Creating with Window Coverings

My window covering motivation came with moving into a new old house. It was built in the forties, with high ceilings and a sizable sunroom. Some changes have been made, like a single pane of glass covering the two large picture window areas, rather than an actual working window. The two window areas of the large living room take a space of about five feet by eight feet, being tall and extending up high. Neither window will open. I have a lightly tinted pane of glass in both windows, and each can be covered by shutting the attached hinged wooden shutters, from the inside of the house. The previous tennant/landlord left the shutters half painted--painted on the living room side but still bare wood, and paint drips facing outside.

The dining room has another similar patio door-sized window, as well as three regular windows. The northeast facing kitchen has two corner windows, plus the window above the sink. That window is currently leaking cold air into the house, and I have window covering plans to cut off some of the breeze. All I have to do is hang long curtains between rooms, which you can see great examples of in time shorts like the Three Stooges short films. Use a curtain rod, or thread some wire through the slits in the top of the curtain. Check out the period decoration of the era in their films. You will see classic examples of a past period in time.

I have one new pedastle sink, and one old-timey stuck on the wall sink. I had heard that a skirt could be hung around the bottom of the sink, to block the view of pipes. I recently saw a working example on a Stooges short.

The master bedroom on the southeast of the house has two corner windows, another single similar window, and a small pane glass in the door which opens to the sunroom. The large room on the southwest side of the house has three windows which match the other bedroom. The second bedroom also has two closets, and a front door.

When this old house was moved from its original location to its present location, it was turned a quarter so it would fit on the lot. The house was originally long, facing toward the street. What appears on my curb is a red brick kitchen and dining room, the shortest width of the house.

The result of this is that the house looks like nothing from the street. A very samll brired brick house with an attached carport The front yard is about 15 feet by 15 feet, with a couple of tall trees, and a few items of my garden furniture. There is a carport attached to the kitchen side of the northeast front, and it has a usually door which opens into the sunroom--truly a room to be flooded with morning sun, dimensions about 20 feet by 15 feet, with three levels of windows facing east. On the house side are four French doors, which do totally close, and have to be kept clean, whatever else happens. There are so many opportunities for hangin curtains, or partially blocking the view, that I haven't even counted. I don't think the sunny side was meant to be covered. but the four French doors have panesof glass, and one door still has a previous curtain rod on it.

I began my curtain circus with the idea that I ought to cover at least the front windows so people couldn't see in. People want and need thir privacy. But of myself in particular, I know I need as much daylight in my life as possible. It's a vitamin deficiency I have, particularly in the winter. From personal experience, you know you feel more bright yourself on a sunny day, as compared to your mood on a cloudy and rainy day. I have special lights and bulbs to add the right kind of light to my environment, but electric light can't beat daylight for doing its job.

As a decorator, you have several choices on what type of material to use as windowq covering, We have the store bought choice of pull down Roman shades, venetian blinds, mini-blinds, shutters, and a variety in styles of curtains. Curtains can be made of sheer, see though material, or more opaque material like velvet.

My goal was to cover my windows as inexpensively as possible. If you read much interior decorating, you realize how much color tone and mood come from your choice of window covering. For example, a morning bedroom with windows covered by yellow sheers will brighten a roon ultra sunshine. Blues and grrens, in pastel shades, will create a restful environment.

I'm planning to experiment with afternoon burgandy sheers. I have never been bold about using red in decorating. I usually stick to just small red accents like throw pillows. The experimental burgandy room is what will be my study. I've been slow getting the curtains up in the back of the house. People can't actually see in my house from the back, though the DART Train for Dallas runs right past my back yard. I'm thinking on ways to block out the lights and sound of the train passing, every 15 minutes some times of day,

There's a south window in the shower bathroom, and the master bathroom has an above the toilet window which would open into the study. I can see a street light four or five houses down at night, but I don't think I have potential peepers from that direction.

With my intention to block the visibility from inside my house, I've come to realize I made a basic problem from the start. It's not a problem really, but sheer curtains are somewhat transluscent. Depending on the lighting, one can see right through sheers, with the possible exception of distortion due to gathers falling across the perspective.

I went shopping for sheers on the Internet, because I figured I would find the best price. Sometimes I got new, sometimes I got old, but I purchased black and white sheers, one window of safari type sheers, and several long window scarves in a cheeta pattern--two or three different cheeta patterns before my shopping was all over with.

I am happy with the way the black sheers are working out. They do allow a bit of brightness to penetrate the room, which you wouldn't suspect black to do. It's because the light can still come through the weave of the material. There's a black set of panels in my eyeline view through the front of the house. I can see movement out the window, but I can't make much out other than that. Logically, with the distortion of the gathers at the top of the curtain, as well as having a long zebra scarf draping the window, I believe it is covered sufficiently to keep my private business private.

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