I think you can do better. Red-on-red is a tough thing to do because the fabric will probably never match the paint with sun coming through (although you can interline it to make it more opaque). I think a lighter color background would be better with red highlights. If you have to use Ballard fabrics, I like the little Bird Toile pattern.

Also, I think just woven woods on the door/windows would be fine and if you wanted one under the valance above the sink to tie them all in, that would look good. Not necessary though, at least in my opinion.

Here's your fabric:
{{!gwi}}

Jan, your kitchen is beautiful.
Could you tell me the name of your counters.

n2cookin - Thanks, and the cabinets are antique white, glazed with a deep brown color.

sallymo - How do you do that Photoshopping stuff? I am amazed at the realism. It's awesome, and I can see that you're totally right about the red on red thing. I really like the black/cream with red accents. It's great! Also, the style of the valance with the pegs is just what I had in mind. I'm not tied whatsoever to the Ballard fabric, so if you have other suggestions, I'm all ears. I will check out the Bird Toile fabric, though to see what you were speaking of. Again, thanks so much for the help, as you saved me from a costly and time-consuming mistake.

Any other fabric thoughts would be great. I will probably visit housefabrics.com to see what else is out there.

Thanks!!!

Jan

I just responded to your response on the color suggestion for my house and then I see your kitchen...I love the white. And now I am just noticing your island is black. I love that!
Hummm, my husband is not going to want to hear all of my ideas right after moving in. Maybe I 'll give him some time, does a week sound good? ;)

I love that fabric and style of valance. Would there be any sort of ribbing or trim like in the creamy color? I am just thinking if the reds were not right next to each other. Like in this example but with the contrasting fabric the cream color. Or if the backing color was cream or a tan color to match your tile, then it would maybe break it up just enough. Just one idea.

Jenny

Here is a link that might be useful: valance

Jenny,

Ha! Ha! I think I was responding to your response to my response on your thread when you responded to my post here. Yeah, I'm easily amused.

Great idea to add some trim or ribbing. And I think the creamy color looks really striking next to either a bold red or bold black. Love your example. That's probably more along the lines of what I need to go with. I just really love this fabric, but I'm not sure it's going to work in the space.

Anyway, I enjoy this process so much. Even though it's time consuming and requires research, the end result will be something I really love. So it's worth it.

Thanks,

Jan

Hey Jan, glad the pics were of some help. I just figured you were looking at a similar valance when you mentioned Pate-Meadows. I'm glad you saw the red-on-red vs the other fabric. I think a table runner or chair cushions could be made with the more red fabric if the valance was a coordinating fabric. I think it's great you don't get in a hurry and I can tell by your kitchen that you research your thoughts!

I do have a special program that "draws" the window treatments and the I import the fabric onto that. It is great for my customers and for myself when trying to explain an idea.

What about something like this?
{{!gwi}}

Jan, I was looking at the site mentioned on another post, Designdiva fabrics. It has amazing high-end fabrics at unbelievable prices. Have you had a chance to look there?

Michelle

I agree with Sallymo, the red background would be too much for your gorgeous kitchen. Her idea of the black & white toile is lovely, though.

Since your island is black I think you should consider a fabric with a black background with touches of red & cream. That would tie everything together & be nice contrast against your red walls.

I like the fabric choice that sandra posted...with that nice creamy background instead of white.

Visit divafabrics and look at their options. They had several I'd consider using in your kitchen, and I didn't buy a couple yards so if you hurry...

And I love love love the style on pegs. I normally don't like valances but that one always makes my heart sing :)

An idea for the patio doors: I am really fond of the woven wood slider panels on the JC Penney website. They're under the Blinds section. I foudn them when i was looking for a woven wood blind/shade for my office. They make me wish I had a patio/sliding glass door again!

I just had to dig up an old, old Ballard Designs catalog. I t had a print I always loved and I immediately thought of when I saw your kitchen. I see it's on sale too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Chez Valerie Print

I agree with using black fabric. If you could find something similar with a black background, I think it would look great!

tina

I just came home, and I'm so glad to see so many responses!

Chloe45 - I forgot to answer your question earlier. The island counter is Vela Brown Zodiaq quartz and the perimeter counters are Burnished Glaze by Formica. Some might cringe at the Formica, but we really like the look of this particular style.

Sandra, that's a great example of a fabric I really like. I think I'd like the background to be more creamy, though, to pop with the cabinets. I really like the fringe trim and designer look of it. I'm so drawn to warm colors like that.

