Window coverings seem to be the bane of my decorating existence. On HGTV they make it look so simple but for me, finding decent window coverings and actually getting them installed has been a monumental task. A task that is still not complete, even though we're inching up on FOUR years spent living in this house. I don't know if it's just us being home-improvement idiots, but hanging curtain rods always turns into a ridiculous affair replete with curse words, extraneous holes in the wall and stripped drill bits (it would appear that all our doors/windows are framed out in titanium).
Last year we finally hung curtain rods over the kitchen window and the adjacent sliding glass door and ever since then I've been on the hunt for appropriate window fashions. The slider is a problem all its own: it needs full-length curtains because we get the dreaded fish-bowl effect from the house that backs up to ours. I found some plain but serviceable insulated curtains from J.C.Penny, which finally arrived in February and have been sitting in their bag at the base of the window ever since. Ahem.
When we installed the curtain rod last year, we did so ignorant of the important information that curtains are generally sold in specific lengths. So naturally, the height at which we hung the curtain rod (a feat that was only achieved after the aforementioned swearing, etc.) is COMPLETELY wrong, so now the curtains hang about 6" above the ground: the drapery equivalent of high-water pants.
Remedying this problem means we're going to have to reinstall the curtain rods, something I dread so much that I'm very seriously considering hiring a handyman. I may be cheap, but not having to deal with that blankety-blank curtain rod again would be worth the money, plus I can have him install the matching rod over the sofa window at the same time. I ordered matching valances with the curtains, so it's possible that I could actually have real live curtains on not one but three windows in my house! At the same time! A new personal record!
Lucky for me, the kitchen window is already taken care of, thanks to the generosity of a dear friend. My sweet girlfriend Rachel shares my love for vintage design and offered to let me borrow a set of curtains she and her mother made.
They ordered the fabric from Repro Depot and Rachel's mother hand cut and sewed all those adorable scallops at the bottom. The fat red rickrack on the top is the perfect touch. These are the curtains of my dreams! I love them so much that I want to marry them.
Here's another photo of the valance where you can see the vintage repro light fixture we hung over the kitchen sink. It's from a fancy-schmancy place called Rejuvenation and I bought it at a thrift for a buck! It is unfortunately yet another in my litany of home improvement projects that should have been so easy but turned out to be nightmares--if you look close you can see the extraneous holes in the ceiling sticking out from under the silver base. Nice. What's the number for that handyman again?
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI too have had many curtain hanging nightmares did you notice how my curtains have a strip of blue at the bottom? I had to add to them because they were also too short!). Kelly is now an expert at hanging rods, and I am offering his services to you!
Love,
Angie
Those curtains area adorable! I love the rick-rack and scalloped detail.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I haven't had to deal with anything trickier than a simple white tension rod. I fell in love with them at a rental. I know I'll be in your shoes when I decide to hang real rods!
That's suppose to be '*are* adorable.'
ReplyDeleteThis is why we have lived in our house for 15 years, and most of our windows still have the curtains that the previous homeowner left behind. Sigh.
ReplyDelete--Mary
I can so totally relate to this post. We have a shelf in the garage with curtain rods, curtains, light fixtures and ceiling fans that I have picked up on Clearance at Lowe's over the years. Any home improvement ideas usually turn into a big old fight between me and HIM. I want it done right, but I don't have the skills to do it. He sort of knows how to use the drill, but thinks a level and the proper drill bit are "luxury items" so we often end up with one end of the rod an inch lower. "Oh, no one can tell" he says. I CAN TELL DADGUMIT!
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't think such a seemingly simple task would be so hard but it is, I can certainly attest to it. My ex boyfriend's Mother and I spent one evening until 4am MAKING and hanging all the curtains for this place I'm in now when we first moved here. Mind you, it doesn't match much that's here now. but the are up and they are going to stay up. That experience broke me of any desire to try to do that ever again!!! LOL I still brag on it, but it was almost the death of me!
