Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Lace Shower Curtain
Mom was not very excited about moving from her home. She understood that she could no longer stay in such a large home, but she did not like having to give up so many of her things. We tried to get mom excited about buying new things for her new apartment. We went shopping for pieces of furniture that would fit better in the apartment. The only thing that mom had on her list was a lace shower curtain. She had the measurements of the free standing shower stall. We went to several stores and the first thing mom want to do was to check for a lace shower curtain. The first three stores that we went to did not have what she wanted. We looked at several very nice curtains that had matching and coordinating towels and accessories but she was convinced that she wanted to have a lace shower curtain. We took a break for lunch to meet one of my sisters. During lunch I shared with my sister that we were having a difficult time locating a lace shower curtain. She asked my mom why she wanted this kind of shower curtain. Mom stated that she had never lived in a home that had a free standing shower. She had visited her sister a few years ago, her sister had relocated to an apartment, and she had the lace shower curtain and mom thought it was very pretty so she wanted one also.
After lunch we tried two more stores and finally located the lace shower curtain. Mom purchased the curtain and also a new rug and toilet seat cover. She picked out new bath towels and soaps and lotions as well. We went to her apartment and set up her new bathroom area.
I called my sister that evening and told her that we found the lace shower curtain. I told her that mom would have to have company into her bathroom because that was the only room she was interested in decorating.
Bath Shower Curtains
When I got my new clawfoot tub, I was struggling with bath shower curtains for months and months. I thought we could not find a solution. I would always have to get out of the shower early enough to mop up the entire floor. And mopping up the entire floor from dripping bath shower curtains that go all the way around your tub is no picnic. You have to be extremely thorough, especially if your tub is in the corner of the bathroom and you can't get behind it.
Finally, I stumbled on the solution. There was no elegant way to get the bath shower curtains to work perfectly. Instead, I had to just simply add more of them. I soon had an inner bathroom shower liner, as well as two other layers of bath shower curtains. It looked kind of silly. You had to peel back three layers of bath shower curtains to even get in the back! Nonetheless, it worked, and that was the most important thing. I had been starting to get worried. It seemed that, sooner or later, my bath shower curtains would lead to me having a mold problem if not a full out hole in the bathroom floor! Anything that worked was fine with me.
A couple months later, I finally found a way to make the bath shower curtains look nice as well as function correctly. It was a matter of layering different bath curtains together. The first bath shower curtain would be transparent. I found some really pretty bath shower curtains with pictures of fish on them. Behind that, I put another layer that was a dark blue. Behind that one, there was still another layer in an even darker color. This multi layered effect made the curtains look almost luminous. It appeared as if the best curtains were there because I wanted them to be there, not because I needed them.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Impression of a room
The first thing you need to do is to measure the width of the doorway. With fabric, you'll need 2 ½ to 3 times the width of the doorway for your finished door curtain. The added yardage gives a richer appearance. Beaded curtains come in standard widths.
You'll need a curtain rod for fabric door curtains. Hardware and department stores carry many types of rods to complement your fabric. Wrought iron rods are elegant, with elaborate finials and twisted or rolled rods. Brass rods are attractive and go well with a Victorian theme. White painted metal, spring-loaded rods work well with heavy fabrics where the rod is not exposed. If your choice is a beaded door curtain, you needn't buy a rod, as these come with a built-in rod.
Now comes the fun part! Choosing your door curtain may be like trying to choose between two dresses. Both are great and it's hard to choose between them. Focus on the style of the room and the effect you want to create to guide you.
For an alluring look reminiscent of the Arabian Nights or the exotic, incense-laden fragrances accompanying graceful Indian dancers, look for sheer and shimmering fabrics with metallic threads. This type of fabric exudes mystery and grace, with a delicate and airy quality that floats on the breeze as you pass through the doorway. This type of fabric must be kept clean and dust-free to retain the sheer gossamer effect.
Velvet door curtains hint at Victorian luxury and a rich feeling of comfort and softness. Deep shades are the best candidates for door curtain use. Short cut velvets and velveteens are best used in well-lit areas. To show velvets to best advantage, consider tying them back with gold tassels at one or both sides.
For quaint, country decor with that “yesteryear” feel, a patchwork door curtain can set the stage to perfection. Handmade patchworks, appliques and wall-hanging styles in picture form can be just the thing. Picture-style wall hangings can tell a story or simply display an artistic design.
