A sweet reader, Misty, wrote us a little note recently, and asked this:
…thank you so much for all your awesome ideas! I was wondering if you might share some tips for window treatments? I am ready to make a switch from those typical blinds, but don’t want to spend a fortune. All of your spaces have different treatments, and I was wondering if you could share some of your favorite ideas? Thanks for your time…
We certainly don’t think you’re alone in this one. It’s fun to have something different in your space than the ‘traditional blinds’ option, and it’s always a major bonus if you’re not spending your entire budget on custom window treatments, right? When we first moved into our home,the blinds were included. All. Of. The. Blinds. And ‘included’ really means it was absorbed into our cost of the home, and we just happened to find the house right after it was finished. #wepaidforthingswedidntwant
So we kept them for a while. But over time, we realized we wanted something different to reflect each space.
Windows can make such a big impact, with a simple change here and there. So what did we do? A. Hire a company {spend a small fortune} to come out and size all the windows? or B. Hire a seamstress?
Where does one begin with such window shenanigans? And why is everything so overwhelmingly pricey? It’s not supposed to be this hard! Why is being a homeowner so difficult? Needless to say, our options felt pretty limited.
Slowly but surely as our spaces came together, we pulled all those blinds down. It’s one of our favorite options {if you can, for privacy purposes} to air a room out and enjoy the natural light that can flood a space. And we started to change them, room by room, one by one. Looking back, we love the way they all turned out, and wouldn’t trade that for one big company to swoop in and do them. Sometimes our limitations are our greatest strengths, after all.
So without further ado: The Cheater’s Guide to Easy Window Treatments. {A few of our favorite tips and tricks when it comes to treatments in your home!}
1. Take them down.
The first step is free and easy. Just because they were there when you purchased the place, or even worse… you dropped a small fortune on them a few years ago and are now completely driven by guilt feeling a little stuck with them, doesn’t mean you have to keep them there.
Take them down.
It can open up the space, breathe new life into what you already have, and make you see your rooms in a whole new light. {See what we did there?} It can change everything, and we think it’s the best place to begin. Want your room to feel larger? Take them down. Want more natural light? Take them down. Want your ceilings to feel higher? Cue Wide Open Spaces a-la the Dixie Chicks.
We’re getting to that point in a moment, but if they’re those plain jane blinds and you don’t like them, take them down.
And if they’re vertical, burn them.
{Yeah, painting helps, too.}
2. Leave the edges.
Feeling brave enough to dive in, and make your own? Here’s a few tips:
• This is one of the biggest payoffs of learning how to sew. Seriously. You can save big, especially when it comes to odd shaped windows or weird lengths.
• It’s really just all about getting the measurements right.
• But you don’t necessarily have to sew… We say hem tape and selvage edges can go a long way in the window arena. And no one will even know, if it’s pulled off well.
We used these pretty linens in our homeschool room to deck out the windows. I did hem the tops and bottoms, but if I hadn’t… I’m not sure anyone would notice. And call me weird, but I find those selvage edges in linen and linen-like fabrics, pretty. Did I sew the sides? Nope. Did anyone notice until I pointed it out? Nope.
And it’s the very same for our bedroom.
I think sometimes we get so caught up in “the rules” of everything, that we forget it doesn’t really matter as long as it’s pulled off well. Who said we had to sew every single thing for it to look good?
Who said things had to be a certain way?
Sometimes, we think too much.
There’s a real war that’s raging in the homeowner’s head, and it comes down to letting go, so you can enjoy. Embrace it and run with it, and you won’t regret it.
Which brings us to…
3. Ring Clips
I bet you were wondering how we intended to skip the whole rod pocket thing if we wanted to do some no-sew curtains for our home. Were they hanging magically if you use hem tape? Don’t worry – we didn’t forget one of our favorite little secrets when it comes to windows.
These are our go-to for all things windows. Sometimes we even buy them in bulk, and then hold on to them. Don’t see the color you need? Hello spray paint. You can even fake pinch pleats at the top, if you want. You don’t have to be an expert seamstress to do some amazing curtains for your home.
4. It doesn’t have to be real hardware
You can save major moolah with pipes. And I happen to prefer copper pipes, with their patina over time, and beautiful color.
We shared a little how-to here, but you can find them used in different ways all around our home.
From long windows that might have some sag, to hold heavier fabrics, as well.
It’s a sturdy option for things like our loft in the boys’ room, and helps hold their shape with adjustable lengths. They’ve performed wonderfully over time.
They’re a fantastic outdoor option, too. {Our studio was once an outdoor porch before we had a wall added in for more square footage. The pipes held our outdoor curtains for years before we changed it over.}
We love them so much, we even shared them in our “glampy cabana” with Thompson’s Water Seal this winter.
Shhh no laughing. I still love the name. They’re our go-to for simple, affordable, sturdy options with an unexpected finish.
Think outside the expected for great options when it comes to the hardware side of things. For what it’s worth, a whole decade later of living in this home, we have the budget now to change the hardware if we wanted to.
But I still love those pipes.
5. The basic formula
We have a basic formula that we stick to: Blinds of a natural fiber + Curtains + Taking it to the top = wow factor to open up a space.
You can’t go wrong.
1. Blinds: We love overstock for a great affordable source, and it brings in an interesting texture to the space.
2. Curtains: to soften it up, widen and brighten the wall, add an additional layer of interest, and so much more.
3. Take it all to the top: Instead of mounting it right above the window {and in some spaces, we do} take it to the ceiling line. It makes your room feel that much bigger.
These are our go to tips for window treatments in the home. Some of our foolproof solutions for affordable, easy windows!
We’d love to hear yours, because we know we can’t possibly share them all here. Have an inspired day!
Erika says
this is so useful for people who haven’t got a clue about windows (me) and need advice (me), thank you xxxx
https://justthatdiy.wordpress.com
Corrie says
I’m cheap and buying fabric can get expensive with my taste. So…I found some cute tablecloths from Target and used ring clips to hang them. Ta-da! No sew, no effort, and a grand total of $30 for two! I didn’t even hem them…puddling at the floor is all the rage, right? Now I’m always on the hunt for cute tablecloths. You never know when I might change my mind and want to switch things up!
Second favorite window solution – burlap, hem tape, and ring clips.
Lora says
Hi – Love your ideas and enthusiasm. I sort of can sew but those long long seams are sooo boring and time consuming. I have used stitch witchery and fabric glue for some drapes – then I found you can get a board and get somebody to staple batting on it if you want and get them tto hang it above your windows. Get a bunch of fabric in one length. drape an end of the fabric on one side of the board and tie a knot in it and then cover the board to the other end , stapling as you go. Do another knot at the other side and leave a length down. It looked great. Yours look wonderful and I want to try the pipe idea!!
Meredith says
I never tire of pictures of your adorable home, Ashley! I wrote a blog post about easy accents in the home and linked you. You have the best sense of color and fun–It’s so inspiring!
XO