You know, because that’s what taxpayers pay me to do in July.
I have two untreated windows in my living room: a big picture window behind the dining table and a big regular window next to the couch. Here they are:
Originally, I had envisioned putting curtain rods near the ceiling over each window, hanging long flowy curtains from those, and then covering the space in between the rod and the window with matchstick blinds (now I see this method everywhere, but I first read about it on Young House Love, typi). I even started this process, failed, and gave up for the time being, which turned out to be like a year.
And now there are two problems with my previous plan. One: it was hard and I will never complete it by myself. Those matchstick blinds were heavy and unwieldy and my walls are made of some magical screw-defiant material.
Two: There are obstacles to the curtains. The couch, obviously, in the second picture, would get in the way of floor-length curtains. And for the picture window, you can see the edge of my latest project (an updated corner cabinet via Aunt Jane, which I will share when it’s finished), which would also block long curtains. So now I am using my genius decorating and problem-solving abilities to come up with this notion: something shorter.
I do not want lame curtains that just hang the length of the window. I started thinking Roman shades maybe, so I perused my inspiration folder (this is so ridiculous, btw; I wish I had some organized binder full of cut-outs from magazines to “peruse,” but of course I am not that awesome…I just looked at pictures I had starred from blogs in my reader). I found lots of ideas and will share some of them now, along with my comments:
via alifesdesign.blogspot.com
Love the trim, first of all. I think I have to have a ribbon-y trim, and I love the scallops on the bottom. I love the colors, too, and yellow and white would work in my room, but would I regret that they were sort of plain? Also, these are installed inside the window frame (like many of the ones I found), which would work for my regular window but not the picture one.
by Amanda Nisbet
Sort of an inversion of the previous, and I like this a lot too. Would have to make sure the color looked good with my walls, since there would be a lot of it. Trim is around the outside, which I like, but maybe not as much. Also installed inside frame. [I would also like this bed, bedspread, bedskirt, and chair,please]
from Traditional Home
LOVE this one. I love the trim with the scalloped corners. Simple like the first one. Too simple? Want the chair.
from Coastal Living
from Pottery Barn
from Pottery Barn
These three are the traditional, typical Pottery Barn ribbon Roman shades. I like them, but not quite as much as ones with just a little more detail or, dare I say it, whimsy.
Of course they could be sassed up a little by adding a cornice-y thing:
from Ruthie Sommers
I LOVE both of these. Maybe I’m okay with white/accent color if there’s something special involved. Also, this would help solve my problem of not being able to mount the shade inside the window frame itself. I could mount the other thing closer to the ceiling, and the shade beyond that.
I have more ideas but will save them. So sister, aunt, and other aunt: STAY TUNED!
