Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Search for The Perfect Curtains

Ah, internet, you are failing me. Anybody know of some swanky boutique fabric shop online that sells tastefully mod yet understated large-scale prints? It's going to be hard to describe what I'm looking for, which is perhaps part of the problem (who..am.. i?) The back room has two big windows plus big french doors with no mullions. When we're back there, in the daytime, it's lovely. There are times, though, that it's not; like, when we're not there and the sun beating in drives the thermostat crazy, or when it's dark, and the entire wall amounts to a large, dark, light-sucking void. (This is especially troublesome when you're home alone after your dog has tried to make a snack of a baby bunny in the back yard and you're convinced that said baby bunny's mother is going to come after you, Bunnicula-style, for continuing to fraternize with the beast.) Right. Anyway. The point is, there are good reasons to make curtains. The windows already have some really nice roman shades on them, so I'm concentrating on the french doors. I'm envisioning an oversized drapery rod with finials, and those big rings with clips on the bottom to hold up the fabric. C.f.:
They shouldn't be too fussy, because most of the time, it won't be pulled across the doors. Just when we need it, to, you know, hide us from angry rabbits. So.. the fabric. After searching (fruitlessly) I realized I was envisioning something kind of similar to a binder I bought at Target. Unfortunately, the company that makes them isn't in the business of drapery fabric. (I checked.): They're all pretty fun. I have the one on the bottom right--the wavy orange/green/blue-gray--which, coincidentally, are pretty great colors for what I need it for. Anyway, the search turned up some possibilities: Retrodepot's "Looped (Citrus)": (probably too bright, but I like the scale and the pattern):
Totally different, but I like it (Waverly "Chippendale Fretwork"):
Hmm? (Waverly "Garden Lattice"):
And another: (Waverly "Pindot"):
Anyway. I'm not super excited about any of them. It can't compete too much with the orange plaid couch; the roman blinds are pretty neutral, so I'm not too worried about clashes there. I'm open to suggestions. It may be worth mentioning that I got a lot of leftover orange plaid back from the upholsterer--I could imagine using some of it as a stripe, or something, but don't want it all to get too match-y. Thoughts?

6 comments:

  1. that binder pattern would be perfect for the curtains!! are you sure they don't make drapes?

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  2. Arg. I wish. I'm pretty sure if I wrote them a letter asking them to make me drapes out of their binders, they'd laugh. Then throw it away.

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  3. Two words:
    Silk Screen Project!

    OK, three words...

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  4. But YOU could make drapes out of the binders!

    OK, I know should probably not even ask, but you've looked at Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters and West Elm and such, right? Seems like that *type* of pattern is very big in the design-y world right now.

    Other recent sightings:

    www.jennyleekatz.com
    www.modgreenpod.com
    www.daisyjanie.com
    Cicada Studio on Etsy

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  5. Citrus, I like. aun ty

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  6. So...this wouldn't work with the (ahem) orange plaid couch, BUT. When I saw one of those Target notebooks, I immediately thought of this:

    http://www.bhg-digital.com/bhg/200803/?pg=132

    The zinnia duvet cover is from Garnet Hill, and I love the way this woman paired it with another patterned fabric in blue (!!). I think it all looks pretty awesome.

    Anyway. I've heard people make curtains out of duvet covers (and I guess they line them?)... maybe you'd already seen this and thought it was decidedly horrid?

    -maria

    (Oh. And I am a good friend of Florence's, which is how I found this lovely and hilarious blog of yours.)

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