New window treatment for kitchen

14 years ago

I had the idea today to make an African cloth valance for the kitchen window because during DST, too much light comes in through the top of the window. Although it was already 3:00PM, I convinced Kevin that we had time to go to Leimert Park and buy some African fabric to hang in the window. He reluctantly agreed, but after I hung the fabric in the window, he wanted to get some for his bedroom windows, which we might do next week-end. We considered having Jamaican food while we were in Leimert Park but only had tropical smoothies instead. I had pineapple ginger, and Kevin had passion fruit mango.

The fabric worked even better than I expected. At first I was going to get mudcloth, but when I saw the Kuba cloth, I fell in love with it, especially since it was already the exact size that I wanted. I got it for a fraction of what it would cost on line or in a gallery on Melrose. We were told that many people frame this fabric behind glass, which is also appropriate, but I decided to be decadent and hang it in the window. I was really lucky to find this piece, I think, and I bought another one that I haven't decided what to do with yet, but it was an alternate for the kitchen.

I think this is about cooking, since having this valance in the kitchen will inspire me to keep the kitchen neater - it was a mess when I took the pictures - and we have posted kitchen pictures here before.

Lars

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Comments (28)

stuartwanda
14 years ago
Lars, your links didn't work. Would love to see your window, sounds interesting.
mitchdesj
14 years ago
did you move the photos ?
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Wow - you all are making me feel like I have a lot more Valentines this morning! Red hit the name on the head, I realized. I buy things 'within a certain parameter', and that is why they work. I can swap things out from room to room, and they take on a new light when they are moved. I guess it says that I have 'flow', since I am able to do that. :-) Cooperbailey, my mother jokingly calls me house 'the museum', as I do enjoy old things so much. anele has almost discovered my secret business name! My 3 dogs DO participate in the production of anything I sew. When I used to lay fabric on the floor in here, you could count on 3 dog butts quickly gathering and weighting it down while I tried to match patterns, etc. And that was the previous generation of my 3 other Brittanys. Now that I cut on the kitchen island, all these can do is lay on the fabric as it drapes onto the floor from my lap as I sew, and believe me, they do. Among friends and family, I said I'd call it 'Dog Bottom Decor'! My 3 Dogs Designs is a MUCH nicer image. Here is the front window this AM. I had to close the blinds to take a picture against the light outside. Since you all know that I am of the 'more is more' school, this is the front of my 10x25 living room, with my wonderful Romweber entertainment center purchased years ago on sale. I took a quick inventory this AM, and of all the 'stuff' in the room, that piece, 2 chairs and 3 lamps and 2 art pieces are the ONLY pieces not bought on CL, eBay or a local consignment shop. I can't resist showing you the sweet toddler picture of my late Dad, who passed away 3 years ago today. My mother gave it to me recently, and I looked around and set it on the Chinoiserie desk, never dreaming that I'd soon make drapery panels that would compliment his outfit!
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Sorry this is long. Glad for explanations. Gotta think on this. I would urge you to have complimentary or same or semi-modified treatment on all suitable windows if possible. This would coordinate the look from "room" to "room" and if done well, would add a classy look. You don't have to do it all at once, though. Something modest now and save up for the custom look you crave? Are the existing curtains something that you want to keep? If so, is there a way to coordinate them with additional windows? Is the fabric still available? Can you find a solid colored fabric that is a suitable match in fiber and texture that could be used to link the window areas--a band of solid or print trim on the romans, for example? I wonder what others who have greenhouse garden windows do about window coverings? It is possible to drop a roman between the bump-out window and the room. There may be moisture issues with plants, though, so you might not want the window to be too tightly isolated from the air circulation in the room: mold, rot for woodwork. I am also thinking through the window covering issue for our house and want to be ready if the "4 for 3" sale comes again soon. Have put up tension rods with semi-transparent half-curtains in new kitchen for light and privacy temporarily (see below). DH is in hunting season mode and hasn't finished exterior work, which means that the new honeycombs that just arrived won't go up for a while, and the windows in new kitchen and lobby area will not have sills and mouldings for many months yet, I fear. So I keep designing and redesigning my window treatments in my head. As of now, I plan to layer a strongly patterned roman shade over the single color honeycombs, which will allow me lots of flexibility for all seasons and will give a graphic punch to a window wall that lacks cabinets. Like you, we have purchased a door with miniblinds within the window panel. It's the front door in our new lobby and am glad we did buy it because of light issues. Am not sure how I'm going to coordinate it with the new high, wide window a few feet away, though. A quandry: Should I buy a very narrow white metal blind to match the door's blind? Even if I don't particularly want white? Belligerently, I'm tempted to use a different product altogether, to add color and texture depth and undercut the mod-ness. It's important to know as much as possible about the room before you choose your long-term window treatments. If the backsplash is to be a pattern or a real attention-grabber, you don't want windows to be competition. Same with strong colors, etc. If you're still dithering on the backsplash, try doing what I have done and get a cheap tension rod for the eating area and put up something temporarily. Sewing curtains and valences and roman shades can be very do-able. It's most work on the flat and the seams can be made straight if you use a seam guide on sewing machine. (I have a battered piece of tape that guides me.) Here is a link that might be useful: semi-transparent half-curtains on tension rods for temp privacy and sun control
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Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry about that! I tried using the links that Photobucket provided, but I guess the ones I picked do not work here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen gallery on Photobucket
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
Hmmmm. Those did not work either, although they appeared to work when I previewed my post. However, the link at the bottom does link to my kitchen gallery, and the pictures in question are the last two in the gallery - #6 and #7.

