Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. DIY Projects & Crafts
  3. Canvas Decor Projects That Will Help Keep You Cool This Summer

Canvas Decor Projects That Will Help Keep You Cool This Summer

By Petra Guglielmetti June 10, 2019
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Pin
canvas pillows
Credit: Pernille Loof
For your warm weather projects (think umbrellas and pillows), make use of canvas: It's a sturdy, weather-resistant fabric that's cool to the touch and laidback in style.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
canvas pillows
Credit: Pernille Loof

Traditionally the stuff of sails, tents, and totes, canvas is a sturdy, weather-resistant fabric that's cool to the touch and telegraphs laid-back style, making it a stellar choice for DIY projects this time of year. Our fuss-free ideas (we're talking iron-ons and spray paint) will cut a chic swath through your home or patio, and make any afternoon in the backyard feel like a vacation.

Take, for instance, our day bed pictured here: This lounger is actually two twin beds that come as a set and stack securely, so you can double your space for chilling (or sleeping). We painted the frame with Benjamin Moore Advance semigloss paint in Boothbay Gray (benjaminmoore.com). And as the custom touch, we cut out rounded shapes from cotton-duck canvas—and applied heat-bonding adhesive—to decorate a set of plain outdoor pillows. Shift your line of sight and see how we used it pictured right: we stretched easy-to-wipe waxed canvas (a perfect safeguard against accidental spills and stains) over the top of a small game table. There are almost limitless opportunities to what canvas can do: If you're handy with a sewing machine, you can stitch together a set of summertime pails used to schlep your wettest, messiest stuff, like muddy garden supplies, sandy beach toys, and freshly picked goods from the farm fields. It's a great material to look for in your outdoor décor: umbrellas for the poolside, a tent for your glamping adventures, or even a pair of place mats to entertain in the backyard—rain or shine.

Created by Lorna Aragon

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Deck Out a Daybed

canvas pillows
Credit: Pernille Loof

We're dreaming bigger and cushier than the typical outdoor sofa. Stretch a sleek canvas cover over a twin-size bed's mattress, and you have a Mediterranean-style spot for napping, binge-reading, or ice-pop eating in damp swimsuits. (You can whip off the topper and throw it in the wash if need be.) Embellishing plain pillows with bold shapes is a no-sew project you can handle on slow summer speed, too. Buy a few yards of cotton-duck canvas in two colors, cut out rounded shapes, and iron them on using fusible web, a heat-bonding adhesive. (Stitch the edges to make them extra-secure, if you like.) Then sink back and stay awhile.

Slipcover Shop Brushed Natural-Canvas Mattress Covers, $75 each for a twin,

slipcovershop.com

; JoAnn Duck Canvas in Grass, $10 a yd.,

joann.com

. Big Duck Canvas Duck Cloth in Potting Soil Brown 10 oz., $12 a yd.,

bigduckcanvas.com

; IKEA Utåker Stackable Twin Bed, $389,

ikea.com

.

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Top Off a Coffee Table

waxed canvas coffee table
Credit: Pernille Loof
Get the Waxed-Canvas Coffee Table How-To

Here's a weekend twofer: You can give an older table new life while creating a spiffy surface for books and board games. Stretch easy-to-wipe waxed canvas around its top; you don't need special upholstering skills—just a staple gun and a little patience. (The trick to a neat finish is folding 90-degree hotel corners.) Tap in upholstery tacks to secure the fabric, and polish off a sophisticated place to play.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Haul Everything

canvas bucket bags
Credit: Pernille Loof

These cylindrical totes really hold water, and that isn't just a figure of speech: Campers and boaters call on lightweight canvas buckets to swab the decks or lug their drinking and cooking supplies. The pails can also schlep your wettest, messiest stuff, such as muddy garden supplies, sandy beach toys, and fresh flowers from the farmers' market. Two more winning features? You can hose them down when they get dirty, and collapse them into small, flat bundles for transit. To ward off grass stains and give them a shot of style, spray-paint the bottoms: Wrap the tops in rosin paper and secure it with a sharp line of painters' tape, then bring on your bold new bases.

