Researching A Curtain DIY

I’m in the mood to DIY some curtains.  My family room has not had curtains or any other type of window covering for months.  We are planning to get new windows at some point soon, so I have been telling myself that I should just wait until that’s done, but come on.  We need something, right??

So, how do you DIY curtains?  Well, you google a tutorial on how to actually fabricate the curtains, but before that, you have to do some research.  Here’s what I do.

Where to Start When DIYing Curtains

1.  Figure out what color, pattern, size curtain you want.

I love saturated, primary-ish colors, so I know I want that reflected in my color scheme somewhere. Look at the different colors in your room and decide what you want to pull out with those curtains.  Here are some of the colors that I want to see somewhere in the curtains (except those crazy yellow flowers):

ecozier chaiseClose Up Upcycled Mirror

Pattern is important.  Think about the patterns that are already in the room and the patterns that are in the rooms that are adjacent to that room as well.  For instance, I have these curtains in my living room:

rokuroom

When I’m sitting in the family room, I can see those curtains and vice versa.  So I want something that will not look too much like those and also not completely clash with them.  The scale of the pattern is a personal choice.  I definitely lean toward big bold pattern.  Whatever your preference, I think it’s important to have a balance of patterns.  In the pic of the living room above, there’s the geometric (actually I think there’s another name for that pattern, but I’m not sure what it is…) panels, stripes on the pillows and a floral on the chairs.

The size of the curtains is obviously super important.  The last thing I want to do is get the wrong size panels or not have enough fabric.  Before I make an actual purchase, I’ll measure twice, but at the research stage, you need to at least know if you want something floor length or shorter.  In the familyroom, I’m leaning toward shorter, like a touch longer than the sill of the window.  It’s a gamble, I know.  The way the furniture is set up right now, long curtains won’t work and I really like the furniture placement.  I’ve found some inspiration on Pinterest that is giving me the guts to try it:

Short window panels due to a built in bench seat. Love the yellow trim with the black and white

Floral curtain, short and small window just like bonus room.

2.  Start researching fabric and other “creative” options.

My first stop is on-line fabric stores.  I pin a bunch of things that appeal to me and mull them over for a while.  Here’s what I’m currently mulling:

fabric samples

1. Ikea Frederik  – This one has all of the right colors, but it might be a little too juvenile?  I’ve loved this fabric for a very long time, though.

2.  Premier Prints Magna Timberwolf Macon Fabric – I like that this bold and retroi-ish.  It’s missing the little bit of green that I would like, but that’s not a deal breaker.

3.  Suvi Primary – This one is scaring me a little. This might be too much for a curtain.  Maybe a pillow.  Maybe.

4.  Swavelle/Mill Creek Indoor/Outdoor Crosby Confetti – I like these colors, but this might be a little too literal 70’s instead of a modern update.

So those are some of the fabrics I looked at.  But I looked a few more creative options, too.

creative fabric finds

1.  Japanese Cotton Kimono Fabric – Oh, this is so enticing.  I’m not sure exactly how to buy this, but this one needs further research.

2.  Raindrop Shower Curtain – This one is pretty cool.  Maybe a little too much white, but all the colors are right.  Interesting option.

3.  Colorful Stripe Fabric – I love the texture of these ethnic inspired fabrics.  I haven’t found exactly the right color combo yet, but I’m happy to keep looking!

4.  Room Essentials Circle Tablecloth – I really like this one, too.  I wish it had just even one more color in it.  Just a speck of something else.  Still a maybe.

The next step in researching curtains is to hurry up and make a decision.  This, friends,  is the hard part!

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