The dining room is nearing completion, should WT match kitchen?

11 years ago

This kind of overlaps questions I've been asking on the Decorating Forum, but I seem to be talking to myself there and thought I'd ask this one here.

I have a galley kitchen with one little window over the kitchen sink, and a full glass door at the end of the kitchen next to the dining room. It has a white pleated shade inside the glass. Next to it, but in the dining room are two connected 36"x60" windows. Across from the windows is a 72" patio door with a 36" French door flanked by two 18" full glass sidelights. Here's a photo of the dining room As you can see, there are also windows in the living room which have wide wood blinds.

And here is a WT I found today that I really like

[Window Treatments design[(https://www.houzz.com/products/window-treatments-prbr0-br~t_12520) by Denver Window Coverings Finishing Touches

1. My cabinets are dark, and I wonder if I should go with a light Roman shade and darker valance over it for the kitchen and all the other windows? Or dark color or blinds like the living room?

2. But my main question is if I should treat all the windows the same, or if I can mix it up and still have it look ok? Shades only on the doors and shades (or blinds) and valances on the windows.

3. Since I have the white pleated shade in the door, should I put white pleated shades on all the windows too?

4. Since that shade is inside the door (and it does nothing for bright sun), should I treat it as if it doesn't exist and put a different WT outside the door as well if I choose not to put pleated shades everywhere else? I'm really drawn more to Roman shades than pleated shades.

5. I also have a problem with that patio door. If I put shades on the door and sidelights, could I just use the attached valance alone on it and on the back door and use a fabric valance over the other windows? The doors have nice trim around them (or will have, I hope) but the windows have nothing, just sheetrock.

6. What fabric make the best valances? Something machine washable, or dry clean? Or do you just vacuum frequently and not ever take them down for cleaning?

I'm going out tomorrow to see if I can find some fabric for the valances, and I'd like some opinions regarding question #5 in particular so I know how much to buy.

Thanks for all the help you've given me so far. I promise I'll stop asking soon.

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Comments (5)

oldbat2be
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I like how your DR floor turned out, think that the same WT in your inspiration photo would look lovely with the colors in your DR.

Other than that, I have no opinion (sorry, am clueless about WTs). Best, oldbat2be
User
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Consider them like cushions - then need to blend and support the decor, but not necessarily match.

Same pattern, different colors, same colors different patterns, accent color from DR used as main in kitchen,

Just make them look like they were bought by the same person.

I'd use the same fabrics as DR but a simpler, washable treatment for the kitchen (valances get cruddy in kitchens)
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juliekcmo
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Dry clean only type Home Decor fabrics will work the best. They come on a roll and don't have that center pressed in line that is difficult to remove as is found on flat fold fabrics.

For your lining I would recommend also using Home Dec drapery lining. It is the correct width and will hang truer than anything else.

Not sure how much sewing experience you have. I'm going to lay down some procedures next. If you already know all of this then sorry for the boring instructions. If not, I hope it's helpful.

I really like the valance style posted because it is very easy to make. Basically you will make a piece of fabric that has lining sewn to it on the sides. leaving open across the bottom. The face fabric should be longer then the lining so you can turn up the hem. Sew on the lining facing the right side of the fabric, and then clip the corners and turn it so the right side faces out and press. You will want to cut the lining slightly narrower than the face fabric so that when it is turned right side out the face fabric will wrap around the sides. So take this into account when measuring and cutting. Then hem up the bottom, and press. At this point what you have will, for simplicity, be like a big pillowcase with the opening at the top.

Also, you will need to determine when getting your wood mounted, based on your windows and what is next to them, if the fabric will cover the front face only of the wood board, or wrap the corners. It's very hard to tell in the inspiration picture what they did, but if you can, plan on wrapping the corners. This extra width on each side will need to be accounted for when you measure and cut your fabric and lining.

Staple the open top to the wood boards mounted on L brackets above your windows, leaving the area for the ties open, then insert the ties and adjust as you like once they are hung, and then finish the stapling.

So....how much fabric to buy?

First off, the width of the windows needs to be taken into account. If you window is narrower than the width of the fabric then you will need 1 section of fabric per window. If it is wider than that, then you will need to seam together the fabric to get a piece wide enough for the window plus the side seams. And the fabric pattern will need to be matched to do this. The best way to do this is to have a full panel of the fabric in the center portion of the window, and any pieces added on to be added at each side in equal amounts. This will hang the best, and avoid having a seam down the middle where it is noticeable.

For the length needed, since these are valances and not operational shades, then you will need to play with the fabric at the store, and based on your fabric and its weight and drape make a choice. I suggest getting the wooden mounting boards cut before you shop for fabric. Then you can literally hold up the fabric to the boards and scrunch it as if the 2 ties were on it and get the look you want. If the fabric has a strong pattern, you may not want it as scrunched as much as if it is a solid.

You will never take these down for cleaning. Occasional vacuuming when you wash the windows is all that is necessary.
User
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you oldbat2be. I think I like the floors too. It was all such an ordeal that mainly I'm just glad that part is over.

lazygardens, I like your illustration. It makes sense to pull together with the same or complementary fabric and different styles.

juliekcmo, thank you! Those are excellent instructions. I've made a lot of curtains before, but never lined. If I put it on with velcro, would it hang right and still be cleanable? Or does it need to be stapled to the board to look right? If I did the same valance over the windows in the dining room, they would be an outside mount, like the photo below. How would I attach the fabric to that? Are the raw edges on top, or all on the back facing the wall?

[
[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/alamo-residence-1-traditional-dining-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~471214)

[Traditional Dining Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2107) by San Francisco Interior Designer Paolo Monjes

This post was edited by marti8a on Thu, Dec 6, 12 at 11:02
User
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I hate it when a plan won't come together.

I went to every fabric store in Dallas I think and didn't fall in love with any fabric. Then, because it was there, I stopped by a blinds store. I was just going to order my shades online, but I am so glad I stopped at this store.

In talking to the guy there, I realized that anything on the French doors and side light windows will keep the door from opening all the way. The reason I bought those doors was because they would open with the table and chairs there, without bumping into them, and lay flat against the side light windows.

Now I don't know what to do. There will be an enclosed courtyard there, so window treatments aren't really necessary, but they would look better I think. Ugh, it's always something.

The dining room is nearing completion, should WT match kitchen?

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oldbat2be

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The dining room is nearing completion, should WT match kitchen?

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