Do you have a room in your house that you could use for a number of purposes? Well, this little nook in our open floor plan was just that. Though it probably was initially designated as a dining room I chose to start it out as a little sitting area. Eventually through a whole house shuffling, she actually became our little dining room.
The house came with the shutters on the front windows which looks directly onto our driveway. There’s not any grass or “green space” until my husband built the flower boxes in front of the windows which provide a little greenery when looking outside. Though the shutters provided a nice filter from the driveway, I longed for a softer warmer feel. I quickly put up some panels to hold me over until I could decide what fabric/treatment I wanted to invest in. They weren’t anything special and I couldn’t wait to replace them.
Once we installed the board and batten in our dining room, I knew that I wanted a little bit of color and softness to frame the window and room. They did not need to be functional, just pretty. I really wanted to work on my drapery working skills too so I decided to make a pair of 22” stationary panels that would frame both sides of the window.
I found this print from Color Loom website. They have a nice selection for 100% cotton quality printed fabrics at reasonable prices perfect for home decor projects.
stripped down to its essential elements for a modern feel.
The each drape panel would be just one 54” width since they would be stationary panels that were meant to just frame the window. The napped sheen lining on the back gives them just the right amount of weight and protection from the afternoon sun so they would not bleach out or be too transparent. A simple three finger European pleat on the top was perfect for a simple, relaxed yet elegant feel.
They are just perfect for this little corner of my house. It creates just the finished, warm and welcoming space I envisioned.
What a difference it makes to hang quality drapes with a lining. I had a snafu in measuring and they were actually just a bit too long. I had two choices. I could take the easy way out (for me) and have my husband rehang the rod an inch higher or rehem the bottoms (not his favorite option). I chose to rehem as I actually liked the rods nesting on the window frame. All that hand sewing is a great excuse to listen to a new podcast and I am so happy with the end result. The hems sit just a hair above the floors. Perfect.
Little by little, piece by piece it is all coming together.
Denise
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