Cafe Curtains are Having a Moment

I decided to pull myself from my sort of impromptu blogging hiatus (again) to tell you all that I think cafe curtains are having a moment. For those of you who shudder at the phrase 'cafe curtain' and swear that I've jumped the shark, let me show you what I mean when I think of 'cafe curtains'.

Easy, breezy...the perfect balance of privacy and exposure. A nod to days gone by.

(via House Beautiful)

(via Jeffrey Bilhuber)

(via Two Ellie)

(via Markham Roberts)

(via House Beautiful)

(via Jeffrey Bilhuber)

(via House Beautiful)

Whether printed or sheer, in a bathroom, kitchen or living room, a modern application of the cafe curtain is unfussy, relaxed and affordable. I have cafe curtains, sheer gauzy white cotton options, in a few of our bathrooms and love how they filter light while also providing privacy. 

I recently made a few pairs for my home (more on that soon), but they're also incredibly easy to make by repurposing antique dishtowels or other linens. No sewing involved, either!

Do you have any cafe curtains in your home? Would you consider it?

Anna Spiro-Inspired Tasseled Curtain Panels {A DIY Project}

The holidays are over and done with, resulting in a fresh wave of excitement for new DIY projects around the house. In the next few days, I'll share the progress we've made in our finished basement. I'm looking forward to continuing progress we started in 2013 and sharing the details here throughout the coming year!

Today: it's all about a tasseled curtain panel project inspired by that tremendously talented Aussie Anna Spiro.

Curtain Call (Curtains for the Bedroom and Den)

It's been awhile since I've blogged, huh? A lot has happened in my off-blog life since my last post--birthdays, Mother's Day, a nearly week-long visit from Mom, my sister-in-law graduated from med school--which seems like enough events to keep a person from blogging, right?

During Mom's visit, she and I made some good headway on the task of making curtains for my bedroom and our den and they are definitely worth sharing.

Changing Up the Curtains in the Guest Room

In an effort to save myself an bucket of cash, I created a copycat version of the "Toorie" curtains from Anthropologie for our guest bedroom last year. Trimmed in cheery red pompoms, the panels felt very "me" but I had a revelation about my guest bedroom recently--I wanted to remove some of the red accents. 

Gasp! I know, I know. 

Who am I?

I consulted with Mom, who has a great eye, and together we agreed that the addition of 1/4" black bias trim would add a refined look to the simple linen curtains. I also swapped out the white roman shades that hung in the small windows for these bamboo shades from Overstock. The bamboo shades now work with the mottled colors in the large jute rug. 

Notice that large mirror on the desk?

Check back tomorrow to see how it's been gussied up!

New Cornices for My Bedroom Windows

After posting about the cornices and pelmets recently, I couldn't stop thinking about how my bedroom windows felt a bit "undone" at the top. Enter today's project!

Here were the windows before, sans cornice:

Because there are quirks to our bedroom windows, I opted to save major time and money by using 2 tri-fold presentation foam boards (~$15 each) instead of using wood to build the cornices.

I started by taking basic measurements of the windows, deciding upon a cornice that was 12" high and extended 5"  out from the wall. My curtain panels run floor-to-ceiling, so I wanted a cornice that hit the right proportions to the window without being dwarfed or oversized. 

Once marked, I used my X-acto knife to make the cuts.

 I also marked the foam board to know which board would go where.

I chose tri-fold boards instead of foam board sheets because tri-fold boards have built-in corners! 

For added stability, I placed a short brace made from foam board at each cornice's interior corner. 

 With the foundation of the cornice strong, I sprayed it with adhesive spray and wrapped it in quilting batting.

My next step: stapling my fabric over the batting. I had remnants of the Roberta Roller Rabbit hand-stamped fabric that I used for the window curtains and used the last bit to cover the cornices.

I glued 3/4"-wide bias tape across the bottom of the cornice using Liquid Stitch for a decorative detail.

With the cornices constructed and covered in fabric, they were ready to be installed.

