A Stunning DIY Boho Bed Canopy Costs Just The Price Of A Couple Dollar Store Rugs

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Rag rugs are a common and crafty way to repurpose fabric scraps. Brilliantly colored woven or braided throw rugs known as chindi rugs are floor coverings made from leftover fabric. You might not have known that the multicolored rugs from discount stores are often made up of yards and yards of dazzling patterned material. Grab a Rainbow Chindi Rug from Five Below for the enticing price of $5.55. This price is a steal for what you get; even Amazon can't match Five Below for this type of rug. Disassemble the rug to see what it's made of. Your resulting pile of scrap fabric is perfect for transforming into a charming bohemian canopy over a bed or a sitting area, indoors or out. Bunched in the center and radiating out in festoons, this boho canopy is sure to add a touch of festivity to your living or bedroom.

Pick up a chindi rug or two, a utility knife, a staple gun, and your trusty old COVID-era mask; you'll need this to protect you from the dust and dirt that surprisingly comes out as you take apart the fabric weaving. This basic project relies on staples to hold the canopy components in place. If perforating your ceiling isn't an option, also order up a set of discrete adhesive hooks like these COLOGO Adhesive Hooks that have a pivoting hook perfect for hanging on ceilings. These removable hooks turn this craft into a rental-friendly DIY that won't jeopardize your deposit!

Save your hand the pain of scissors or a seam ripper while separating the fabric strips. A utility blade makes short work of cutting the strings that weave together the fabric strips, but do this cautiously and consider wearing protective gloves to avoid cuts. Set your rug on a cutting board or protective craft mat. Don your face mask because things are about to get dirty. At the corner of the rug, carefully cut the first few strings that run perpendicularly to the fabric strips with the utility knife. Loosen up the opening a bit with your hands, and continue cutting the strings with the knife. Repeat this with each row until you've liberated all of the fabric. This takes a lot of knife work, so keep that blade up to the task by sharpening it in a few simple steps.

Hand wash the strips in the sink or machine-wash and dry them in lingerie bags or a pillowcase, safety pinned closed to keep them from tangling. Bundle the ends of all of the fabric strips, and tie them with another strip of fabric or a piece of wire. Find the center point over your bed, and use a few staples or an adhesive hook to hang the tied cluster of ends. Separate each fabric piece from the bundle, and staple or hook it to the ceiling while leaving a pleasant drape in each strip. If you want a more dramatic length for your canopy, tie fabric strips from a second rug to the ends of the bundled strings. The knot can serve as a hook for hanging or for hiding the staples.