Friday, February 13, 2015

Thinking Outside the Box

My dining room was finished a while back (see it here). I searched to no avail for lined, apple-y green curtains. I did not want to spend a fortune for them and things I found that were affordable looked like they belong in a child's room. I ordered from different websites and waited oh so impatiently for them to arrive. After getting a several sets that were not the chartreuse (more grown up word) green that was pictured on the websites I finally just kept one of the sets and made it work.

My other issue with curtains was that I did not want tab tops or grommets. I know: picky, picky, picky! The curtains I settled for had the back tabs or could be fed through a rod pocket.

I love the color in this photo but this is not accurate!

First I tried the rod pocket. I did not like the look at all. Because of the weight of the fabric they wouldn't stay pulled back so I had to use the back tabs. I hung them, steamed the wrinkles out and carefully folded them in an attempt to make them hang neatly. I could not get it neat. "It'll do", I thought. But......it did not work! It was irritating me like a bit of sand in my shoe. Rubbing, rubbing, rubbing. Grrr! Constantly. I felt if I just fussed with it a bit more it would be okay. NOT! I should just find something else......sigh.

I am irritated just looking at this picture.

Every night I sat in the dining room, eating my dinner and being majorly bugged by those curtains. Of all the things in the world I could obsess about and this is all I can come up with?!

I decided to finally buy some curtain rings and see if that would not help.



Clipping them at the top made them too long. I tried the floppy look and hated that. The stupid tabs in the back hung over and I could see them.....like they were taunting me.

You can see the tab on the right. Grrr!

I had completed two windows when the light bulb in my brain finally got up to full strength. Why hadn't I thought of this before! The hems on my curtains are about the same width as the header so I just flipped them upside down. Those silly tabs aren't going to bother me anymore! Genius!

Right about then I seemed to remember that the idea was not totally new to me. Had I thought about it before and forgot? Did someone suggest that to me before and it just took this long to get through the maze of crazy in my brain? Pinterest? Maybe my friend, Tara, had suggested it. I don't know. I am reluctant to take credit for it, for fear that it may not be my genius. And, if I did have a stroke of genius the pressure to continue to perform at that level is too crippling so I'll move on.




I did not stop there. Once I clipped the rings on the back and put them on the rods I did a little fluffing. I simply pulled the hem open and zshooshed it a bit. Perfect! Well, at least they aren't bugging anymore. Tonight I ate my dinner feeling quite happy with myself. I know you're probably thinking I've lost my marbles and maybe it's a dumb idea but for right now I am happy as a clam. (Whatever that means.)




I should steam the bottoms out again.....
So, what do you think? Genius or crazy? What about you? Any 'outside the box' decorating moments? I would love to hear about it.

I joining these linking parties: The French Country Cottage
                                                 The Shabby Nest
                                                  Nifty Thrifty Things
                                                 Too Much Time On My Hands
                                                 DIY Show Off
                                                 Chic On A Shoestring
                                                 Whipperberry
                                                 I Heart Naptim
                                                 Tatertots and Jello
                                                 The Girl Creative
                                                  Coastal Charm
                                                  I Should Be Mopping The Floor
                                                  Your Homebased Mom
                                                  Huckleberry Love
                                                 Cedar Hill Farmhouse
                                                 Skip To My Lou
                                                 Cupcakes and Crinoline
                                                 Home Stories AtoZ
                                                 A Stroll Through Life
                                                 Elizabeth& Co
                                                 Savvy Southern Style
                                                 The Turquoise Home
                                                 Lamberts Lately

11 comments:

  1. My goodness, I didn't know you were such a perfectionist!

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    1. I'm not really, about most things. It's just some things, like crooked pictures, tab top curtains, and Hershey bars that you can break off by the squares....eat the whole row and leave it neat!

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  2. I know exactly how you feel.....when something bugs me....like your curtains did you....I just have to figure out how to fix it. Kudos for your persistence. The poofs are lovely...and full. And..the green looks great with the wallpaper. So fresh. Take care, Suz

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  3. Awww...it's always nice when we find another of our kind! What a bold statement wall. Love it!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Tenneil! I knew there were more like me out there somewhere!

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  4. I like the new look better. I've done that myself -- used the hem of the curtains as the rod pocket top. I do like the tab back curtains, though -- I bought a pair from World Market Plus and like them a lot, they hang beautifully (they have a white lining), but I've also bought unlined tab-back curtains from Ikea and they hang beautifully too. Perhaps it is the material of your curtains that made the style more problematic. You certainly turned it around though - good for you coming up with an outside the box solution.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jan! These curtains have that blackout lining so they hang nicely but for some silly reason I just could not leave them alone. I do have tab top panels hanging in my living room and I am constantly fiddling with the tabs, using a yard stick to evenly space the tabs. I know-it is a sickness! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!

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    2. Thanks, Jan! These curtains have that blackout lining so they hang nicely but for some silly reason I just could not leave them alone. I do have tab top panels hanging in my living room and I am constantly fiddling with the tabs, using a yard stick to evenly space the tabs. I know-it is a sickness! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!

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  5. I LOVE them - and may copy this - yes - you're definitely a genius !
    I hung a table cloth up in my kitchen and created a valence by folding the top over - boring ( because I'm definitely not a genius LOL )
    Thanks for sharing - I'm pinning
    xox

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Suzan, that is so sweet. It is a huge honor to think that anybody learned anything from my ramblings-but then to pin it! That made my day!

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