Living Room Window Coverings
This week has been full of insane unpacking and organizing and I still have SO far to go. The living room, breakfast area, kitchen and our bedroom are finally looking somewhat habitable. Ha!
I’m learning to be content in imperfection and it’s so freeing!
As I showed you, I’m rocking sheets and tablecloths for window coverings. {blush} I took all the mini blinds down to prime the window trim, and I just didn’t have the guts to put them all back up. I’ve been dying for a reason to buy bamboo shades! 🙂
Covering the living room windows was a priority for us, so we picked up two bamboo shades at Lowe’s. {those babies aren’t cheap!}
I’m a firm believer in mounting window coverings higher and wider than the actual window. It makes the window look larger, and the room more grand. So, I called in my sweet hubby {aka: the installer}.
We got started by hanging a pole that we used in our old house. Then the hubs mounted the bamboo shades about the same height as the pole, so the panels and shades would look like a unit.
Mounting the shades above the windows was a bit tricky because they were designed to be mounted inside the window trim. But “we” {the hubs} beat the beast and made it work.
Because the shades weren’t custom made, they’re a little narrow for the window – like by 1″ or so. I solved that problem by mounting them flush with the inside trim because my panels would cover the gaps on the outside edges.
See the gap?
Yeah, well my frugal drop-cloth panels {about $20 each at Lowe’s} cover the gaps. 🙂
I love how it’s looking! I adore how the shades clear the windows so that the maximum amount of light comes in. {lurves!} I’m not done with the panels. I’m imagining a stenciled design on the drop cloths…and they need to be hemmed in the worst way.
Oh and just overlook my ginormous purse in that picture. It’s miraculous that there aren’t clothes, toys or dirty socks showing up too. Ha!
What do you think about an all-0ver stencil design on the panels?
I just LOVE the drop cloth idea! They look very chic, in fact, I was looking for a frugal idea for window treatments b/c, alas, one of the windows in my home has yet to be “treated” ha!
Thanks Rebekah for your comment! 🙂
What a great solution! I’ve been looking at the bamboo blinds for our huge window and couldn’t find a non-custom solution to fit the inside. Never thought about putting them outside. So smart! And did you seriously just clip up drop cloths as curtains? Genius!
Yes ma’am! Clipped dropcloths rock! 🙂 I’m going to spice them up a little to make them a bit more custom looking, but I’m really loving the texture and color! 🙂
That looks great. I’ve recently discovered your blog and am enjoying reading about your decorating adventures 🙂 … enjoy your new home!
Thank you Heather! 🙂 I’m so glad you’re here and following along! 🙂
The drop cloth idea and stenciling is brilliant! I may even steal your idea. My current curtains are a little darker than that and I can so see those drops sheets re-made with stencil designs for my windows. Thanks for such a great idea!
Steal away Theresa! 🙂
LOVE!!!!!!! It looks so fresh and clean- love that!!
Thanks Tara! 🙂 I’m excited to get the decorating ball rolling around here!
All over stencil design? Why yes, I think that is a fabulous idea. Please show us how it’s done. 🙂
{I’m sending this post to my hubs because I think this would look great in our family room!}
Thank you Tracey for your constant encouragement! I {heart} you!!
I am not much help one way or the other on the stenciling idea. My creative juices aren’t active today! But I do love the bamboo shades! I have been thinking of doing my sunroom windows with them…all 10 of them! Woa!
Kerry, I bet your sun room windows would be GORG with bamboo shades! Just save up and buy a few at a time until you have them all and then install! 🙂
I love the bamboo blinds; like many I too have been playing with the idea of them. Thank you for showing and reminding me that things don’t have to be perfect and can still look oh, so lovely-I get stuck in that sometimes. I think a stencil along the interior edges would be great and it really is so simply to do. With the drop cloth material, again you are so clever, it will grab and hold the paint real good. Have an accent color in the room? This might be a great way to include it in another fashion. I’ll keep watching and know I will love what ever you do.
Claudia, I LOVE the idea of doing the pattern on the leading edge of the panels! 🙂
I think the stenciling idea is great! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. I have some chocolate brown, suede panels that I would love to add a pattern to with large stitching.
Ooooo Jeannine! The chocolate brown panels sound delightful with a large embroidered pattern!
Love it. What purse?
Ha! 🙂
looking great, girl!!!
Nate Berkus, (on his show) did something down the sides of the panels, just hot glued them on, or a stencil ? and then across the bottom. Looked beautiful.
I am reading through you blog again (like my third time).. haha.. and some how I missed this quote: “I’m learning to be content in imperfection and it’s so freeing!” Do you remember when I told you that I am a perfectionist?? Oh my gosh.. I need to get over it so I can have your creative juices. haha..
PS. I would love to have bamboo blinds but I have big windows and need privacy (per my hubby). Are they easy to roll down?
Haha, yes! 🙂 The bamboo shades are great! 🙂
It’s great if you can be content in imperfection. Because if not, you have to either learn how to cope with it or live a difficult life.