Easy Window Treatment ~ Repost

As I start to decide which window treatments are coming with me {just about all of them}, here’s a repost from February 26, 2010, about a window treatment I did for my living room.  I’ve included a current photo of the window to start it off.

~ REPOST ~

In redoing my living room I had gotten some new drapes from Ballard Designs {on sale $59.00 a panel}.   One of the treatments I removed from the window was cafe-style curtains that I used on the lower half of the windows.  These are very long windows and just perfect for people to look into from the street.

So, I’m not comfortable just leaving them open like this.  I still had some of this fabric from the ottoman I made here.  Plus, I kept the tension rods that I had originally used in this window. 

I had just enough, in fact, to use it at the windows as an under-treatment to the panels.  These are a 3-window unit.  Each window measures 24 inches wide.   I didn’t want to go the whole way down, so I measured about halfway down ~ 31 inches long.  {Pardon the glare and my filthy windows}.

I cut the fabric, adding a couple of inches all the way around for the seams.  I ironed down the seams on all four sides.  I then used my Stitch Witchery iron on hem tape to secure the seams.  I incorporated a sleeve for the tension rods in the top. 

Here’s what I got.

For the bottom, I decided to try something a little different.  I found some wrapping paper rolls and stole their cardboard roll.  These rolls just happened to fit the width of these windows {this makes it meant to be in my book!}. 

Starting at the bottom I rolled the fabric up using the cardboard roll.  I added black ribbon on both sides to tie it up and I can let it down if I so choose.   I need to get another roll of ribbon for the third window.  I did not secure the ribbon to the fabric; it is just laying on it and I moved the tied portion around to the other side.

You could do different variations with this basic make-up.  You could take the ribbon and just tie each side up {without the cardboard roll}.  You could also use pins or whatever else to do the faux roman shade look like I did here.  Or you could just leave it down, although I would probably add a beautiful decorative trim to the bottom edge to finish it off.  {I’ll bet a black and clear beaded trim would look great}!

My windows used about 1 1/2 yards of fabric {total}.  The fabric was $14.98 a yard from fabric.com and I originally purchased 3 yards.  Best $45.00 I’ve spent so far this year!  The tension rods and cardboard rolls were free, since I had them already, and the ribbon was $3.99 a roll.  {I have a coupon for 30% off ribbon that I can use on the third roll}.

Now I don’t feel like I’m right out there in the open when I go into this room! 

Linking up to

Slipcover & Curtain Party at It’s So Very Cheri

Kathy