Beaded and bamboo style curtains display a mix of 1960's hippie expressions and an Eastern flavor. Faux-crystal beads and cute plastic bead shapes are other choices to consider. Glass beads are pricey, but give a sparkling, luminous effect from ambient light.
Whatever your desired effect, with a little imagination and a bit of foot work, you can change a doorway into a portal of style.
Black out curtains
You see, most black out curtains are misnamed. For some people, they work fine. Blackout curtains do black out at least half of the light. They are made of thick vinyl, so little light can penetrate. Even still, more of it gets in than should. You would think with technology the way that it is, and with the rate of sleep disorders in our society, someone would come out with a decent design for a blackout curtain. Up to this day, however, a good set of black out curtains is hard to find.
I used to get around the problem with a simple homemade solution. It didn't look that good, but it worked. You see, in lieu of blackout curtains, I would hang a blanket in front of the window. I would pin it there with small nails or thumbtacks. I have never been a big fresh air person, so the fact that I completely blocked any possibility of ventilation did not bother me. When I really needed to get some air in the room, I would just prop up the black out curtains with another nail.
Unfortunately, this idea didn't work for my girlfriend. You see, she is much more of a homemaker than me. She expects to have real curtains in the room. Since I could not find black out curtains that were dark enough for me, for a while we fought about it. Finally, she made me some curtains. They blocked out the light perfectly. She is an expert seamstress, so her homemade black out curtains were of the highest quality. Now we are both happy. I can tell you, our relationship has really benefited from the change!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Dressing Up Windows With Curtains And Drapes
It is probable to spruce the leading, fundamental edges of curtains in a variety of ways. The most common method that is employed is to use a flounce that either matches or contrasts with the fabric of the curtain. This approach can be varied by adding multiple frills, one which matches and one which contrasts or one that is plain and one that is patterned. If your curtains have a rounded corner it is possible to extend a frill from the top of the corner to the base of the curtain and it is also possible to add piping that joins the edge of the frill to the leading edge of the curtain.
It is possible to turn your leading edges into something more chic by employing fan pleats that extend down the curtains leading edge so that they do not collect dust in the pleat pockets. Picot edging can also be created using a picot braid, or by creating overlapping fabric triangles that are attached to the leading edge. This is an exceedingly pleasing to the eye effect but it is quite difficult to achieve and may be a bit beyond the get in touch with of the proletarian curtain maker.
Various best ways to add mode to your home is with window curtains. They habitually allow you to set the doldrums and compliment the style and personality. Window coverings are the perfect way to show off your decorating genius. Let the light current in or create the retreat you hunger after.
Curtains For Home With Country Looks
When you imagine that charming country home, with pies cooling on the windowsill, what does your mind's eye see on the windows? Country style curtains are certainly the window treatment of choice! Cheerfully checkered or plaid curtains are the epitome of country style curtains. Lace and patterned fabrics also convey a genteel country warmth. Fruits, flowers, and fishing motifs are closely associated with the country lifestyle, making good choices for patterned country style curtains.
For the warmer months of spring and summer, choose a fabric thin enough to flutter in the breeze, but not so transparent as to compromise your privacy. Muslin, all cotton and lace fabrics have a quality of down-home goodness. Fabrics in checkered or plaid patterns are the quintessential country style curtains, with their bright squares of color and cheerful, comfortable look in keeping with a country look. If choosing plain muslin, try trimming the hems with tassels or pompoms of a bright color.
During the cooler weather of fall and winter, you may want a change, using a heavier fabric, both for added insulation and colors more suited to the season. Having two sets of country style curtains also helps avoid becoming tired of the scheme, giving your rooms a fresh look.
Fruit motifs are popular, with apples and pears suited to most seasons. Darker floral patterns can give a cozy feeling to your cool season country style curtains. The farmhouse and barnyard motifs may lend just the look you want. Do you have a fisherman in the house? There are fabrics emblazoned with jumping fish and rod and reel designs.
Still other possibilities include fabrics printed in large panels of one complete scene per panel,much like a mural. These fabrics come in window-sized panels, creating the look of a wall hanging.
When choosing your fabrics for country style curtains, consider your furnishings. If your sofa and chairs have an elaborate pattern, go for a smaller pattern with a unifying background color that complements your furniture. For example, with sofa and chairs in a blue background with an ornate floral pattern, a simple, small pattern with a large background area of a coordinating color will produce a unified and uncluttered look.
In this scenario, plaid country style curtains are a good bet. Simply choose a plaid which picks up the colors in your furnishings with the dominating color which best coordinates to create a balanced mix of light and dark shades.
