project can be framed or sewn into a pillow to create a durable art piece for your home. – Bella Stitchery
Level up the walls with personalized cross-stitch. Give your walls some love with personalized cross-stitch art. Decorating the walls with embroidery you designed yourself will no doubt give your home a boost of personality. – The Folklore Company
Showcase your personality with a handmade cross-stitch piece that enhances your home’s accent colors. Cross stitch fabric is available in many colors, so there’s always one matching the accent color of your home. We love to frame our work directly in the embroidery hoop and mix and match it with pictures to create an art wall. – Studio Koekoek
Create a warm and inviting interior design
Incorporating some cross-stitch, needlepoint, or embroidery into your home decor will add warmth and a traditional, homey touch. It’s easier than you think to stitch up simple designs in your own color palettes for pillows, wall hangings, table linens, and even rugs or upholstery. Be sure to talk to a knowledgeable stitcher who can help you make your ideas come to life, especially if you’re a beginner. – Magic Hour Needlecrafts
Use cross-stitch to add a warm, textured, and personal accent to any room. The last few years have seen a revival in cross stitch designers, from traditional or contemporary to quirky or scandi, so there will be one that fits your style. Once you’ve found a pattern you love, you can easily adjust the colors to compliment your color scheme. – Creative Cross Stitch
Add polish and depth to your finished cross-stitches by framing them with mats. And, if your finished cross-stitch work doesn’t fit a “traditional” frame size, you can still make it look incredible by ordering a custom-sized mat; custom-colored mats can also bring a finished piece together. – Thread Stash
There’s no need to stick to the cross-stitch status quo, especially if you’re looking to enhance your home decor in a unique way
Think outside of the traditional cross-stitch box and get creative – consider cross-stitching decor or even furniture. Once stitched, your fabric can turn into anything. My two favorite projects to date have been making a cross-stitch clock and making a cross-stitch lampshade. And don’t be afraid of going a bit extra and add some tassels or pom-pom trim. – Hannah Hand Makes
You can create luxurious pillows, quilts, wall hangings, and more. With more cozy time at home this last year, creative makers have embraced handmade needlework with a vengeance. So, how to display your creations in a unique way without using frames? We suggest working your finished pieces into soft luxurious pillows, quilts, wall hangings, holiday swag, tabletop decor, or other soft surroundings to bring needlework into your life in a tactile and interactive way. – Kooler Design Studio
Create a gallery wall. Use a mix of vintage and modern frames for your cross stitch pieces. Hang them all closely together on one wall to showcase all of your work. Alternatively, display them all on floating shelves, again on one wall. The key is to show them together for maximum impact of colors, designs, and styles. – The Hopping Stitch
You can even enhance your outdoor space with cross-stitch. Your outside patio area is a great place to display cross-stitched pieces, whether they are your granny’s heirloom keepsakes or designs you created yourself. Add a big punch by incorporating table linens and throw pillows that showcase your color palette and your personality. – DoodleDog Primitives
Customize an acrylic tray to create a unique accent piece. Needlepoint isn’t just for your grandma’s pillows anymore. You can turn a fun, fresh needlepoint into a statement piece as an acrylic tray for your coffee table, bar cart, or powder room with some personalized touches – high design, homemade, and a fun accent for any space. – SBT Stitches
Try out the bargello stitch. Bargello is one of the best ways to create exciting pillows for your home. It uses a single straight stitch that covers four threads and moves in steps of 2 threads up and/or down. Make a line with different numbers of stitches in each step, and follow this line to complete your pillow. – Napa Needlepoint
Use cross-stitch to change up your decor between seasons. The great thing about cross-stitch is that you can use fresh seasonal colors and create terrific conversation pieces that make your guests say, “wait – you made that?” Cross-stitch pieces are full of small details, really fun (though not quick) to stitch, and will enable you to use one throw pillow and change up the look every four weeks. You can even display them using a large embroidery hoop to hang them on your front door. – Luv 4 Cross Stitch
Play with color to create a bold decor piece. There has never been a better time to start counted cross-stitch and to incorporate your fully finished pieces into your home decor. Thanks to small-batch dye companies, you can customize any cross stitch project with your own color conversion – think any color imaginable available in specialty floss (over-dyed floss six-strand embroidery thread) and fabric (linen, Aida, evenweave). Pair a color conversion with a cross- stitch pattern you love to create a special and unique decor item. – Ardith Design
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