The fabric wasn't killing me so much, except that it was too much red/orange in one area with the red kitchen walls and I wanted something a little more large scale for the windows. So I ignored the curtains (naturally), and replaced the little chandelier lampshades with some canvas zebra versions I found on mega-sale at Stein Mart. (We're talkin' like .78 cents apiece. Booyah.)
But seeing as how this still didn't solve my problem with curtains, I was in a pickle. What I really, really, really wanted were shutters. Dark brown mahogany shutters, to be exact, because I thought they'd just look so rich and beautiful in that space. Shutters were not in our budget, though, and in retrospect might have been too heavy an option since it's a small kitchen nook and doesn't get enough light as it is.
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Source: Home Design Gallery |
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Source: Country Living |
My mom and my mother-in-law were both in town for our Christmas party at the house and after offering to help get things ready, I shamelessly enlisted them to help me pin, sew and trim hemlines for the curtains! (Because apparently I like to save these sorts of projects for the hours right before we have 30+ guests. It totally makes sense, I know.)
We made a great team and knocked out the project in two days. When it was all said and done, I think we took about five inches off the top and seven inches off the bottom—for a total foot—to get them short enough that they puddled a bit on the floor. (I wanted them to reach all the way to the tile to give the illusion of larger windows.)
I'd had curtain rods at the ready from months prior when I found a bronze set at TJ Maxx for less than $20 apiece. So we ran the makeshift hem through the curtain bars and hung them up. Out of the five drop cloths I bought, we only needed four—but the fifth makes for a fantastic outdoor table cloth for our patio parties!
I didn't feel like they needed much in the way of a tassel, so I used bits of jute to tie them loosely until they take their own shape and can hang untied from the rods. (They were kind of stiff at first and kept creeping toward the middle of the rod.)
I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, and at a much cheaper cost than I'd originally planned for! Plus, of all the fabric stores I scoured, this was the perfect material I'd been searching for. Never would've thunk it.
But now I've got the material leftover that once hung across the tops of the windows, and I'm going to give it away! It'd make for a great long, rectangular pillow or two, place mats, decorative ties, etc. There's several yards of it and the fabric is thick and cut into two very long pieces.
Just leave a comment on this post—with your email so I can contact you!!—between now and Saturday midnight, Jan. 21. I'll randomly select a winner and announce on Monday.
Thanks for reading!
what a clever idea....so nice having 2 moms to help out....would love to be entered...
ReplyDeleteI bet you could even stencil on those dropcloths! I love fabric giveaways.
ReplyDeleteDistracteddebra @gmail.com
I would also like to be entered, i am a new sewer , and i think that its great that you are so resourceful. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to take this moment to say that I really love this blog. It has been a good resource of information for me. Thank you so much
ReplyDeletebuy furniture
Awesome curtain work from two of the most significant persons in your life. Your curtain choices look perfect on the kitchen windows. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteI want to take this moment to say that I really love this blog. It has been a good resource of information for me. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteDelores Ensley
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