Take a look at beautiful pieced backings . A couple of sites I'd recommend are
www.ohfransson, and
www.filminthefridge. Migth get ideas there. By the way, Elisabet Hartmann (from ohfransson!) has a free online course going right now on Craftsy.com on pieced backings, I'm following it as my budget is very happy with pieced (scrappy)backings.