Pink Burlap

Yesterday, I was killing time researching ideas on Pinterest, and I ran across this image from designer Angie Hranowsky

Source

I liked the drapes...and then I read the box....It's BURLAP! Burlap from a designer...how cool. A quick search, and I found all these colors at this store for only $4 per yard.

Pink

Black

Yellow

Orange

Avocado green

This one is called sage, but it looks slightly gray

This is the color I'm considering...it is more expensive than the others at $7 per yard.

Available Here

Remember my tips when shopping for fabric online. Is colored burlap something you would consider? What would you use it for?

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One Room Challenge (week 5)

Hello, and thanks for coming back. Well, this is the last post before the "Big Reveal"?....I hope it is a big reveal. In case you are new here, you can start the challenge series here. This week is all about the window dressing. I was able to pick up some beautiful REAL silk drapes at Bed Bath & Beyond. Apparently, they are discontinuing their silk line. It was quite the bargain.

Here are my tips for hanging drapes; If you are buying ready-made...hang them separately.

Although they are supposed to be the same length, they were not. No worries, a custom cornice will hide all the imperfections on the top. The "L" brackets will hold the cornice (more on that next week). 

I also like when my drapes just kiss the floor. Now I know this is personal, so hang yours as you desire. Remember to measure from the floor up and not the ceiling down. Since ceilings and floors are never level, take a few measurements.

I also hang my drapes a bit outside the window frame. This gives the illusion that the window is larger than it really is. It also helps let more light into the room because the stack (bunching of fabric) is not covering too much glass.

I gave the ready-made drapes a custom look by adding a wide band of sheer gold paisley ribbon. 

The ribbon was wired, so I just pulled out the wire before I sewed it in place.

On another note, Michaels got a shipment of my metallic blue paint in so I was able to finish and hang the lanterns.

That's all I have to show you this week....I hope you come back next week for the finale. Now make sure to visit all the other bloggers and see how they are doing. For The Finale, go here.

Saved By Suzy                                                                  Nicole Scott Designs

Dutch.British.Love                                                           Kim Macumber Interiors
Trapped in North Jersey                                                   Rue de Emily
The Pink Pagoda                                                              refreshed designs
Nana Moon Shop                                                              Taylor Morgan
insideways                                                                       House Four
Living Savvy                                                                    (A Lifestyle Thing) 

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My curtain conundrum - part two...

So a HUGE shout-out and thank you to Christine of Design with Christine. She's a CA based interior designer, and I'm in the process of designing her website for her. Last week she was kind enough to come up with an AMAZING solution for my little living room, in my little apartment, which I moved into about a month ago.

First, here's what we're dealing with.

 

Current living room situation. The couch with the tan curtains.  yuck. The couch is nice because it's a color that can look olive green in certain lighting, gray in others, and sometimes tan in others.

The rug is from Iran.  I really love it, but am thinking maybe a larger rug would fit this area better.  I love sisal, so I have my eye out for one I'd like - preferably with a black border. Behind the couch is a nook for my home office, and at the opposite end of the couch is our dining nook. The couch faces a wall with our TV and a bookshelf.

It's hard to tell, but the walls are actually a light aqua/robin's egg blue. (please pardon my currently untamed cords)

Last week, I published a post asking for some suggestions for a better curtain color.  My natural inclination was to turn to white - and some of you agreed.  The below is my curtains which I photoshopped white.  I liked it, but I did think something was missing.  I didn't get that "yes" moment from this image.

Without further ado here's what Christine suggests:

"Ashley,

First of all I want to say how super amazed I am at the photoshop job. That is pretty cool! I wish I could do that. I had two semesters of photoshop in college- but it didn't stick. However- the solid white curtains are not so cool. Why?

1. There is a disconnect between the rug, furnishings and curtains. Nothing is bringing them together. You need a unifier.

2. You need more pattern in the room. The strong pattern in the rug is off balance when it is the only pattern around.

3. You need more color in the room. Add color in the curtains, and also some throw pillows. There needs to be repetition of color here and there.

The good news? You can be done by this afternoon. I selected everything form West Elm.

You can still have your drapes light and airy- but add pattern and color."

Christine's West Elm picks: 

love these ikat curtains...

Christine continued 

"I would add to these a black canvas tape on the edge.  Keep in mind that when I say "color" beige is a color.  ;-)  Your window treatments should also be layered.  Add some black woven blinds to be the first layer.

Another exercise you can do is visually draw a horizontal line across the room.  Do you have balance?  Balance with color?  Balance with pattern?  Notice how in the room shot above, (and I know there are many angles we don't see)- there is a lack of balance.  All of the color and pattern are on the bottom of your horizontal line.  Another good reason to use patterned drapes.  The black woven shades will also bring more visual weight into the upper portion of the room, improving your currently bottom heavy lack of balance.  (awesome tip!)

Now- bring in more of your rug colors in some throw pillows."

and love the quilted pillows!!! Christine continued:

"Use one of these.  See the one on the right that is cut off that has the red and black in it?  I thought that would go great with your rug. 

You have white walls and that white needs to be brought into your room more.  (Except not in solid white drapes.  ;-)

Add a white pillow to the mix.

Didn't she come up with some awesome suggestions?!?
Definitely check out her blog - Design with Christine, where you can see the original post.

So, I did a quick photoshopping of what the curtains will look like...

I even added one of the quilted pillows.  I'll add lots more pillows to the couch, but I'm going to sew covers for them after I have new curtains.


I also originally planned to sew curtains - but I'm not sure if I'll beable to find an affordable fabric that's less expensive than just buying West Elm's.  The windows are quite large.  I'll need about 3 yards for each panel (3 panels).

I though this fabric was pretty close...and it's only $11/yd. on etsy.  What do you guys think?

 

It's definitely more gray, and has a higher percentage of white - but I think it will go well.

I had some other great suggestions from readers  (thanks!!).  One reader suggested a blue ikat - see below


via 6th Street Design School
I really like this as well - but as $23.99 a yard (from Calico Corners) it would be more expensive to make these than to buy the West Elm curtains. I'm also a bit afraid of so much contrast..hmmm..it's so pretty though..

So, again - a HUGE thanks to Christine - you're suggestions are spot on.  I will definitely post pictures when I've either made or bought curtains.

Thanks all and more suggestions/ideas are welcome!

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