Wash an Afghan: 8 Fast Fixes for a More Finished Space

Have you ever walked into a room that felt almost complete, but something was slightly off? It might have good “bones” and expensive furniture, yet it lacks the warmth and polish of a professionally designed space. Often, the difference between a house and a home lies in the condition of your textiles and the intentionality of your finishing touches.

One of the most common questions I get involves heirloom items. Clients ask how to revive a vintage piece without ruining it, specifically asking how to wash an afghan or refresh a dingy throw blanket. That simple act of caring for what you own is the first step in “finishing” a room, but it is rarely the last.

In this guide, I will walk you through the delicate process of cleaning vintage wool and synthetics, and then move on to the architectural tweaks that pull a room together. You can find a curated Picture Gallery at the end of the blog post to visualize these concepts in real homes. Let’s look at how to wash your textiles and seven other fast fixes to elevate your space.

1. Reviving the Soul of the Room: How to Wash an Afghan

Nothing kills the vibe of a finished space faster than dingy, dusty, or musty soft goods. Vintage afghans, often crocheted or knitted by grandmothers, add incredible texture and history to a room. However, they are magnets for dust and allergens.

In my practice, I encourage clients to use these pieces rather than hide them, but they must be clean. The material dictates the method. Most vintage afghans are either wool (which shrinks and felts) or acrylic (which is durable but pills).

Step-by-Step: The Bathtub Soak Method

This is the safest method for almost all afghans, whether wool or synthetic.

Fill the tub: Use cool to lukewarm water. Never use hot water, as it shocks fibers and causes wool to shrink.
Add gentle detergent: Use a mild detergent or a wool-specific wash like Eucalan. Avoid harsh biological powders.
Submerge and soak: Press the afghan down gently. Do not agitate, twist, or scrub. Let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Rinse carefully: Drain the tub. Refill with cool water to rinse. Repeat until no suds remain.
The removal (Crucial Step): Support the weight of the wet fabric. Do not pull it up by a corner, or the weight of the water will stretch the yarn. Scoop it up into a laundry basket.

Drying the Afghan

Never wring out an afghan. Lay it flat on clean, white towels and roll them up like a sleeping bag to press the water out. Unroll and lay the afghan flat on a drying rack or a fresh set of dry towels away from direct sunlight.

Designer’s Note: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cleanliness

Research in evidence-based design shows that visible cleanliness and the tactile quality of soft fabrics lower cortisol levels. A fresh, fluffy afghan draped over a sofa arm isn’t just decor; it is a psychological signal of safety and comfort.

2. Correcting the Lighting Temperature and Layers

Once your textiles are fresh, the next fast fix is lighting. I cannot stress this enough: overhead lighting alone is the enemy of a finished atmosphere. In architectural terms, we look for three layers: ambient, task, and accent.

Many renters and homeowners settle for the default bulbs that came with the fixture. These are often too cool (bluish) or too dim. This creates a “medical” feel rather than a residential one.

The Kelvin Rule

Check your lightbulbs. You want to aim for 2700K (warm white) or 3000K (soft white). Anything above 3500K belongs in a hospital or a garage, not your living room.

Living Rooms and Bedrooms: Stick to 2700K. It mimics the warmth of firelight and supports your circadian rhythm in the evening.
Kitchens and Bathrooms: You can go up to 3000K for better visibility, but ensure it is dimmable.

Common Mistakes + Fixes

The Mistake: Relying on a single “boob light” (flush mount) in the center of the ceiling.

The Fix: You don’t always need an electrician. Add two floor lamps or table lamps at roughly eye level when seated. This lowers the center of gravity in the room and creates intimate pools of light.

3. Grounding the Space with Proper Rug Scaling

A “floating” furniture arrangement is one of the most jarring errors I see in DIY interiors. This happens when the area rug is too small, making the sofa and chairs look like separate islands rather than a cohesive group.

A rug acts as the anchor. It defines the “zone” of the room. If your rug is too small, the room will feel cheaper and smaller, regardless of your furniture quality.

The Rules of Thumb

The “Front Legs” Rule: At a minimum, the front legs of your sofa and accent chairs should sit on the rug.
The “All Legs” Rule: In a large, luxury layout, all furniture legs should sit comfortably on the rug.

Clearance: Ideally, leave 12 to 18 inches of bare floor visible between the edge of the rug and the wall. This breathing room highlights the architecture of the room.

Pet-Friendly Considerations

As a designer who loves dogs, I advise against viscose or high-pile shag if you have puppies or senior pets. Viscose stains instantly with water (or urine) and is impossible to clean.

Instead, look for solution-dyed acrylic or high-quality polypropylene for high-traffic areas. They mimic the look of wool but can be bleached or scrubbed. If you want natural fibers, a tightly looped wool rug is durable and naturally stain-resistant due to the lanolin.

4. Managing Acoustics and “Echo” with Window Treatments

Does your room sound hollow? A room with too many hard surfaces (wood floors, drywall, glass) creates an uncomfortable acoustic environment. Evidence-based design tells us that acoustic comfort is vital for concentration and relaxation.

