Curtains. I have no idea what I'm doing.

[Anonymous]

I like the sheer curtains, but still want to darken the room sometimes during the day. They are for my family room. One wall is a warm blue, one is warm beige and the couch is chocolate brown. How do I pick a color? What do you suggest? What do you think of this one?


http://www.jcpenney.com/for-the-home/martha-stewart/martha-decor/window-treatments/marthawindow-sketchwork-rod-pocket-sheer-panel/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002940808&catId=cat100260226&deptId=dept20022800026&topDim=Color&topDimvalue=multi&dimCombo=Color%7CItem+Type%7C&dimComboVal=multi%7Cpanels%7C¤tDim=Item+Type¤tDimVal=panels&colorizedImg=DP0823201318064286C.tif&urlState=/window/shop-/curtains-drapes/multi/panels/_/N-1noxaaZ147Z1z141im/cat.jump?cm_re=S6-_-CAT-_-curtains_and_drapes&containerId=JCP%7Cdept20022800026

[Anonymous]

Blinds or shutters

[Anonymous]

They're all right but aren't going to darken the room. If you want something sheer that can also provide some shield from the light I'd go with a darker color like brown or maroon. I have some nice ones from Bed Bath and Beyond. If you are shopping g JCP, they have good sales a couple of times a year.

[Anonymous]

I'm sort of a curtain snob. I love a good curtain. I like them full, nice fabric and lined. With thick rods as well. I hate store bought curtains, especially those ones in your link. They look cheap and they aren't lined. Also, when you purchase them pre made, they normally won't hit the floor correctly and will be either too short or too long.

What I normally do when I'm looking for inspiration: go to Calico Corners or fabric.com and look for fabrics. I pick 3 colors per room (geometric, print and a solid) and make the curtain panels out of one of those fabrics. The other fabrics would go on pillows or side chairs.

Making curtains isn't very hard and you can teach yourself. Luckily, straight curtains are very in style right now and they're also the easiest to make.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Another thing that 90% of people get wrong is the rod height. I just bought a new house and all of the curtain rods are hung directly above the window and too narrow. Just no. Hang them tall and hang them wide!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of a curtain snob. I love a good curtain. I like them full, nice fabric and lined. With thick rods as well. I hate store bought curtains, especially those ones in your link. They look cheap and they aren't lined. Also, when you purchase them pre made, they normally won't hit the floor correctly and will be either too short or too long.

What I normally do when I'm looking for inspiration: go to Calico Corners or fabric.com and look for fabrics. I pick 3 colors per room (geometric, print and a solid) and make the curtain panels out of one of those fabrics. The other fabrics would go on pillows or side chairs.

Making curtains isn't very hard and you can teach yourself. Luckily, straight curtains are very in style right now and they're also the easiest to make.

+1. Most store-bought curtains look cheap, even though they can be costly. Another easy option is plantation shutters. It's a different look but classic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of a curtain snob. I love a good curtain. I like them full, nice fabric and lined. With thick rods as well. I hate store bought curtains, especially those ones in your link. They look cheap and they aren't lined. Also, when you purchase them pre made, they normally won't hit the floor correctly and will be either too short or too long.

What I normally do when I'm looking for inspiration: go to Calico Corners or fabric.com and look for fabrics. I pick 3 colors per room (geometric, print and a solid) and make the curtain panels out of one of those fabrics. The other fabrics would go on pillows or side chairs.

Making curtains isn't very hard and you can teach yourself. Luckily, straight curtains are very in style right now and they're also the easiest to make.

+1. Most store-bought curtains look cheap, even though they can be costly. Another easy option is plantation shutters. It's a different look but classic.

Curtain snob here. If you purchase the fabrics on sale, hand made curtains don't have to be TOO costly. I get most of my fabric from $6-15 a yard, even my silks. I prefer blinds and curtains myself, but I do like plantation shutters too! We just bought a new home and I don't think I went in one single home in this area that had decent curtains. It was sort of surprising to me.

[Anonymous]

I would do blinds for blocking light etc and curtains for softening the look if you want them. Of the ones you like, go for taupe. Hang them ceiling height (to the floor) on a rod to give it a modern look and make the windows look bigger!

[Anonymous]

I vote against plantation shutters. I've had them. While pretty, they will always significantly darken a room because they're so big, even when open. At least with blinds, you can fully open them when you want the light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of a curtain snob. I love a good curtain. I like them full, nice fabric and lined. With thick rods as well. I hate store bought curtains, especially those ones in your link. They look cheap and they aren't lined. Also, when you purchase them pre made, they normally won't hit the floor correctly and will be either too short or too long.

What I normally do when I'm looking for inspiration: go to Calico Corners or fabric.com and look for fabrics. I pick 3 colors per room (geometric, print and a solid) and make the curtain panels out of one of those fabrics. The other fabrics would go on pillows or side chairs.

Making curtains isn't very hard and you can teach yourself. Luckily, straight curtains are very in style right now and they're also the easiest to make.

When you make your curtains, how much fabric do you buy? I read somewhere that you want your curtains to be twice the width of your windows, but even that doesn't seem to give enough fabric for it to look quite right.

[Anonymous]

Curtain snob here (and I'm not really a snob, just someone who swoons over good window treatments). I think curtain width depends on the fabric you choose. I like very thick fabrics as they lay better. Dupioni silk is my absolute favorite but I will be trying velvet in my dining room soon. I think 2x width of your windows is a good measure. Just make sure they're lined and they should lay right.

About how much fabric I buy depends on what I plan on making. I normally make a pillow to match the drapes also although I've gotten good at making the expensive fabric go further such as only doing it on one side of the pillow.

[Anonymous]

I'm renting, so I wasn't going to spend a fortune on windows. Here's what I did...

2 double window brackets per window - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60217228/
I hung them just below the ceiling molding, and about a foot wider than the window one each side. Makes it look bigger.

2 curtain rods per window (since I did the double bracket)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30217135/

One set of finials per window
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10219927/

One sheer per window
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00221539/

One thicker curtain per window
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80111985/

So you get that layered look of a sheer behind a heavier curtain. I like the ones with those thick grommets on top because they slide so easily, but you can also get something like this to help them slide - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10217240/

In some rooms they were too long, and I did have to hem, but that was easy enough. They come with hem tape if you prefer, though I prefer sewing them.

[Anonymous]

I would love to make them, but I don't have a sewing machine.

[Anonymous]

What do you think about cellular shades? Softer than blinds but just as functional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you think about cellular shades? Softer than blinds but just as functional.

I'm not a fan. Why do blinds have to be soft? I also think they're hard to clean. Dust clings to them.