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Decorating With
Gail: Inexpensive & Easy Window Treatments
Before I go any further, I must admit
something to all of you - I DON'T SEW! That was my bad news. Now for my good
news - you do not have to know how to sew in order to create a multitude
of simple and inexpensive treatments for your windows.
It's summer time. Let in the sun light! Research studies have shown that
peoples moods are affected by the weather. Perhaps that is one of the reasons
why todays window stylists are displaying lighter window treatments.
Following are some creative and simple ideas on how to create unique window
treatments without breaking the bank.
Silk garlands come with many leaves and flower variations. You can
buy them with plain leaves or embellished with flowers that can easily be
coordinated with the colors in your room. A standard size kitchen window
often requires only 2 garlands. Wrap the garlands loosely around your curtain
rod and you have a simple, natural looking window treatment.
One of the best places to purchase garlands is at craft stores. They often
go on sale at the same time as all of the silk flowers, sometimes for as
much as 33% off. If you are not in a rush to decorate your windows, check
your newspapers and shop around for a good sale.
Another interesting choice for window treatments are the use of twig
grapevines. These are very inexpensive and create a charming, rustic
atmosphere. The grapevine often comes in a roll. Simply cut the roll open
(being careful not to cut through the twisted strands of grapevine) and carefully
wind loosely around your curtain rod.
You can leave the grapevine as the sole window treatment, or embellish by
randomly placing silk flowers into the vines. Raffia (or any rustic bow)
bows also work well.
Hang a pre-made and decorated swag directly over your window. The
most economical way to do this is to measure the width of your window and
purchase a swag of approximately the same length. Then, you can pull your
entire room together by using 3 or 4 colors in the rooms color scheme and
select dried or silk flowers to decorate the swag. This produces a more "custom"
appearance, as you are selecting your own colors, plus saves money when you
do the arrangement yourself. Hang the swag directly over your curtain rod,
within a couple of inches. Many people move into homes where there are already
existing mini blinds or vertical blinds on the windows. Often these would
not have been your choice for a window covering, but with prices for window
treatments as high as they are, it is difficult to justify changing
them.
A great way to "customize" existing
vertical blinds is by the use of wallpaper borders. Select colors and
a pattern that coordinates with your room. Home improvement stores are an
excellent source for borders. Borders are often categorized in large notebooks,
by pattern and colors. Stores usually allow you to sign out the books so
that you can go home and confirm the colors and pattern that you have selected
work for you, before you place the order.
I highly recommend the self adhesive borders. The borders come in a roll
(one roll will be more than adequate for the project and usually costs less
than $25). The rolls work like stickers. Simply unroll, cut and stick onto
your valance. There are many options available for the application of the
border. You may decide to apply the border directly onto the valance, or
perhaps cut out patterns from the border and randomly place onto the
valance.
Use your imagination! Have fun cropping the design and placing it where you
feel it works best. When the project has been completed, you have perked
up your drab verticals without spending a fortune to replace them and have
given your room a custom look! Don't throw away any unused border. You may
decide to customize more of your room. Think about adding cut out border
pieces to lampshades, over archways or on decorative wooden shelving. The
possibilities are endless!
Another tip: during the holiday season, valances and garlands look
wonderfully festive and warm up your entire room when you carefully string
mini white lights around them!
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Gail
has been a stay at home mom for 7 yrs, since the birth of her first son.
She resides with her husband and 2 sons (7 & 5) outside of Scottsdale,
AZ. Originally from NY, she has her bachelors degree from the University
of Massachusetts, in Fashion Marketing. She has always loved the study of
color and design, and have a passion for decorating! She currently writes
an ongoing "decorating on a budget" column for several moms newsletters and
magazines.
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