Window treatments are the fastest way to fix both the sound and the visual “finish” of a room. However, hanging them incorrectly is a frequent misstep.

The High and Wide Rule

To make your ceilings look higher and your windows look larger, mounting placement is key.

Height: Mount the curtain rod at least 4 to 6 inches above the window frame. If you have standard 8-foot ceilings, I often mount the rod just below the crown molding.
Width: Extend the rod 8 to 12 inches past the window casing on each side. When the curtains are open, the “stack” (the gathered fabric) should rest against the wall, not cover the glass. This maximizes natural light.

What I’d Do in a Real Project

For a standard living room, I specify double-width panels. A single standard panel (usually 50 inches wide) looks skimpy when closed. The curtains should look full and generous, with roughly 2 to 2.5 times the fullness of the window width.

5. Biophilia and the Art of Living Decor

A room without life feels static. In landscape design and interior architecture, we use the concept of “biophilia”—our innate connection to nature—to make spaces feel restorative.

Adding plants is a fast fix, but you must choose the right plant for the right light condition, or you will end up with a brown, depressing corner. Furthermore, if you have pets, safety is paramount.

Pet-Safe Greenery

Many popular plants like Fiddle Leaf Figs and Monsteras are toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. Here are safe, architectural alternatives that I frequently specify:

Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior): Virtually indestructible, low-light tolerant, and non-toxic. It has a beautiful, upright structure.
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans): Great for adding feathery texture and height. It is safe for pets and thrives in indirect light.
Calathea: These offer incredible patterned foliage, like living art. They require higher humidity, so keep them away from drafts/vents.

Styling Greenery

Don’t just place a pot on the floor. Use plant stands to vary the height. A plant in a corner should generally be tall enough to reach the “middle” of the wall height, or placed on a stand to achieve that presence. Small pots belong on shelves or tables, not alone on the floor.

6. The Rule of Three and Triangle Composition

Now that the big elements are handled, we move to surface styling. Clutter makes a room anxious; empty surfaces make it feel temporary. The balance lies in the “Rule of Three.”

The human brain finds odd numbers of objects more engaging and natural than even numbers. When styling a coffee table, bookshelf, or mantle, group items in threes.

Creating the Triangle

Within your group of three, vary the height to create a visual triangle.

The Anchor: Something tall or substantial (e.g., a vase with branches or a vertical sculpture).
The Bridge: Something mid-height (e.g., a framed photo or a stack of books).

The Detail: Something small and low (e.g., a candle, a small bowl, or a paperweight).

This technique keeps the eye moving. If everything is the same height, the display looks flat. If everything is small, it looks like clutter.

7. Finish & Styling Checklist

To wrap up your fast fixes, I have compiled a checklist of the final details. These are the things I do in the last hour of an installation day to make the project photography-ready.

The “Shoe Molding” Check:

Walk the perimeter of the room. Are there scuffs on the baseboards? A generic “Magic Eraser” or a touch-up paint pen makes the room feel instantly newer.

The “Ugly Cord” Ban:

Use velcro cable ties to strap lamp cords to the back of table legs. Visible spaghetti wires ruin the illusion of calm.

The Pillow Chop:

If you have down or down-alternative inserts, give the top of the pillow a quick “karate chop.” It separates the corners and makes the pillow look plump rather than like a sad, flat square.

The Scent Layer:

Design is multi-sensory. I avoid heavy chemical sprays. Instead, use a beeswax candle or an essential oil diffuser with a subtle scent like cedar or bergamot. It adds an invisible layer of finish.

The Art Level:

Most people hang art too high. The center of the artwork should be 57 to 60 inches from the floor. This is eye level for the average person. If it’s over a sofa, leave 6 to 8 inches between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the frame.

8. FAQs

Can I wash a wool afghan in the washing machine?
I generally advise against it, even on the “hand wash” cycle. Agitation causes felting (where the fibers lock together and shrink). If you must, use a mesh bag, cold water, and the most delicate cycle possible, but hand washing is always safer for heirlooms.

How do I get dog hair off my velvet sofa?
A dampened rubber glove is the best tool. Put on a standard dishwashing glove, get it slightly wet, and run your hand over the fabric. The friction balls up the hair instantly. Follow up with a vacuum using the upholstery attachment.

My rental apartment has terrible vertical blinds. What can I do?
Don’t remove them if your landlord forbids it. Instead, mount curtain brackets that extend out further than the blinds (5-6 inch projection). Hang curtains in front of the blinds. You can keep the blinds fully open and hidden behind the curtain stack during the day.

How big should my coffee table be?
Your coffee table should be roughly two-thirds the length of your sofa. In terms of height, it should be the same height as the sofa seat cushions or 1-2 inches lower. Never higher.

Conclusion

Finishing a space isn’t about spending a fortune on new furniture. It is about maintenance, scale, and intentionality. By taking the time to wash that vintage afghan, correcting your lighting temperature, and scaling your rugs and art properly, you elevate the quality of your daily life.

These fast fixes are rooted in the principles of design that prioritize human comfort and psychological well-being. Start with the cleaning, move to the lighting, and finish with the styling. Your home will feel renewed, personal, and decidedly “finished.”