Parma - I visited the design diva online site, and it's great! I am posting some of what I found there, as well as at housefabrics.com below.

Lynn and ideamom- You're right, as was Sally about the red background. While I so love it, it just doesn't look as great as the cream/black combination. Thanks for your thoughts.

Igloo - Love that site! I'm glad you spared a yard or two - lol.

straitlover - I will definitely check out the wovens at JCP. I wasn't sure if it was "okay" to mix a fabric on one window with wovens on the patio doors in the same room, but others have also said it would be fine.

ojoy - That's a perfect print. I love it. I actually have a great spot for it over our phone desk (not visible in the photos). Thanks for the link and taking the time to let me know.

Tina - Yes, I agree about the fabric with the black background.

What does everyone think about these fabrics I found at the design diva and housefabric sites:

#1:

#2:

#3:

#4:

Of course, I think the black and cream toile is always a classic choice too, but if I can find something with splashes of red, cream, and/or gold in it, I might be more inclined to choose that.

Would any of the above work? If so, I'm not sure if rayon or silk fabrics are easily sewn. Is that true? Some of the above are of that type. Also, if the fabrics are too Asian styled in appearance, I'm not sure that works with my present decor either.

Right now, I'm leaning toward option #1. What do you think?

Jan

You've picked some beautiful samples. I think that the black ones would look so great with your island. #3 doesn't look as black on my monitor and has the most Asian influence.

Your choice of #1 would look lovely.

Michelle

I like #1 too, very pretty. I like the black background.

Great kitchen!

I would go with fabric #2 you posted. I think it is a bit brighter, which will be nice with the white cabinetry. It also appears to have a smaller print and repeat, which will be better for a small valance there.

Would you consider doing roman shades on the patio doors, made from the same fabric or a solid banded all around in the valance fabric? I think the softness of the romans would be a nice addition there.

# 2, please ;o) It appears to be a "crisper" pattern, the colors sharper rather than muted. A great choice for your kitchen, which BTW, is just lovely. And there should always be a touch of black in a room to ground it. It will also echo the black in your island.

Well, I just ordered samples of #1 and #2 from House Fabrics. I'm sure that one or both will look great.

Les, I would LOVE to have roman shades on the patio doors in the same fabric. My sewing skills are not that advanced. What type of business can I call upon for sewing the shades? Forgive my ruralness, lol. Should I contact some type of sewing center or maybe a decorator of some sort? I'm glad you posted, Les, as I love your expertise.

Sallymo, I hope you can come back and do some of your magic with the new fabric samples (#1 and #2).

Jan

The first fabric really didn't have enough of the repeat to get a good picture, and I just guessed at the size of the repeat for the other two fabrics. You'll be able to tell alot when you get the samples and stick them up on your wall.

You might contact the local sewing/fabric store for names of drapery workrooms (you might not even have one in your town). I don't know where you live, but I'd want to know that they are experienced at windows. You might have a home-based workroom in town you didn't even know about.
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Oh sally mo that first black one you did just above looks wonderful.Gets my vote!!

Oh Jan, I'm glad I'm not you! It would be quite difficult to decide on just one! They are all so beautiful. I'm really partial to all the florals, no way would I be able to decide. I'd want a different one for Monday, Tues, Wed and Thurs.

Sally, you revisited - Thanks! The images are such a huge help. I really like the black best, so I can't wait 'til the swatches get here. I think I can handle the Pate Meadows patterns, but I'll need to find someone to sew the roman shades for the patio doors. I'll have to do some research. It would be great if there were a workroom in town, but here in rural Wisconsin, there's not even a grocery store in my town - lol! However, I live about a half an hour from two cities where there might be a place. I'll do some more scarfing around. I love the decorating decision process, and I know I'll love the end result so much more than if I had hurried and purchased something readily available but uninspiring.

Again, I appreciate your time. It looks great!

Jan

Jan, I recently had a cornice installed over my kitchen nook window that has a black background, similar to your fabric. I love how the black grounds the room. Good luck on finding that right fabric for your room. Your kitchen is lovely!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Jan, if you can sew, you might take a look at a pattern for romans. There are tapes with the rings attached already through which you run the strings.

They made them on Room by Room several times. Here is a link to written instructions and also a video. Shari usually explains things very well. Bet you could make them!

make a roman shade

upa lazy river - Your cornice is so beautiful. Do you mind sharing the fabric? It's great.

