It’s Gettin Hot In Hur, So Add Some Bamboo Blinds. I am, getting so hot, I’m gonna put some blinds uuup. Picture me singing that while installing each of these four blinds. On repeat. While John rolled his eyes.
Actually it was less about heat and more about that ever-elusive p word: privacy. Just during the day (we don’t use the sunroom at night) but it’s hard to make a room with an entire wall of windows feel private and cozy. So we reasoned that bamboo blinds + the fence that we added outside for our patio (which you can see through the windows here thanks to this photography trick from Kate) just might do the trick.
We opted to go with the same bamboo blinds that we got from Home Depot for the office (they’re called Mirada if that helps anyone find them). This time we needed four 30″ bamboo blinds (which were $19 per shade) but they didn’t sell them in the store, so we ordered them online (yay for free shipping).
Once they showed up, it was on. Cue me singing and drilling until these babies were up (using the same hanging-method that we detailed here). And just like that, our sunroom was hot. Not temperature wise, attractive wise. I mean come on, if you were a sunroom looking for love, wouldn’t you want to get to know our sunroom? She’s PHAT (pretty hot and tempting).
Aaaaand now that I’ve successfully managed to out-nerd my dad (didn’t think I could and then my fingers just went rogue) I’ll just share the other after pics:
The cool thing is that the blinds + the patio fence do sort of “meet in the middle” to provide some privacy from the house next door (the fence blocks the bottom 2/3 of the window from view, and the blinds handle the top 1/3). Daytime privacy goal: achieved.
Not to mention that we love the texture and the warm tones that they bring into to the room. They balance other wood items, like the side table…
… and the wooden doily stretcher on the wall (a $4 thrift store score)…
…along with the homemade bike print frames on the other side of the room…
Hubba hubba.
In short, this was the view of the room from the sliding door in the living room before:
And now it looks like this:
And a crazy chopped-up room that looked like this when we moved in…
… now looks like this.
I’m itching to paint the dainty legs of that round table next to the egg chair a nice dark tone. Maybe chocolate or charcoal? I think it’ll set off the granite top just right. And see that orange strip of wood under the sliding door? Gotta go white with that to match the trim.
Is any window-rectifying-action going on in your house? Let’s talk about blinds bay-bee, let’s talk about you and me…
Rene @thedomesticlady says
lol. this post cracked me up. Can I ask you a question? Do you think the natural shades give as much privacy after dark as regular blinds? Or are they more see through. I am trying to convince my husband to install natural shades in our house.
http://thedomesticlady.com/2013/04/23/gift-ideas-my-15-personalized-wall-art-baby-gift/
YoungHouseLove says
I think they sell lined ones for nighttime privacy, but during the daytime these guys block well (we don’t really go in the sunroom at night :)
xo,
s
JenB says
We put them up in our family room and you really can’t see in at night. You can kind of see movement and shadows, but nothing you can really make out from the street. We love ours.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo,
s
Christine says
We got the lined ones and they really do provide a ton of privacy. I just adore mine.
Jenelle says
We have these exact blinds in our living room. My sister told me she can see everything that goes on in our house at night. So now we have curtains, too. :)
Also, Sherry and John, in addition to having the exact same blinds, we also have the exact same gray color on the wall and white trim on long, vertical windows. It’s freaky how similar it all is.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! I love it.
xo
s
Lindsey d. says
Mine do not offer any kind of nighttime privacy. You can see everything from the street (about 20 feet away) when the lights are on inside. No problems during the day, though…
sarah b says
on the advice of the lettered cottage blog i purchased these blinds from home depot. they are completely private at night and you don’t need a lining. i love them!
http://www.homedepot.com/p/designview-Maple-Providence-Bamboo-Roman-Shade-Price-Varies-by-Size-0213255/202025453?keyword=designview+Maple+Providence+Bamboo+Roman+Shade#.UXbfh0rCuPM
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Sue says
Love it ! Warms it up, while cooling it down!
Brenda says
Wow, I love how it warms up the space! Privacy and beauty all in one is a definite win.
Chelsea @ Riding Escalators says
Oooo la la! I love the texture and the warmth that they add to the room! My current window project is to paint some bold stripes onto some white IKEA curtains instead of paying $100 for each panel!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds really fun!
xo,
s
Kate | This Wandering Life says
It’s amazing how good a room can look with just a few additions! …And thanks for the photography tip!
Chelsea @ Riding Escalators says
I second that – I pinned it for future reference!
sunnie says
Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but where did you get that daybed? Its wonderful, just what I’m looking for! And the miranda shades…..have them in every window at my house….. Sunroom looks warm and inviting.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! The daybed is from West Elm a few years back :)
xo,
s
Jen says
I love the blinds with the rug in there!
I usually smile at your punny post titles, but this song is one of my favorite fun songs so I got extra amusement out of it first thing in the morning – Thanks!
