Marimekko

I've got a major boner for Marimekko. Marimekko is a Finnish design and textile production house which has been around since the fifties. They still produce retro-mod designs from the 50's, 60's and 70's, as well as brand new modern designs. I have four enormous fabric wall hangings made of Marimekko fabrics, which you can see if you click on the virtual tour of my apartment, in the links at the right. The one in this photo is my favorite; the fabric is called Selanne, and it measures 48" x 48" square. (My shower curtain is also Marimekko, as is my comforter cover!)

It's extremely inexpensive and easy to set up one of Marimekko's wall hangings. They sell you the frame, which is made of lightweight wood, and the fabric. For a hanging the size of mine, it's no more than $150 total. You have to iron the heck out of the fabric, which is the most time-consuming part. Then you lay the fabric face down on the floor, position the frame over it, and staple the fabric to the frame using a staple gun. Then you add your picture hooks and wire and hang it! Since it's just fabric, you don't need to find the stud in the wall; you can hang it on one simple picture hook. And if it falls on your head in an earthquake, you'll be just fine!