Les - I am amazed at what I continue to learn from this forum. I never would have thought that I could sew a roman shade. I do quilting and small sewing projects, i.e. pillows, but nothing major. But, I checked out the video and instructions from your link, and it looks completely do-able. I love how it uses velcro and fusible web. I bet I can make them afterall, and probably at a fraction of the cost of a professional service.

A nagging question - In terms of design style, do you think fabric #2 (or #1 for that matter) is an Asian style? I'm not sure the Asian influences are right for my decor.

Thanks,

Jan

Oh, and one more thing . . . I probably need to figure out how much yardage I need for the patio doors. I'm going to have to get out the old calculator, I think.

Jan

The only one I see with much of an Asian influence is #3.

I love the black fabric too! I think it will look great picking up the black island. And I also like Sallymo's idea of a contrasting red/cream underneath. That brings it all together nicely. And for that type window framed closely by the cabinets, I think hung from knobs are perfect! I love that look! I don't get an asian feel from either fabric. And I second the roman shades. You could even make a header (small valance attached) out of the red/cream or whatever fabric you choose for contrast if you go that way. Hope that's clear! I've seen that done on romans on french doors and it is very pretty!

See, I thought you might find those instructions helpful, and that you could do it!

I don't see any Asian influence at all. Three of the fabrics are Jacobean in feeling, the other more botanical (with the butterflies).

Think about doing a liner fabric for the valance (maybe a black and white or black and cream check), and then using that as the edge binding for the roman shades.

Can't wait to see the end results!

Jan, the black background fabric is by Waverly and is called Felicite-Noir from the Waverly LaBelle Provence Collection. I also bought yardage called Chantal-Brique from Waverly which I'll use to upholster my kitchen chair seats. The fabric is much more beautiful in person than in pictures. We railroaded the fabric so the branch meanders across the cornice. Good Luck!

Well, I was curious as to what the roman shades might look like myself.
The romans shades on french doors are a little different in the fact that you might not want them to "stick out" too much and need to attach them to the 2" side of a 1X2 (lay board flat on the door and screw through it, no need for brackets). That way it will lay more flat on the glass. Also cover the board with the face fabric since you will see it on the ends. Just giving you a quick tip or two!

{{!gwi}}

parma42 - Yes, I had thought #3 does have some of the Asian style to it also, and since I'm such a novice I didn't want to be so focused on color that I overlooked the style aspect. I'm sure Les is correct about the Jacobean and botanical looks. Someday I hope to be able to discern the various styles more easily. With the help of this board . . . who knows, it could happen.

kmcg - I have definitely come to the conclusion that the black background is the way to go. It really completes the room, in terms of color. I love those knobs also for the valance treatment. If you have a picture of any romans with the header you speak of, please share. I would really like to see them.

Upalazyriver - thanks for sharing the fabric. It's great, and I'm going to look into it. I bet it is very stunning in person. I'm a confessed fabricaholic. It's my favorite thing to collect.

Sallymo - The romans look great in the virtual - wow! It just affirms the choice of a black background for me, and I love the softness of the roman shade look on those doors. There is nowhere to mount the shades inside the window area of the doors, so they will have to be top mounted, and you bring up a great point about the need to minimize how much they stick out. I will definitely cover the mounting board. How far down do you think the romans will hang when fully raised? I want to preserve the view out into the back yard as much as possible, during the daytime.

Les, what can I say, but thanks so much? I hope you are in business, because there are lots of nomadic decorating souls like myself who could benefit from your talents. I do think I can actually make these shades. I'm wondering if I might like the type with the dowels and crisper folds best, and if so, I'll need to find a pattern for those. But in any case, I'm going to try. It might take me a lot of time, but I can certainly cut and sew straight lines. I've done bindings on quilts already too.

Would either of these fabrics work for a valance lining/shade binding?

Here is a pattern for one with dowels, but it is very much like the one Sharee uses - you might just need to make the pockets on hers a bit larger to accomodate a dowel.

roman with dowels

You might consider that by adding dowels it might add bulk, and make it harder to raise the roman as much as you would like.

I think the first check seems better. Perhaps it is just the pix but the second one looks too rustic, more of a hopsacking texture. But I would wait to pick out the check until you see the sample and see how bright the cream color is in the jacobean you pick. You would want the cream in the check to be of the same value so one didn't make the other look dull or dirty.

