I've been trying very hard to not buy new stuff for this house. Despite two years of decluttering, I still have a ton of decor (curtains and art, we are drowning in them), and my brilliant plan was to simply toss up what I already own, perhaps in new and different combinations. So far the only things I have bought for this house have been three rugs (needed and not already owned), eight curtain rods (had to leave all our rods at the old house as per the sale contract), and new toilet brushes.
Soon after moving in we installed curtain rods in the family room and eat-in area. My plan was to put some of our already owned curtains up, depending on what worked with the rug. Irksomely, this is not working out according to plan.
As you can see in the below picture, up in the corner is a motion sensor wired to the house alarm. This motion sensor foiled any attempt at hanging 96 inch curtains, as anything run in front of it would cause false alarms. (Note: every curtain we own is 96 inches. There is much hemming in my future.) Also, the windows themselves are 66 inches, also precluding hanging 63 inch curtains. (Note the floods on the right.)
Also irritating: our table is too big for the space. It is shoved in there anyways, but you can see in the above picture that the chair is only about 10 inches from the wall. Any child attempting to squeeze behind the chair drags the curtains with them. Any adult attempting to sit on this side of the table inevitably sits on/drags the curtains. If I can find a smaller cheap table and chairs on craigslist I am open to a smaller table, but lets assume for now that this is the table we are stuck with.
Turning to the other side of the room, the windows on that side also have issues.
That little red cushion chair is where the kids sit when reading or building Legos. It also inevitably pulls on the curtain, regardless of how long/short the curtain is.
I hate to admit defeat, especially when I have spent a lot of money buying and installing non-returnable curtain rods (I no longer have the packaging), but I fear that these windows need a non-drape treatment.
How does one make a corner pelmet? Are valances too 1985?
Your thoughts are welcome.
Soon after moving in we installed curtain rods in the family room and eat-in area. My plan was to put some of our already owned curtains up, depending on what worked with the rug. Irksomely, this is not working out according to plan.
As you can see in the below picture, up in the corner is a motion sensor wired to the house alarm. This motion sensor foiled any attempt at hanging 96 inch curtains, as anything run in front of it would cause false alarms. (Note: every curtain we own is 96 inches. There is much hemming in my future.) Also, the windows themselves are 66 inches, also precluding hanging 63 inch curtains. (Note the floods on the right.)
Also irritating: our table is too big for the space. It is shoved in there anyways, but you can see in the above picture that the chair is only about 10 inches from the wall. Any child attempting to squeeze behind the chair drags the curtains with them. Any adult attempting to sit on this side of the table inevitably sits on/drags the curtains. If I can find a smaller cheap table and chairs on craigslist I am open to a smaller table, but lets assume for now that this is the table we are stuck with.
Turning to the other side of the room, the windows on that side also have issues.
That little red cushion chair is where the kids sit when reading or building Legos. It also inevitably pulls on the curtain, regardless of how long/short the curtain is.
I hate to admit defeat, especially when I have spent a lot of money buying and installing non-returnable curtain rods (I no longer have the packaging), but I fear that these windows need a non-drape treatment.
How does one make a corner pelmet? Are valances too 1985?
Your thoughts are welcome.
Valences are most definitely too 1985!!! IMHO :)
ReplyDeleteMy question for you is: how long are you planning on staying in this house? Because I'm wondering if you need to do anything with curtains at all. You have blinds on the windows already, for privacy and for light control. Maybe just don't bother with curtains if they're going to be this much of a headache?
I have no idea how long we will be here, so it doesn't make much sense in investing too much. You're right, we probably will just forego the curtains. Sad face.
DeleteI'd skip the curtains if I were you. Heck, I am in a house I own and I don't have anything other than blinds up because I prefer the more minimal look and lack of hassle
ReplyDeleteYep, we will probably skip the curtains.
DeleteValences! Not hard. Imagine you are wrapping big baseboards in fabric.--or you could just do fabric ones on the rods you have..(Though that may be too 1987.) Lovely patterned fabric. (Too tired for proper sentences.)
ReplyDeleteI, too, have almost no curtains. I suspect that is mostly because I don't really know how to do them, but also because I like minimalist windows.
ReplyDelete