Ikat Stencil Inspiration

Designer Ikat Decor on a DIY Budget

Why spend $3000 when you can spend under $50 for a stencil?

Ikat stencils have always been my personal favorite which may be why I am so excited to see that Ikat patterned room decor is currently super popular in all of the most trendy clothing and home decor stores. Strolling around the streets of New York City last weekend, I noticed that almost every block was laden with Ikat covered rugs, pillows, lampshades, couches, chairs and clothing! As much as I was drooling over the incredible Ikat patterned decor, the price tags weren't pretty. Luckily for people like me who have an eye for the most current yet expensive home decor, there are cheaper DIY options. Cutting Edge Stencils carries four different Ikat patterns, all of which are uniquely beautiful and perfect for your next DIY project. Instead of buying a $3,000 Ikat pattern couch from Anthropologie, why not spend under $50 on an Ikat stencil and stencil your own couch cover! You can then use the same stencil for a number of other DIY projects, like Ikat stenciled pillows, lampshades or a gorgeous feature wall. Looking at the items in the above image you can see a trendy Ikat pattern lamp shade from Lampsplus for $48, an Ikat floor pillow from Crewel Fabric World for $128, Ikat Fabric from Inside Fabric for $116 per yard and an Ikat Rug from Ballard Designs going for $1,999. As you can see, getting the latest trends is not cheap and stencils are a really affordable alternative.

Ikat Pattern Trend Spottings

Above are a few more examples of Ikat pattern home decor and fashion that I spotted. I am in love with the Ikat Pillows from Pottery Barn and the couch and pants from Anthropologie but with each pillow going for $45.50 and the couch priced at $2698 it's just not going to happen for me. That's where stencils come into play! I've already completed my first Ikat Samarkand stencil project which I shared in my post "Customize Your Curtain with Stencils". I love it and when looking for a similar item for sale they all ranged between $100-$300 for just a shower curtain!

Stenciled Shower Curtain

There are so many ways to use stencils on and off the wall. When it comes to stenciling on fabric, your possibilities are really endless. You can stencil on different types of fabric – from silk to polyester – and create unique pillows, tablecloths, clothes and curtains! Match your stenciled walls or simply add a pop of color and design to a drab space. I decided to stencil a bland shower curtain liner with the Ikat Samarkand allover stencil from CuttingEdgeStencils and I love how it turned out!

Ikat Saida Stencil

This wall stencil can be used for so many DIY projects. I think it would look great for accent pillows, or even on a rug or silk curtains. Try it in exotic bright colors or keep it earthy with neutral metallics and beige tones. We have a stencil tutorial on how to create stenciled fabric pillows which you should check out if you plan on creating your own Ikat stenciled pillow.

Ikat Aynur Stencil

This Ikat stencil pattern is so simple yet really fun and combines beautifully with your colorful up-cycled piece of furniture.

Ikat Bukhara Stencil

This trendy Ikat Bukhara stencil is inspired by traditional Uzbek silk textiles. This beautiful design will look stunning stenciled on your accent wall. With its easy registration system, simply line up your stencil with the design of your previously painted print, check that it is level and continue. This gives you a seamless "wallpaper" look. While prior stenciling experience is helpful for allover patterns, even beginner stencilers get great results! This design is recommended for a feature/accent wall or an entire room and also works for furniture and fabric embellishment like I showed in the trend spottings.

Ikat Samarkand Stencil

The word "Ikat" originates from the Indonesian language and means "to tie" "thread" and "knot" because the pattern originally got its unique look from a particular weaving style that involved that motion. It is commonly believed that this form of textile decoration is one of the oldest forms that exists. Now the Ikat weaving style is universally practiced and you can find exotic Ikat fabric all over the world. As the centuries past by, each region that adopted the Ikat style of weaving added their unique look. In the 19th century, the Silk Road desert oases of Bukhara, Samarkand, Hotan and Kashgar were famous for their fine silk Uzbek/Uyghur ikat. You can see from the names of these locations, where we got inspiration for our much loved Ikat stencil designs.

Ikat Samarkand Stenciled Rug

Roeshel from The DIY Showoff really blew us away with this stenciled floor redo. She used the Ikat Samarkand and it really transformed the whole room. The idea of creating a stenciled “rug” was genius and frames out the bed perfectly. To see how she did it check out The DIY Showoff tutorial. As you can see there are so many project options to incorporate beautiful Ikat patterns into your home decor. From my trend spottings you can also see that Ikat is really all over the home decor and fashion world so get on the bus and pick your favorite Ikat pattern from our selection. Don't forget that unlike wallpaper, you aren't making a huge price commitment plus it isn't a complete drag to redo your wall if you decide to update your room in a few years. Just paint right over it and you are ready for you next stencil obsession! No fuss, no mess, just beautiful room decor on a budget. What to do now?

• - Please visit our Facebook page for more customer photo inspiration and to share your own photos!
• - Follow "CESTENCILS" on Pinterest to see our latest trend spottings, new stencils, tutorials and employee mood boards.
• - Shop for IKAT STENCILS to free your creativity!

Stay tuned for many more posts! Thanks for stopping by! Yours truly ~Gabi and the Cutting Edge Stencils Crew