Rothco Large Natural-Canvas Water Buckets, $14.50 each,

armynavyusa.com

; Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Spray Paint in Satin Oregano and Golden Sunset Gloss, $4.50 each,

homedepot.com

.

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Create Shade

canvas umbrella
Credit: Pernille Loof

Your cabana is calling. To turn a basic, inexpensive side table into a rock-steady stand for a wide canvas umbrella (and perch for your magazines and rosé), you just need a drill and a dream. Fit yours with a round hole-saw bit the same width as your umbrella pole, and mark the center of a table with painters' tape; in addition to helping you hit the bull's-eye, the tape prevents a hollow MDF table, like this style, from splintering. Drill through, sand any rough edges, touch up the tabletop with paint, and let it dry. Then drop in your umbrella, pull up a few sling-back canvas chairs, and go undercover, resort-style.

Sunbrella SimplyShade Catalina Octagon Aluminum Market Umbrella, 7.5' in Sunbrella Natural, $230,

bedbathandbeyond.com

; IKEA Lack Side Table in High Gloss White, $15,

ikea.com

. Business & Pleasure Co. "The Tommy Chairs" in Vintage Yellow Stripe, $199 each,

businessandpleasureco.com

.

5 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cool Your Heels

canvas shoes
Credit: Pernille Loof

Make way, mules. Later, flip-flops. Espadrilles are the classic kicks of summer. More breathable than sneakers and substantial enough for graveled and cobblestoned vacation meanderings, the canvas- and-rope creations have been soigné since way before Coco Chanel put her initials on them. (They trace all the way back to 14th-century Spain, in fact.) Your pair doesn't need a designer label to last several seasons; these well-made slip-ons cost under $50.

Diegos Espadrilles, $35 a pair,

diegos.com

; Bon Marché Espadrilles, $48 a pair,

bonmarcheonline.com

.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fashion a Glampsite

canvas camping tent
Credit: Pernille Loof

A canvas tent makes a dreamy pop-up guest room that's quick to assemble (as well as to strike and stow at summer's end). Every detail here is portable and packable: The modular platform bed comes together without tools; the rug is a canvas floor cloth that folds up and away; the mod nightstands are trays we placed on slatted wooden crates (which you can flip and fill during the off-season). And the tent is no harder to pitch than the pup kind. Just add crisp sheets and cozy rechargeable lanterns to create quarters so inviting, you'll want to check in as soon as your visitors decamp.

Reliable Tent & Tipi Gallatin Wall Tent, $1,425,

reliabletent.com

; Floyd "The Floyd" Platform Bed in Full/Queen, $895,

floydhome.com

; Chicago Canvas & Supply Canvas Drop Cloth, 5' by 7' in Stone, $19.50,

chicagocanvas.com

; Fatboy USA Bolleke LED Lantern, $109,

rejuvenation.com

; Menu Carrie LED Lanterns, $160 each,

dwr.com

; Skagerak Bollard Oil Lamp, $169,

shophorne.com

; L.L.Bean All-Weather Adirondack Chair in Sand, $299,

llbean.com

; Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Queen Revival Stripe Wool Blanket, $500,

fairbaultmill.com

; Faribault Woolen Mill Co. Revival Stripe Wool Pillowcase, $80,

faribaultmill.com

.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Petra Guglielmetti

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8
    2 of 8 Deck Out a Daybed
    3 of 8 Top Off a Coffee Table
    4 of 8 Haul Everything
    5 of 8 Create Shade
    6 of 8 Take It to the Mat
    7 of 8 Cool Your Heels
    8 of 8 Fashion a Glampsite

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Canvas Decor Projects That Will Help Keep You Cool This Summer
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.