Glad if I could be of help. I love dabbling in the decor world. Nope, not in the business, tho I hope maybe someday... :^) Thanks for the kind words.

Jan,

Your kitchen is lovely - is it on the finished kitchens blog? A little OT - I'd love to see a close-up of your formica, especially the corners, if you wouldn't mind. You said you liked the style - is it a new edging or just a newer pattern?

Oh my Gosh!! Love that black toile valance in there.. sallymo
(with the red reverse)

Les, You're so right about the dowels adding bulk. Hmmm. . . I'll have to think about that. Thanks for the link. I found the tape with rings pre-attached at the sewing center. I agree about the potential lining fabric choice and will definitely wait to see how everything coordinates before ordering. I just know that someday you'll be doing more than dabbling with decorating, because you're SO talented.

Nellie - No, I haven't posted over on the finished kitchens blogs. Maybe I will at some point. The Formica is "Burnished Glaze", and we just like the interesting appearance of the pattern. The countertop edges are rounded, but I don't think it's anything that new or special. I understand that it is possible to get the Formica edges to appear like a solid surface, but we didn't opt for that. The side edges only, have a tiny meeting point seam with the top surface, but the front edges of the Formica are solid and curved. I can take a picture if you like.

Here is the Burnished Glaze pattern:

Does everyone prefer the black background over the cream and black toile? I like both but am leaning more toward the black background fabric options.

Jan

I vote black backround. Love toile but the cream doesn't carry the weight in the room as well as the black does.

Well heck, I'd GG those doors. :)

Jan
You have a beautiful kitchen you should be proud of yourself you have done a great job!
I was thinking what if you use the lining fabric for your table runner too? However I donÂt have the eye for decorating LOL
Wish you lived in Ky I could use your help :-)
Deb

I love the black fabric that is on the roman shades. Your kitchen is beautiful. Where did you get your barstools? Not to hijack your thread, I have an area to hang a valance between two cabinets the same as yours, it is a straight valance at the top and hanging it from the knobs wouldn't work for me, any ideas how to hang this?

Oceanna - does "GG" mean get going? :o) If so, I surely will!

kyshine - That's a great idea to incorporate the lining fabric in a table runner. Another creative sewing outlet for my energy!

wmjc - Yes, I think the consensus is toward the fabric with the black background. The barstools came from Pottery Barn, and those were chosen with the help of this forum. Everyone here said to go black and backless. I love them. As for your dilemma, have you thought about using a decorative tension rod in the space to hang your valance? I've seen them in lots of finishes, including oil-rubbed bronze. There are no screws. You can just adjust it to the size you need and squeeze it in.

Hi Jan,
I love the color you painted your kitchen and I also love the black background fabric. Can you give me the name of each. I am working on my dining room and trying to choose a red for the walls. I would also love the name of fabric #1 for my kitchen.
You did a great job!
Thanks

Sarah,

The kitchen wall color is SW Flower Pot. It is a very nice brickish red color, and while I was initially afraid to paint such a bold color all over the place (or as my color-conservative Mom says - "wild" color - LOL), I truly just love it. I "stole" it from a showcase home we toured before we built our home.

Fabric #1 is Premier Onyx from housefabric.com

Fabric #2 is Bisson Onyx from housefabric.com

I ordered samples of each, and Fabric #1 is not as tightly woven as Fabric #2. It also seems to have a little larger print. They're both beautiful.

Good luck,

Jan

Jan-Thanks so much, I think it would be great in my kitchen. Great ideas.

FYI fabricguru.com has GREAT prices. I am considering richloom seychelles- fabric jungle colorway and it is only 37.99 for 10.5 yards. Much cheaper than the premier onyx. I like the premier onyx a little more, but for the price!

OH my! I love the black flowered!
Alicia

I fell in love with the #2 black curtain along with the SW Flower Pot color in your awesome kitchen. Today I picked up a paint sample of SW Flower Pot and it looks more like brown than a red tone for some reason. In the pictures online it definately looks red. If you are still here Jan can you tell me if it looks brownish on your walls? My cabinets in home are medium wood and I worry it will be too much brown. Countertops are cream though. I really want to add some red because couch in next room has red in it and I need to tie the rooms together. Our kitchen has 3 windows so the black fabric will really look great and stand out. SW Flower Pot really does look so beautiful with your white cabinets. :) It is the first kitchen that I have found that I actually liked since surfing the last few months! Most kitchens and decorating are very neutral. I need color!! (smile) Thanks!