Since we finally tiled our master shower a few short weeks ago, I was determined this past weekend to finally put some finishing touches on the master bathroom.  You regular readers know that since our remodel of 2006, our master bathroom has been nothing more than a storage closet, until about ten months ago.  We’ve slowly been finishing out the space.  First the tile floor, then the cabinets and countertops, and lately, the finish tile for the master bathtub and shower.

Over the weekend, I spent most of my free time doing mundane and completely non-postworthy tasks like trimming, caulking and painting baseboards.  But I also took on a project that I’ve been wanting to finish for years.

Way back in 2006, I found a floor sample window panel at Bombay Company that I fell in love with.  I didn’t care that it was the last one left.  I wanted the fabric to someday make a roman shade for my master bathroom.

At last, I was able to finally create it this past weekend.  Here she is, in all her glory, with her new best friend, silver chandy:

I learned that with some concentration and a little effort, I could make a roman shade all on my own without turning to those expensive window treatment companies.

Here’s how.

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I am in the middle of a remodel of my home office.  I originally envisioned elegant window panels scaling the wall from floor to ceiling.  But then I realized that if I am surrounding my window with cabinetry and shelving, then the idea of dramatic curtain panels had to go, well, out the window.  But I still needed a touch of fabric to cover the less than lovely white blinds.

I’ve made window valances before so I constructed yet another valance for my home office with the same technique I’ve used before, but this time, I added a soft swag.  I found this curtain on clearance at Lowes for $7.

How to Make a No Sew Swag Window Valance:

A note on fabric choice:  Since you’ll be using a lined curtain turned on its side to construct your valance, choose a solid, or a pattern that looks good when you flip the pattern horizontal instead of vertical.

Supplies:

1. Curtain panel long enough to run width (not length) of window
2. Staple gun
3. Fusible web for bonding fabric (sold as Stitch Witchery or Heat-n-Bond at fabric stores)
4. 1/2 inch x 2 inch thick pine, birch or poplar board from home improvement store, cut to length of valance
5. 1.5 inch “L” Brackets
6. Iron

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Step One:  Choose where you want your valance to sit above your window, then measure the length of fabric you’ll need to cover the top of the board, and hang down over your window.  Cut fabric to chosen length.

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Step Two:  Trim side of curtain panel to width of valance, plus 2 extra inches on sides.  Use the fusible web, a hot iron, and a moist cloth to bond your fabric together to form a clean hem.

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Step Three:  Press your fabric with an iron to remove any wrinkles, then staple it to the top of your wood board, leaving 2 inches overlap on each side.  Trim off any excess fabric on the top.

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Step Four:  Wrap your fabric around the side of your board and secure side with a small staple.

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Step Five:  Locate studs on wall, then position your “L” brackets on your valance to match up to the wall studs.  Screw valance into wall.

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Step Six:  To swag your valance, pinch your fabric together, then secure with a safety pin.  If you experience too much “droop” in the middle of your valance, and it pulls away from the window’s edge, one trick is to secure your fabric to the wall underneath the fold with a small tack.  It works !

Step back and enjoy your inexpensive and homemade swag valance.

Now I just need to install those gigantic cabinets!

You know how you look at some design element in your home over and over, and it just doesn’t look right, and you just can’t put your finger on why? (Enter blogger helpers…) That’s the story behind my kitchen window valance. It’s a large picture window that looks out into my garden in the backyard, so I didn’t want to obstruct the view, I only wanted to add some soft fabric detail. The wall paint is a dijon color, the wall cabinets are white, and the center island cabinets are this complimentary butternut color:

The original fabric I chose to create the first valance last year was a Waverly rooster toile. The problem with the original valance was that the fabric’s yellow background was the color of American mustard, while the wall color was more Dijon mustard, and with the clashing of these two yellows, the walls finally exclaimed, “Excusez-moi”.

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Many window treatment companies offer fabric valances for hundreds of dollars.  A (plain basic) valance from Smith and Noble similar to my final product was featured for $260. 

I am transitioning our bonus room from a toddler playroom into a media/game/art room.  I have chosen spice colors in burnt orange, green, espresso, and cream as the base colors to blend with the rest of our home.  I found a plaid lined 84” curtain at our local Bed, Bath and Beyond store on clearance for $15.  I liked the fabric for its color scheme, its lining, and its price!  (This fabric would cost twice as much by the yard without any lining at a fabric store.)

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