Lars
mtnester
14 years ago
Actually, Lars, the link in your last post didn't work for me, but the one right above it ("Kitchen gallery on Photobucket") DID work. The valence is perfect for your dramatic color scheme! Great find!

Sue
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
I guess I need help with Photobucket! I'm putting the working link below again - but I'm wondering why the links in the body of the post did not work. I think it's probably a Photobucket issue.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen gallery on Photobucket
ci_lantro
14 years ago
Really cool piece of fabric. I like. But shouldn't you line it w/ drapery lining that blocks UV rays to help prevent it from fading? Would be a shame for the something so neat to get damaged by the sun.
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
I thought about lining it, and I might still do that, but I like the filtered light that it lets in. The fabric appears to be woven out of raffia or some other type of grass. The hanging is temporary until I get replacement rings, and I'll iron the wrinkles out before rehanging it. The store had some rectangle pieces that had cut pile in parts of the design, similar to velvet, although it has the texture of a brush. Those were pretty expensive, or else I would have bought them to use as placemats.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Kuba cloth info
annie1992
14 years ago
Lars, those are unique and very interesting. I wish I had your courage when it comes to decorating. I'm trying to paint my dining room and got what was supposed to be tan, it's bright yellow. Ugh, I hated it. I got another color which wasn't yellow, but it kind of reminds me of the color of a "flesh" colored crayon. I don't like it either. Even picking beige makes me so anxious that I sit outside the paint store and dread going inside. I swear my blood pressure goes up just thinking about it.

I still need to decide on curtains and fabric to cover chair seats too, I swear it'll be a miracle if I don't have a stroke before I manage to finish painting one room in my house beige. Sigh.

And you very casually say you decided to just run out and buy some fabric.....

Annie
riverrat1
14 years ago
Love it just the way it is! Loving the vibe during the daylight! Wishing I had your courage to go for it!
stuartwanda
14 years ago
I like it too, glad you got Photobucket figured out.
Bizzo
14 years ago
Those are awesome! and I love how different (at least in the pcis) they are with sunshine through them and without. The patterns are fantastic for the effect. What a great find and a great spot for htem. Thank you so much for sharing!
sally2_gw
14 years ago
Beautiful! I like the way you hung it, but I'm eager to see the new hangers, too.

Annie, some paint stores sell little sample bottles of paint. Benjamen Moore does, I know. You might look into that. For years I tried painting various rooms peach, because I love that color, or the idea of that color for a room. I gave up after the umpteenth time of peach turning out to look more orange than anything.

Sally
dedtired
14 years ago
Very nice, Lars! I lie the way it filters the morning sun, but does not bloc it entirely.

