window covering advice?

[rfath]

So hubby and I have been in our new place for a few months now (yay! Insulation! Heat!). We''re working slowly through decorating the place since dear husband couldn''t understand why we''d want to put a different color on the walls. White is fine! *sigh* He''s getting better, especially once I gave him the sink-or-swim experience by painting the wall in the second bedroom a wonderful shade of orange (muahaha!). We''ve got plans for some of the other rooms, too...

We''re finally adding rugs!

But dang it, I''m at a loss with the window coverings. Right now we''re living with the miini-blinds that came with the place - bare and generic-looking. I''d like to do something different, but the windows have this wonderful trim around them that I don''t want to completely cover. Where do you hang a rod, then?

Any suggestions for unique, stylish window coverings? Husband admits that he really likes the sheer and linen panels but not so much heavy drapes.

 

[sumbride]

if you don''t vvant to cover the trim, hovv about nevv blinds? VVe have honeycomb shades that are sheer enough to let light in but you can''t see through them. They come in lots of colors and fabrics, vve even have black-out ones for the bedroom. Ours also have the top-dovvn option, vvhich I love since I''m in the city and don''t need everyone looking in. Ours came from Next Day blinds because vve needed custom due to unique vvindovv sizes, but I think you can get them at a lot more places novv including Lovves and Home Depot.

 

[Skippy123]

You know what you mean. I am just like you. I wish I could say poof and have beautiful window coverings. My friend bought some silk ones from Restoration Hardware and I was in Pottery Barn and they have pretty ones too. Maybe people could post theirs and tell us where they got them because I would love some ideas too!

 

[Skippy123]

Sumbride,
How do you clean those?????

 

[sumbride]

I''ve used Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and the vaccuum cleaner, but they also told me I could put them in the bathtub since the kind vve have are fabric, not paper. I haven''t tried that yet, but one of them has a TON of cat hair stuck to it, so I need to!

 

[Skippy123]

how long have you had them and what color are they? I love the way they look but I am wondering since we are in the Southwest the dust may stick to them. Hmmm.

 

[sumbride]

Had them a little over a year, and they are vvhite. I think it vvas "star magnolia" or something like that. I really liked some of the other colors too but my FI didn''t so they''re vvhite! ha. It''s really more like a "candle glovv" though because the sunlight does come through. I haven''t really seen a problem vvith dust, and vve do have a lot, though not as much as in the southvvest I''m sure. Cat hair is our issue because the cats actually push it out of the vvay to get in the big front vvindovv. They did make a small tear in one of them vvith their nails, so they aren''t entirely "cat proof" but they don''t make noise like mini blinds and cats! I''m really glad vve have them and I vvould definitely choose them again! And the top-dovvn option ROCKS. Our neighbors have asked us about them because they vvant that too! It''s great to have privacy AND sunlight. You can''t do that vvith miniblinds or curtains really.

 

[Skippy123]

Sumbride. I can just hear cats and miniblinds. LOL! Where did you buy them?

I feel like I hijacked this. Sorry. Give Rfath more ideas.

 

[sumbride]

Ours came from Next Day Blinds. It actually took 3 vveeks! HA. VVe used them because vve have an old house vvith odd vvindo sizes and one of them is 6 ft x 4ft so it had to be custom. They came out and took the measurements and then came back and installed them. It vvas expensive, but cheaper than ordering the vvrong size! Some of our friends found something similar at Home Depot, but I think they vvere vvorth the money, about $150-200 per vvindovv.

 

[Skippy123]

thanks Sumbride

 

[Maria D]

rfath, have you considered roman shades? They are pretty easy to make and can be designed/mounted to fit inside the window trim. They''re my favorite window covering.

Sumbride, your posts look like your keyboard is missing the ''w''! It looks like you are typing two v''s for w; funny.

 

[Bunnifer]

Sumbride, is your keyboard broken? I can''t help giggling to myself everytime I see a "w" in your posts because they are made by two "v''s" (as in "vv" not "w").

 

[Skippy123]

I was wondering the same but I wasn''t sure if I should ask. hee heeee

 

[sumbride]

Date: 12/20/2006 3:44:06 PM
Author: Bunnifer
Sumbride, is your keyboard broken? I can''t help giggling to myself everytime I see a ''w'' in your posts because they are made by two ''v''s'' (as in ''vv'' not ''w'').

Yup! I spilled peppermint tea on it this morning! ARGH!!! I vvas able to mop most of it up but three keys have succumbed... the double-u, the tab key, and the number tvvo! I''m off to the apple store in a couple minutes to try and get it replaced onsite! VVIsh me luck! It''s been a FUN day vvith all those "VVe''s" and "VVindovvs"! lol!

 

[Skippy123]

Oh my gosh, Sumbride. You are TOOOOOO Cute!!! LOL. I was vvondering about your W''s. That is the funniest ever. Goodluck.

 

[aljdewey]

Top-down, pleated shades here

 

[Skippy123]

AlJ, thanks. Those are good prices. I better get my husband to measure the windows.

 

[aljdewey]

Hey, these are on sale.......and they''re nice. I have these ones (the floral print in them, but they don''t look floral).

Here

 

[Skippy123]

aljdewey,
I like those a lot! What color do you have? I thought the green in the bedroom and the mushroom in the living room.

 

[aljdewey]

Mine are "Deep Linen", which is a slightly lighter shade of brown than the mushroom.

 

[ladykemma]

thick, lined roman shades are easy to make. make sure you prevvash the fabric first so that you can vvash them vvhen needed.

 

[rfath]

Thanks for the terrific suggestions! I don''t know (vv)hy I''m having such a terrible time making up my mind. If the house didn''t have the trim around the windows I''d be all set, but I feel like I really shouldn''t cover the woodwork.

So many options... too many decisions... !