So if your dream is a country look, but your home is in the city, you can still have the country look, with just a trained eye for the mood.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Choose Your Curtain For Your Home
At Hand are so many singular casement treatments on the soak that it can get perplexing. You could even be tempted to just go with boring shutters, or cheap blinders. Basic functionality aside, these options leave a lot to be desired. Curtains or drapes aren't just for decorating windows. There are three important functions they should provide in addition to the basic functionality of blinds or shutters. Which of the three is most important depends on your needs and preferences for the room. Curtains are materials that are hung over a window for decoration and other purposes. The main purposes are to provide privacy, block sunlight and decoration.
People can find in sequence and tips on factors to take into account when buying curtains for your home. Observably overcrowding out the sun during the day and other light in the nighttime is a priority, so taking into financial credit the position of your home and how the sun affects it is imperative to getting it right the first time. A good tip when choosing curtains is to enhance the window and room effect with curtains rather than taking on something excessive that may result in a whole makeover.
To enhance your room's technique and feel, admiring comment the room with curtains that have a similar look and feel or bring life to an area with your chosen curtains. This means that if your room is a dark space due to lack of sunlight, it is advisable to use bright color curtain fabric to add life to the room. If you have a room with plenty of sunlight, choose a curtain fabric that can offer strong resistance to fading over time. For rooms with plenty of light, blocking out the light and protecting your indoor furniture and carpets from the long idiom damage sunlight can do.
Although the words are often used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between curtains and drapes. Drapes tend to be more formal, floor length affairs, with a heavy lining, that can be opened and closed with a pull cord. Curtains are their less formal relatives, often made from a lighter fabric, with or without lining. They are generally suspended by hooks, rings or even tab tops from a pole, and are opened and closed by hand. While drapes are usually stand alone, curtains can be used with blinds or shades, and in this case are sometimes tied back permanently to the window edge and never closed at all.
If you are choosing curtains as ingredient of your home intend assignment, you should mull over three basic types. Panels are the simplest and most often used, being basic panels of material, hemmed top and bottom, gathered at the top to bring into being soft folds, and hung by hooks or rings from a pole. The leading edges of your curtains can have bullion edging friendly. This is usually custom dyed to obtain an exact match to the curtains that you are applying it to. Make sure that you do not employ fringing that is too heavy for the curtain it is being applied to or you will end up with a very shocking effect where the periphery of the curtain is dragged down away from the shaft or handrail.
Country Style Curtains And Designs
When you imagine that charming country home, with pies cooling on the windowsill, what does your mind's eye see on the windows? Country style curtains are certainly the window treatment of choice! Cheerfully checkered or plaid curtains are the epitome of country style curtains. Lace and patterned fabrics also convey a genteel country warmth. Fruits, flowers, and fishing motifs are closely associated with the country lifestyle, making good choices for patterned country style curtains.
For the warmer months of spring and summer, choose a fabric thin enough to flutter in the breeze, but not so transparent as to compromise your privacy. Muslin, all cotton and lace fabrics have a quality of down-home goodness. Fabrics in checkered or plaid patterns are the quintessential country style curtains, with their bright squares of color and cheerful, comfortable look in keeping with a country look. If choosing plain muslin, try trimming the hems with tassels or pompoms of a bright color.
During the cooler weather of fall and winter, you may want a change, using a heavier fabric, both for added insulation and colors more suited to the season. Having two sets of country style curtains also helps avoid becoming tired of the scheme, giving your rooms a fresh look.
Fruit motifs are popular, with apples and pears suited to most seasons. Darker floral patterns can give a cozy feeling to your cool season country style curtains. The farmhouse and barnyard motifs may lend just the look you want. Do you have a fisherman in the house? There are fabrics emblazoned with jumping fish and rod and reel designs.
Still other possibilities include fabrics printed in large panels of one complete scene per panel,much like a mural. These fabrics come in window-sized panels, creating the look of a wall hanging.
When choosing your fabrics for country style curtains, consider your furnishings. If your sofa and chairs have an elaborate pattern, go for a smaller pattern with a unifying background color that complements your furniture. For example, with sofa and chairs in a blue background with an ornate floral pattern, a simple, small pattern with a large background area of a coordinating color will produce a unified and uncluttered look.
In this scenario, plaid country style curtains are a good bet. Simply choose a plaid which picks up the colors in your furnishings with the dominating color which best coordinates to create a balanced mix of light and dark shades.
So if your dream is a country look, but your home is in the city, you can still have the country look, with just a trained eye for the mood.