Tea Stain Your Pure White Curtains To Give Your Home A More Rustic Look

Since curtains take up so much visual space and become even more of a focal point when the sun spotlights them, they need to be the right color. Stark white curtains can be a little aggressive. They can have a clinical feel that you don't want for your cozy home. Fortunately, changing the color and giving the bright curtains a warm, rustic look is as easy as making a cup of tea. With water, salt, and black tea, you can naturally dye the pure white fabric into a homey, tan shade. This method is called tea staining, and it works for dying natural fabrics like cotton, linen, wool, and silk. The fun DIY makes a charming style for your window treatments. Furthermore, it's an easy, inexpensive, and natural way to change up your décor.

It's not just your white curtains that get to have all the fun. You can also tea stain your pillowcases, blankets, tablecloths, and any other natural fabrics. While black tea was used in this design to create a rustic brown shade, you can use different teas to change your white curtains another hue. Try hibiscus tea to achieve a pink or purple tint, turmeric tea for a yellow shade, or pea flower tea for a light blue hue. This is a creative way to decorate with curtains and instantly elevate any room.

To dye your curtains, first wash the fabric. This will help to prevent uneven dyeing or shrinking during the staining process. Then, fill a large heat-safe container with 10 tea bags for every 2 quarts of boiling water, or enough to completely submerge your curtains. Using more tea bags will create a darker stain. Next, add ¼ cup of salt to help the tea set into the fabric. Stir the mixture, submerge the curtains, and let them soak. Be sure to mix the solution every 15 minutes or so for the fabric to dye evenly.

How long you soak the curtains depends on how concentrated you want the color. A few hours should give them a light tan stain, while soaking overnight will create a deeper brown hue. Keep in mind, the fabric will look lighter after it dries, so don't be alarmed if it seems too dark while soaking. Instead of a solid tea stain, you can also create patterns on the fabric like traditional tie dye to make your curtains a focal point in your decor. Use twine or rubber bands to knot the curtains in different styles before drizzling with the tea to stain. Once the curtains have soaked long enough, gently squeeze out the excess liquid, then rinse them with cold water and 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to set in the color. This final rinse will help reduce any fading when you wash the curtains. Finally, air-dry or throw them in the dryer, but check the fabric's care label for the best method. Now you have stylish rustic curtains that exude coziness.