ReplyDeleteWe had window problems too, in that our windows are about 6 feet wide, so we had to get 3 panels for each window! Those are really cute though!
ReplyDeleteYou're hilarious! You write as if we are chatting in person. It's perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe dreadful job of hanging curtain rods is worth hiring a professional in my book, any day. I too have had my share of holey walls. Yep, break out that beloved spackle, sand paper and paint again...*&$%@^* Blast it! It seems so easy, level, pencil, measuring tape, drill, anchor and screw, but no, somehow that blasted little hole came up 1/4" to high and yes EVERYONE will notice, namely me. lol
Love the friends valance. It is adorable! Maybe she would be a doll and lengthen your cutains by either adding coordinating fabric to the top or bottom for you. Best of luck! Tammy
That is gorgeous! At first, I thought it was made from a vintage tablecloth.
ReplyDeleteWe, too, have to make about 10 holes for every one we need whenever hanging anything up. I've become a master at filling in holes with that patching stuff.
OK, here is something I can help with! I have the floodwater drapes in my apartment because I hung my rods too high and I ain't mov'n them eva! Put a large piece of furniture in front of them. We have a long trunk that blocks our view of the high waters. Unfortunately, all of Hollywood or at least all of my building can see the shortness through the window. It only bothers me when I look up from the street which is only when we get a cab to the airport. Thankfully at that point I have bigger worries on my mind. LOL!
ReplyDeleteOK so yours are on a door. Maybe a long trunk isn't the answer. How about adding a contrasting hem? That was my second option.
Maybe that swearing thing at the curtain rods is universal. It sure happens at my house too! I really like your valances. So retro and happy! I've been on the search for some kitchen valances myself. I know what I want but can't seem to find them. Maybe a trip to that retro fabric sight is in order...
ReplyDeleteBeen there, Done that!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we had new windows put in, and new natural oak trim on the first floor windows we hired somebody to measure-order-install! I would have cried at the first 'oops' in my long awaited trim!!
GOOD LUCK!
Gah, it is taking me forever to get back here and tell you this, but the answer to your problem of not being able to drill holes near the window frame lies in a hammer drill. I dont think they are crazy expensive (certainly cheaper than hiring it out every time), and it will easily make drapery holes.
ReplyDeleteOf course you can also just hang the rods several inches outside the window frames, which I tend to do, b/c it makes our small windows look larger. But I think your house is a lot newer construction and that may not be necessary.
super cute curtains! i love them! i hate the whole curtain rod thing too which is why my curtains in my front room have a strip of a different colored fabric along the bottom!
ReplyDeleteYet another reaon we are friends, I HATE dealing with curtains and rods! Argh! I recently thrifted some lovely Waverly blue and white valances for my bedroom. OKay great. Now off to Target to get panels. For some reason I convinced myself the valances weren't true white and bought off white panels. Back home, iron em ,hang and voila! Looks great until the sun goes down and you see how very very WHITE the valances are and very, um, un-white the panels are. Yeesh. Well they are still hanging there in all their mismatched glory.
ReplyDeleteThose curtains are perfect for you!!
I too, hate hanging rods, I made numerous holes at the last house and now , hubby does it because he is MR precise. Thank goodness. I agree with Sarah, I always mount mine out quite a bit from the window. I love the valance:)
ReplyDeleteLove the curtain and the fixture(score!) I have my own handy issues that cause me to chicken out on ever so simple projects!Hello mailbox screws!
ReplyDeleteThose are adorable Heidi! I just love cherries and the rick rack is too cute and props to you for enduring all that-but it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteAdd a strip of coordinating fabric to the bottom of your too short drapes, it will give your plain drapes a little pizazz.
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE the kitchen curtains, they so fun and bright, they would go perfect in my kitchen too, but since you can see my kitchen from my living room, I have to go with something a little more subdued I'm afraid.
As for the curtain rods, my DH is a very handy guy and curtain rods usually leave him cussing as well LOL