Post your pics of DIY valance/curtain
Cooperbaily and yesican have posted pictures of their end products in other threads, so I thought one to showcase our efforts may provide some inspiration to others. I liked how yesican used two complementary fabrics for her's and I may try that when I'm more comfortable with sewing. I'd love to see what others have come up with.
Here are mine. My kitchen window faces west and I needed something to block the eye-searing sunbeam in the afternoon and couldn't find ready-made bamboo blinds the right size. I've had the fabric for a loooong time and was just too nervous about messing up to try it before. I have a new attitude!
This is one I did for my friend with her fabric. Looks so cute in her light blue powder room! I should have taken a pic of it in there, oh well.
Comments (21)
doteroo
13 years ago
prairiemom61
13 years agoThis is the "before" picture of my DD's kitchen. Dark, old cabinets, with a napkin temporary valance.
This is the "after" photo. After we painted the cabinets we wanted a quick new valance. I had forgotten to bring my sewing machine, and stitch-witchery didn't work, so we used safety pins to build this valance! I'll fix it when I return with my machine. Next up, new gray countertops and white backsplash. The valance really pops in this "new" old kitchen! (We tore down the old scalloped wood trim that half hid the curtain. We then put up a small piece of crown to edge the shelf. They love it.)
Related Discussions
Interested in do-it-yourself vertical structures!
Comments (28)I use those 4' orange electic fence stakes from home depot (about $1 a piece)for lots of things in the yard & gardens. Pound it in the ground and then slide the PVC pipe over it and into the soil a bit. Set out several of these with holes drilled in the PVC pipe and string wire through them to make a fairly sturdy, portable & cheap trellis. I use these stakes to build easy fencing. I use plastic cable ties to secure wire or plastic mesh fencing to them. Because I dislike the orange and it stands out like a sore thumb, I paint my stakes black. Pound 2 rows of these stakes in the ground about 4' apart and slide each end of a flexible PVC pipe over them, making an arch. Cover this with garden cloth or plastic to protect plants. I "sew" the fabric to the pvc with fishing line. If you are using plastic, cut some flaps in it, to keep it from blowing away in a big wind. I use them to brace non secured retaining walls. At my old house I built a raised bed using them to hold the lumber together. I drilled holes in the timbers and slid them over the stakes, then I lined the interior side with heavy plastic....See MoreDo-It Yourself Water Softener Installation?
Comments (8)If you are reasonably handy, yes, you can plumb a water softener. One issue is what type of piping (copper, PEX, CPVC, etc.) to use to make the connections. CPVC is probably the easiest, soldering copper takes a little skill but is doable (it's all in the prep work), and PEX requires tooling that you probably don't have and don't want to buy ($$$). You've run conduit as an electrician, so you should be able to transition to water-based conduit. lol! When you buy the softener, be sure to know what the pipe fittings/connections are going to be. Probably most accept threaded pipe or adapters, some are sweat-soldered. Plan for a bypass valve setup either on the softener or in the supply lines. Do the softeners come ready to install? Most don't, which requires one to assemble a few items and put the resin in the tank. It's not hard. You only need a twin tank softener if you will be using soft water in the middle of the night (when a typical softener regenerates). The computerized on-demand control valves can predict water usage and maintain enough reserve that you won't run out of soft water before the unit regenerates. Do get a softener that regenerates based on gallons of water used (demand type). It will save salt $$ in the long run. A good valve to consider is the Clack WS-1. Just google it for some softener vendors. It has a computer chip that does a lot of nice things for the softener. Fleck has a model to compete with the Clack (Fleck 7000??). A big issue is how big a softener do you need? Most softener vendors figure on 60 to 70 gallons of water usage per day per person. You will have to use some sort of adjustment factor to estimate your dog water usage (based on people). You probably want to bathe the dogs with soft water,but if you can replumb and use hard water for the dog drinking and kennel washdown water, I think you would be way ahead....See MoreDo-it-yourself
Comments (3)The kits are expensive because they save many, many hours that it takes to make swaged end connections. They also conceal the tensioning device inside the end post, so the only thing visible is cable. If you are thinking of using the saddle type of cable end, consider the sharp protrusion of the cut cable....See MorePlease post pics of your window bench
Comments (6)Check out this post from a week or so ago. Just an absolutely adorable nursery with a window seat. The colors are fabulous. Love window seats and added 2 of them in a previous house. The easiest way to do it is to buy those cabinets that go above a refrigerator. Already finished and pretty then just add a plywood top and a cushion. It works great and is fast. Now I have a built-in window seat at the top of the stairs in a big hallway. We just bought the house in Feb and it was built in 1780. I need to recover the cushion for it so right now it is just the plain painted woodwork. The top flips up for storage and we added hinges to it which it lacked before. It is about 9 feet long. Here is a link that might be useful: nursery window seat...See MoreUser
13 years agoalex9179
13 years agoigloochic
13 years agoalex9179
13 years ago
natesgram
13 years agoSuch talent above. I wish I was better at deciding what color pillows and accessories go with my window coverings. Here are a few from the past.
The green valance below was hung on a pvc pipe.
This floral fabric was on a cornice which we later recovered in a solid when we sold the home. The realtor said it made it more neutral for others.
The solid for selling (different color drape)
Faux romans in current apartment.
ecolove
13 years agoUser
13 years agoHere's the kitchen valance that I made using a Simplicity pattern:
And a My3dogs valance in the bath. I've done over the bath since the photo was taken--I had forgotten that we used to have the wallpaper border. I've been waiting for inspiration on a new valance for that window so this is a great thread....wonderful to see all the lovely WTs.
Sophie Ingerslew
13 years agoHere is the valance I made for the window above my kitchen sink:
And the one for my laundry room:
jknowles87915
7 years agoTL Spain
7 years agoarcy_gw
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoFor years I made all the valances in out bedrooms and kitchen. Pictures weren't as easily come by then but here is one of the bedrooms.
I have posted before our cornices--here dressed for Christmas:They were made from cast off cove and fluted trim.
smosolgo68
7 years ago
I am a novice in sewing but made 3 sets of lined rectangles attached to rod w clip hooks. For a different look , I just change to a different color in my neutral kitchen. I pull 1 panel over window to keep out afternoon sun.
sweeby