I attached 2 of these medium triangle hooks on each cornice, while Adam was kind enough to secure the cornices to the ceiling with the hooks. 

The cornices are so much lighter than they'd be if they were made from wood!

Ready to see my newly-topped bedroom windows?

And an important detail shot: you can see that the fabric's pattern runs vertically on the cornice and horizontally on the curtain panels (an intentional choice on my part).

The cornices took ~$40 in supplies (foam board; batting; bias tape trim; hooks) and ~2 hours to complete.

For such an inexpensive and relatively quick project, the impact is huge! 

What do you think?

Topping Windows with Pelmets & Cornices

I really enjoy watching old movies, especially those made when it was customary for men and women to wear hats. Toppers embodied a kind of formality of style that has fallen out of fashion, but I think there is something refined about seeing a dashing man like Cary Grant or William Powell (two of my faves!) in a cap.

What does this have to do with interior design, you ask?

I've begun to appreciate more and more the look of pelmet or cornice boxes atop a well-dressed window. Like a milliner's felted creation, a pelmet/cornice adds a finished touch that a rod can't always capture.

As with hats, there are many styles of pelmets to choose from:

(sample cornice/pelmet shapes via Pinterest)

Pelmets/cornices can be glamorized with fancy fretwork designs.

(via Dec-a-porter / Dec-a-porter)

They can be accentuated with bold, banded ribbon.

(via Lonny / Lonny)

Cornices can be scalloped for a feminine, soft effect.

(via Traditional Home / Decorpad)

A pelmet can utilize a classical greek key style.

(via Decorpad / House Beautiful)

Haven't had enough pelmets and cornices?
Here are a few more unique toppers for your windows.

Do you prefer neutral and subdued? 

(via CWB Architects)

Or bright and monogrammed?

(via Hi Sugarplum!)

How about a cornice that is architecturally arched?

(via Martha Stewart)

Or why not stud a pelmet for tough but sophisticated look?

(via Katiedid)

So, what's your take on dressing windows with pelmets or cornices?
Is the look outmoded like a man in a hat or timeless like Cary Grant and William Powell? 

TGIF, 1/27/12 Edition

Where has the week gone?
I've been in the midst of several projects all week and, because I just can't wait until the reveal on Monday, I had to give you a sneak peak (or two)...

For one, a bold change to the roman shades in my living room:

And another--a new pillow for my sofa:

I can't wait to reveal the full step-by-step roman shade tutorial on Monday.
Be sure to come back next week!

Happy weekend, all!

Customizing Off-the-Rack Curtain Panels

In the two years that we've lived in this apartment, I've always appreciated the simplicity of the white Pottery Barn Peyton draperies that hang in our living room. 

(the "before")

The solid white allows the eye to rest somewhere in a room filled with prints; and yet, I can't seem to leave well enough alone because I recently updated each panel.

I didn't start out intending to do anything to the PB curtains, but when I came across this image

(via Decor Pad)

...my wheels started spinning in overdrive. 

But, really, can you blame me? This space is gorgeous (you know I love me some red)!

Aside from jazzing up each curtain panel with some attention-grabbing trim, I also wanted to reinvent these into pinch pleated curtains and that is just where I started. Mom was here this weekend, and it seemed to be the perfect project for us to tackle together.

After a trip to Joann Fabrics, we had everything I needed to begin: 3" wide pleating tape, several packages of pleater hooks, pins, measuring tape, and twill tape (which I purchased from this seller on Etsy).

  Red twill tape trim was pinned to 3 of the four edges of the curtain panels (1" off of the vertical edges and 3" off the horizontal edge):

Mom stitched the trim on each panel...

 ...as well as the pleating tape to the top of each panel:

The final step for "pinch pleating" involves inserting your pleater hooks into the pleating tape. Very straightforward stuff.

I won't bore you with any more directions, but instead I'll go ahead and share some pictures of the installation:

I'll be honest with you all, Mom and I were met with several obstacles when completing this project, but we're both really happy with the results. I'm sure my new Sister Parish-upholstered chair will look great in the space (notice the hole where it once sat).

Hope you like them!