Let there be Fabric!

Fully recovered from the birthday blizts and ready to dish on those penny-pinching ideas. *note to self, decaf is no substitute for a cup of java. Ya either quit or ya don't. I'm on day number 13. Sigh..so where were we? Fabric is to budget friendly design what coffee is to a caffeine addict, a necessary evil. Cheap fabric is thy friend if used creatively and whipped together with amazing pieces of trim to really up the ante and give a room the look of designer fabulous but on the cheap of course. Fabric can even be the  inspiration for a design makeover. I used $1 a yard fabric as the design spring board for this children's playroom. The fabric, used for the throw pillows and curtains, also dictated the paint choice.  To keep things really within budget, seek out the family sewing expert, dig deep down for those sewing lessons you learned in home economics or ask your local fabric store for a list of neighborhood seamstresses (they typically leave a name/number or business card). Forget paint. Fabric can also be used for a splash of color on the walls. In this case, I used $2 a yard fabric to dress the walls of this Moroccan-themed room:

The same fabric was used for the curtains but we added a beaded trim, just $6 a yard, to give it a more decadent look. So here are my top picks for fabric stores with fabrics to fit our penny-pinching pockets:

(1) Arnold's Fabrics N Trim (home of the $1 yard fabric. Priciest fabric is $10 a yard.) 12918 NW 7th Ave., North Miami. 305-685-2666

(2) Designer Discount Fabrics and Trimmings, 1206 Stirling Road, Dania Beach, 954-923-4229. www.desigfab.com

(3) Rahaman's Fabrics, 108 NW 20th Street, Boca Raton, 33431. 561-416-7272 (be warned, the owner Jam is as wild and crazy as it gets, but she'll walk you through her cavernous space while dishing wild stories of her native Trinidad)

(4) Any local Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft store: www.joann.com. Check their clearance tables and bring in a coupon: www.sundaysaver.com

(5) Walmart. Ok, so people who know me well, know I'd rather be bit by lions than venture into a Walmart, but alas, the monster chain sells fabric for a $1 a yard and upwards.

(6) Ultra Fabrics, 7979 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines, Fl 33024. 954-961-3797

(7) www.Denverfabrics.com this online fabric store is a great source for designer fabric on the cheap. Nervous about ordering fabric online? they'll send you hefty samples for just 10 cents plus shipping.

Send me your budget friendly fabric store and I'll add it to the list for us to all expand our fabric shopping horizons.