Cheap {window} Tricks

Yesterday Jenny at Little Green Notebook shared some inspiration on using sheets as the basis for window treatments and profiled this fantastic nursery as an example. This got me thinking about the efforts I have made over the years in my own home, to have wonderful window treatments "on the cheap," so today I am sharing my efforts to that end. 

First up, my kitchen treatments.  I was originally inspired by a fabulous Lulu DK fabric, which, while I loved it, did not work with our budget:

 So I had to get creative. (Today I could have had that fabric, as it is now available as sheets.)  Lucky for me, I happened across a gorgeous table cloth on sale at Crate & Barrel Outlet and had these "faux Roman shades" whipped up by a talented seamstress.  (I could have saved even more $$ were my own sewing skills a bit more refined, like my CSIL.)

My goal was to have an interesting treatment that DID NOT look like it started as a table cloth, so I mixed it up by using the stripe on the diagonal and a bit of trim on the bottom and I LOVE how they turned out.

Next came my dining room treatments.  I  knew I wanted panels in here, but was not inspired until I found red linen panels on sale at Pottery Barn.

 Adding a beautiful trim was going to customize and set the panels apart, but again, with my champagne taste and beer budget, I had a difficult time finding a cost effective solution.  Then one day at my local fabric store, I found upholstery webbing.... at 69 cents a yard!

Viola!!!!  An inexpensive and striking trim! (As a side note: I bought 3 panels and split one in half to add to the other two in order to beef  them up.)

Finally, my last "cheapo" window treatment is in my presently "scary office" (which is a story for another day, so no photo.)  These do involve sheets...

Years ago I lived in a studio apartment in Chicago and I fashioned a room divider from a hand-painted, canvas fabric and sheets. I made 3 panels and hung them from the ceiling on dowel rod, fishing line and hooks to create a bedroom.  These panels have made an appearance in each home I have lived in since, in one form or another, and I still love the hand painted fabric.... (does it date me?!)

So, the lesson is, don't sacrifice great looks because of your budget.... sheets, tablecloths, upholstery webbing, or "old" treatments can be the basis of a fabulous window treatment.

What clever things have you used in creating your window decor?

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? If so please contact me,
I would love to help!