I have the same problem over my kitchen sink. At certain times of the year I get the sun right in my eyes. I have cellular blinds, however in order to lower them a bit, I have to grab them with tongs to lower them! Not exactly convenient.
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
We had a plain off-white valance when we got the house, and I took that down last winter so that I could get more light in the kitchen - now I need somewhat less. I thought about making a Roman shade for that window, but I did not have any fabric that I loved for that, and I have tons of fabric in my sewing room. I'm very happy that I was able to find fabric that fits in with my motif and color scheme, and I didn't even have to do any sewing!

When I change out the hangers, they will only be a different color, and so the change will be minimal. I made by attaching loops made from bias strips at the top. (This is a test to see if that link works!)

Pam I have some rubber tipped tongs that I use for reaching things in my top shelves, providing the things are not too heavy. I never heard of adjusting blinds with tongs, however!

Annie, my dining room/art studio is a kind of flesh color/orange, and I do not like it either. All the other rooms were painted a very neutral beige that I can live with, but I've always wanted to paint the art studio, and it is the largest room in the house with a vaulted ceiling and skylight, and so it will not be that easy to paint. My sister loves the color, but she and I have very different taste. I agree that getting sample bottles of paint will help you pick a good color.

Lars
sue_ct
14 years ago
sue_ct
14 years ago

If copy the "HTML" code and put it into the body of your post your photo will show up. Very nice.
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, Sue! I'll have to practice on that when I get home. I thought there had to be a better way to do it.

Lars
centralcacyclist
14 years ago
I love the window treatment. It's perfect.

Eileen
triciae
14 years ago
Lars, I love your new kitchen window treatment. Great pop of color. I think I'd probably line it eventually but I sure do like the way it looks with the sun shining through.

Neat find!

/tricia
annie1992
14 years ago
I just found out that Lowe's gives free samples of any color, that's how I got the current "flesh" color. I have a test wall that I just put two layers of white on, so nothing shows through, and it's my test wall. so far I've gotten six colors and I hate them all, all varying shades and hues of what are supposed to be beige. Sigh.

If I had Lars flair for decorating, I'd be a lot more relaxed, or if I liked any color at all.

wow, what a difference when the sun shines through it.

Annie
lsr2002
14 years ago
Nice! I love it.

Lee
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
14 years ago
It is obvious that, with a background in design, you have done a great job in the window treatment. I am not surprised.

Notice how the color works with the overall color scheme of the whole house.

Notice how the modularity of the fabric elements echoes the muntins of the window.

I would not line it with anything. The window is for looking out as well as for looking in. The outside view should be just as important.

There are stuffs you can get to UV proof the fabric.

dcarch
lindac
14 years ago
Love that fabric!!....Almost too nice to use as a curtain....would look great in a frame!!
Gina_W
14 years ago
Nice Lars!

Decorating is so difficult (for me). I've made paint color mistakes too. Any color other than white is tricky!
centralcacyclist
14 years ago
Though I like the play of the light through the fabric I would line it with something white and very thin. Partly to protect the fabric from sun damage and partly because white always looks neater from the outside when looking at the windows.

As for white painted walls, I have newly embraced white on white. I excellent color skills and have painted many rooms in many colors. I am loving the freshness of white on white right now.

Katharine Hepburn must have loved white on white as well. This house is fabulous.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hepburn's CT home.
Lars
Original Author
14 years ago
Eileen, that window is not visible from the outside, except for a small area beside my house where we store the lawnmower and excess lawn chairs - no one goes there except Kevin! No one from the street can see it, and neither can the neighbors. For that reason, I left it completely uncovered for a long time, since I didn't have to hide from anyone's view. The window at the top has a view of the side wall of the neighbor's garage and our separating wall below, but if you look out the window at the correct angle, you can see the front grounds of the Centinella Adobe with their huge aloe veras and large trees. I've never been able to see a person from that window.

I will look into UV protection, however - thanks for that tip, DC. If I have trouble finding it, I will email you. I have some white cotton batiste that is very thin and also some white silk organza that I could possibly use for a lining, but I do not think either would provide much protection, and I have very little of the organza left. I used it orginally when making the bridal dress for Kevin's ex-wife for their wedding.

Lars
caflowerluver
14 years ago
Lars - I love the colors and pattern of the fabric for your new kitchen window treatment. I need to do something with mine. You have given me inspiration.
Clare

New window treatment for kitchen

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