Now that I'm officially a stay at home mom, we are down to one income. That doesn't exactly bode well for my redecorating fund. Nevertheless, I'm dreaming and surfing design blogs and getting inspired to find some things I can do on the cheap.
I love traditional decor. I want my home to feel comfortable and cozy. I like plaid, stripes, quilts, rag rugs, dishes on display, and warm colors.
For several years, we had some red striped curtains in our living room. They weren't as bad as they sound. They were red and cream and khaki, but they started to look a bit circusy to me, and Tim said they looked like dorm room curtains because they were tab-tops. I washed them once and they shrunk quite a bit and were pretty squatty. Wait, I just found a picture of them.
Okay, they were that bad.
While I was still pregnant, I decided to replace them. Our kitchen and living room are open to each other, and our kitchen is painted a pretty buttercream yellow that makes me really happy. One day, I drove to the design district in Dallas in search of some buttercream colored fabric that would pull the yellow from the kitchen into the living room. I found some, purchased six yards, and came home to make drapes.
Word to the wise: You should NEVER, I repeat, NEVER make design decisions while hormonal. At least I shouldn't. It's like getting a major haircut on a whim. Just. Don't. Do it.
The fabric was a little brighter than buttercream, and by the time the light came through it, it was closer to school bus yellow. I added some dark brown grosgrain ribbon to tie in the pillows on our couch, but alas, these curtains could not be redeemed. Good thing the fabric was cheap.
One of my neighbors told me they remind her of a taxi cab. She's right.
Down, but not defeated, I'm determined to right this hormone-induced wrong.
I love buffalo check. It is versatile and classic, and when used properly, pretty chic.
As much as I love the look, one must be careful about the color and scale, or your living room could end up looking like a cheap motel room in Idaho.
Don't let this happen to you.
While perusing the Calico Corners website the other day, I found exactly what I was looking for- a large, taupe buffalo check. I already had the address to Calico Corners plugged into our GPS when I glanced at the price- $43 per yard. Say WHAT?!?
What are the odds I can make fabulous drapes with half a yard of fabric?
3 comments:
One word. Tablecloths. Find you some buffalo check tablecloths and go to town! Also, try hanging the drapes high and wide - at the ceiling and just kissing the edges of the windows. It makes it appear as though your windows are HUGE even if they're not.
Katherine, I LOVE the tablecloth idea! I suspect the challenge will be finding one where the pattern is large enough that the scale looks appropriate with the room, but I'm going to start looking!
I hear you on the "high and wide" deal. These windows have been quite a challenge for me because they are so close together, but they cover such a large portion of the wall. I've purchased the longest curtain rod I can find, but it sags in the middle. I can't use three curtain rods because that would just look wrong... I suppose if this is the biggest challenge I'm facing right now, I'm doing alright, huh? :)
Meg,
I had this challenge in our living room too. I ended up purchasing 108" long brown curtains from JC Penny which have turned out great, maybe wish I would have gone a little wider, but I was on a budget and got them on sale. But, I was able to do the curtain rod cheap! I went to Lowes or Home Depot and bought an unfinished wood closet rod (like 12' long i think). I had Scott cut it down to the size I needed and stained it with 'Cabot Wood Stain and Sealer in one'. It turned out fabulous! The rod is very sturdy and doesn't sag. Did I mention that the rod was also only like $12.00 or something like that. And it's thicker and not like the skinny ones you see. Best of luck with the curtains! I love decorating so much too!
Amber Carlson Jacobs
Post a Comment