Need Ikea curtain hack ideas - curtain mavens?
New house, lots of projects, not lots of $$ left ;-)
I threw these curtains up in a hurry because for an hour or so in winter the angle of the late afternoon sun is blinding - not an issue in the summer. These are Ikea Lenda in white, one panel per window. They are not hemmed, I just turned over the top and clipped on rings but now I'm ready to fluff them. There is a media cabinet in the works that will span window to window so curtains need to open to the outside of each window as shown. I have a second set of the curtains to use for more fullness.
What I'm debating about should I use pleater tape (and if yes which kind) or use the clips to create a sort of pleat or ?? Not sure what other curtain ideas are out there but I'm open. Tabs will come off, they will be properly hemmed but I'm unsure how to make the top. Also, will a second full panel be too much fabric - would 1 - 1/2 panels be enough? I will sew them together and am not worried about the vertical seam. Goal is to have them look tailored and simple but finished.
You can see the shadow of the tabs - quite a look, huh?! They are just a bit wider than the window, no fullness at all when closed.
Will two full curtain widths be too much? I can open the curtain rods a bit more but not much, maybe 3" or so. I do want the curtains to hang to the sides of the windows and not obscure the view when open.
This is the Lenda fabric - simple but a nice hand.
And lastly. this larger window will likely get the same curtains at some point but again, will be open 99% of the time.
Comments (19)
DLM2000-GW
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Need a vote..Curtains or no curtains?
Comments (40)I haven't read through all responses completely, so forgive me if these suggestions have already been made. I would flip the rug so that it's parallel to the fireplace instead of perpendicular, if it would fit. Having it perpendicular kind of reads "landing strip to the fireplace". Sofa table really helps soften the transition. I don't usually like bright window treatments, but I think those IKEA drapes work very well to tie in all the colors, and really help that quad panel to the right of the fireplace stand out. With no blinds the yellow drapes disappear into the wall, and with your couch up against the windows they aren't function, so at that point, what's the point? If I can take a slight detour with a question for you -- I like bamboo/natural blinds. I've been back & forth about getting them for my windows (debating them vs. shutters), which like yours are wider than the average window. I think seeing your pictures has kind of made me not consider them so seriously. I've never had them and don't know what they're like to live with. Do they always hang kind of "lumpy" and/or uneven like that? Do you ever get the nice straight bottom edge when they're pulled up like you get with wood blinds? TIA...See MoreDIY Ikea kitchen in progress: help with lighting & curtains?
Comments (10)Thanks to all of you for the feedback and suggestions! Enduring, I do like cafe curtains, and in fact that's the style we had up pre-remodel. I had not thought of wrought iron before, but I can definitely see how that could work. I generally lean toward simple styles, and like the idea of a plain white flat fixture for the center, if I can find something that would not look too commercial. I like that white dome pendant you posted, too, UpNorthHey. I am limited for the over-sink fixture by the distance of the light box from the wall, though. I think I can only go up to 8 or 9 inches in diameter. Those are some cool ceiling fans, robotropolis! I go back and forth on whether I want something more attention-getting vs. fade-into-background, to the extent that any ceiling fan can fade into the background. One of the plainer options I've had my eye on is this Minka-Aire Concept II. I love the industrial/barn style fixtures. I especially like the copper finish option on that Sea Gull pendant, though I'm not sure copper would be a good choice for the room. My only hesitation about this style is that I don't want to veer too far into a cottage/country look to the point that it looks goofy. iroll, I'm glad to hear you are happy with your Ramsjo white cabinets! I mostly hear people complain about how pink they look in the displays, and I will admit that I normally prefer a whiter white, myself. However, I do love how the grain shows through. Thanks for posting about Graveyard Mall - I had not heard of them before. A general question: should the fixtures over the sink and the peninsula match?...See MoreNeed advice - new/expensive curtains look BLAH!
Comments (52)Lisa, you didn't mention if you want to add some some complementary color or stay with your existing color scheme. If you want to do the latter, the room actually has a lot of different fairly dark and/or cool colors in large masses -- beige (walls), blue and dark brown (curtains), dark and light gray (sectional, ottoman, rug), and dark brown/black iron (coffee table and curtain rods, table lamp). There’s also no pattern and little texture. If you want to add some sparkle, eliminate one color, and help tie the disparate elements together, I’d consider replacing at least some of the dark/iron elements with silver ones. I can’t tell if the round wall hanging is sparkly. A few ideas: Especially if you stay with the blues and grays, take Ingrid's suggestion about a chair by the window. Maybe something like this from Ballard, You don’t need a lot of pillows, just a few, maybe a pair of one and one of another; these are all from Etsy at TheHomeCentric, Pier 1 mirror, PB coffee table, PB table lamp, And PB has pewter and polished nickel curtain hardware. Or, to better tie in the brown from the curtains, instead of silver use warm brass and bronzy elements, like this PB mirror, And Ballard has brass curtain hardware…...See MoreDramatic wall of track curtains ideas?
Comments (5)I do sew - was in Fabricland a few weeks ago, and their drapery section is pretty disappointing. Everything grey and beige and pastel. I could probably try again. Beverly - I love those curtains!!! Those are exactly what I am looking for, I saw quite a few gorgeous designs on Society6. But they end up being about $265 CAD for two sets of panels and shipping, plus perhaps import fees/customs/duties if they aren't made in the US or Mexico, which eats up more than half my budget just on curtains. I have seen a ton of inexpensive bold shower cutains I like - but with a 79" ceiling height, a 72" curtain is just a tiny bit too short. (like these: https://www.amazon.ca/Riyidecor-Blooming-Backgrounds-Waterproof-Bathroom/dp/B07V8GTR8H/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8, and https://www.amazon.ca/Shower-Curtain-Waterproof-Bathroom-Polyester/dp/B07XT7XGRL/)...See More
clt3
6 years ago
bpath
6 years agoDLM2000-GW
6 years ago
bac717
6 years agoclt3
6 years agoDLM2000-GW
6 years agobac717
6 years agoDLM2000-GW
6 years agoDLM2000-GW
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoHere's the update because it's nice to know how things turn out, not because I'm particularly proud of them! You wouldn't think combining 4 panels into 2 curtains would be much of a project but not one of the panels was the same length or width and wrangling that length of fabric was challenging for me. Oh, well, they're done, they perfectly filter the sun when needed and if I don't focus on them they are a nice element in the room. As the t=room gets worked on with new upholstered furniture and the media cabinet I think they'll matter even less in the design scheme. Squint and they look perfect ;-)
Thank you again clt3 for the ring tape recommendation - I like the way it works and it does add a nice flow to the curtains.
clt3
6 years ago
bac717