Afghan blankets can create a great accessory for a sofa, love seat, bed, chair, and other items. One of the problems we all face this year is cutting back and our budgets may be a lot tighter.

Do you have a homemade blanket stashed away in a closet somewhere? Have you gotten this type of blanket as a gift, and can't figure out where to put it? A great way to cut back on expenses, yet be able to create a new look is to take an afghan and blend it into the colors of a room.

Several years ago I got into a crocheting mode and attempted to make a blanket.

No, I am not a seamstress, and have a hard time sewing a button on a shirt. (not my forte) I remember it seemed like I would never finish it and when I did, I decided the best place for this blanket was in a closet drawer.

We have moved a few times since then and a few years ago we did some home improvements in a couple of rooms.

We bought new living room furniture and I wanted the furniture to blend in with the new wall color. We bought an off white couch, chair, and love seat.

Now I have animals in the house, so over a years time the beautiful off white furniture got more and more to look like a light tan color. I decided one day to pull out that old afghan I had attempted to master. The one chair is in a room that is in neutral tone and I wanted a least part of the chair covered. Now don't laugh, but here is a picture of the chair below.













So this is the infamous blanket that I tried to master. Actually coming off a neutral wall and other accents and accessories, it blends in very well. This blanket also saved us money on buying a cover for the chair. A simple idea to pump up the look of a room.

Quick and Cozy Afghans (Leisure Arts #102626) is a great book for you to get started right away doing your next project. Great reviews and one I highly recommend. Plan now for that special gift for someone to keep nice and warm.

Another idea is to take that special blanket and use it as a focal point in a room. The photo below is of an afghan that was made for my husband and I as a wedding present many, many, many, moons ago. This is a great blanket for a bed cover.

Take a look at the colors in the afghan. There is no one dominant color so this is an ideal situation to play around with using a blue-teal, yellow or a soft off white on your walls. Accent the rest of the room with warm wood tones and accessories that will blend in the overall color scheme.













There is a little pink in the blanket, which you could also bring out in a secondary color in curtains, chair fabrics, or smaller accessories. The main goal is to take a blanket and use the colors in the blanket, to create an entire room is to make sure the color tones compliment each other.

If you are thinking about doing a bold color on your walls, soften the room up a little with lighter tones throughout.