Anne @ Planting Sequoias says
Wow! These really do warm up the room a ton! I keep thinking a room of yours is done and then you go and add something more and I’m like, sheesh, that looks way better! Haha.
Chelsea says
Very nice! They bring some warmth in to that room. And now I’ll have Nelly stuck in my head all day but I’m okay with that. Did you ever go to Vynl when you lived in NYC? Their bathrooms are “themed” after different musicians and one is Nelly and it plays that song in the bathroom and it’s kind of awesome.
YoungHouseLove says
Never been but it sounds like fun!
xo,
s
Leanne says
I currently have bamboo blinds on my garden doors. They are so practical and natural looking. Great job:)
Yadira Batres says
I love the blinds,
so cute is really coming along.
ya should make a cute fabric cover for the day bed so it would pop more, I’m not sure if that’s in the plans yet or not, but ether way is cute, cute.
All the wood tones are really warming up the room, making things hotter for john and the bike print hahah
lots of love to you guys
<3 Yadi
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah a new daybed cover would be fun!
xo,
s
esther says
Love them! We’ve just moved to our new home and are still figuring out what to do with some windows. I really like the look of these bamboo blinds but worry that it still shows too much in the evening when you have the lights on inside??
YoungHouseLove says
You can get lined ones for nighttime privacy :)
xo,
s
Cathy says
Esther, we have bamboo blinds (not matchstick) in our front room, which is also where our TV is located; the bamboo offers the same look with more privacy. When you drive up to our house at night and the blinds are drawn, it looks completely dark, even when people are in the room with both the lights and TV on (always amazes me, actually, because during the day I can see light through the tiny slits). One thing you could try: buy a shade that’s returnable and try it at night with one person holding up the shade and the other spying outside. The lined ones are an option, but it increases the cost and weight, which makes hanging and use more difficult, in my experience.
esther says
Thanks for the response both! Don’t think I’ve seen the lined ones here, will have a look for them. And Cathy, that’s a good idea about just holding it up to see what it looks like during the evening with lights on, before actually drilling the holes and hanging it :) Thanks!
Emma says
We have those blinds in the den too (boyfriend works at Home Depot), problem with them is that they offer no privacy whatsoever. If you’re outside looking in at night you can see straight in. So be careful with your naked dancing in the sunroom guys :p
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Oh yes we use the sunroom during the day (think Sunday afternoon) so there aren’t night activities in there :)
xo,
s
Jessica says
Love the texture that the bamboo brings…but mainly just love that I’m 2nd to comment!!! I usually don’t leave comments because it’s more work for you…but usually I’m not awake on Facey at 10.52pm in Australia!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha I love it!
xo,
s
Ali B. says
Looks great! It really does help the wood side table balance out. And I was just thinking the same thing about the little table by the egg chair. Glad you’re thinking about painting it.
Analise says
LOVE the layered, textured look that those blinds add to the space! Do you think you’ll add sheers or white curtains over them (a la your first house), or leave as-is?
PS I’ll be singing “It’s Getting Hot in Herre” (weren’t there multiple r’s?) all day, so thanks for that! Haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Curtains would be so nice! There’s a heating & air conditioner unit that would block them I think, but it would be pretty!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Was 2nd!! haha
Emily A. says
Hi – I love that pig pillow!
Can you tell me where you got it from?
Thanks,
Emily
PS. blinds look great!
I love the look and feel of bamboo blinds!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! That was HomeGoods a while back!
xo,
s
Sarah says
That song cracks me up…my fiance and I sing our own silly version about being moderately warm – I am getting so warm, I’m gonna roll me sleeves up. Uber nerds.
Sarah says
*my…my sleeves. D’oh.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
Katie says
When I was in high school my friends and I used to sing, “It’s getting cold in here, so put on all your clothes; I am getting so cold, I’m gonna put my jacket on” haha!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I can’t wait to serenade John.
xo,
s
Lisa M says
Love how they ground the room, and especially love the added privacy! We’re putting a roof over our deck this summer and I can’t wait to have something to attach them to for the same reason – I can finally sit on my deck in privacy from my backyard neighbors! :)
Kathryn says
YES! Function aspects aside, it really makes the room feel finished in a way that didn’t even seem unfinished! (if that makes a lick of sense). I love it when that happens!
Venia | Organized Bites says
I love bamboo blinds…I love the tone and texture they lend to our living room and foyer. But, I will say that ours work a lot like a theater scrim. They’re opaque from the outside during the day, but at night with the interior lights on…not so much. They obscure the view of what’s going on inside, but they don’t conceal it. Fortunately, like you, we have a privacy wall that blocks the main window…and, I just make sure I don’t walk around the foyer “in my birthday suit” at night. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, lined ones work better for night, we just wanted daytime privacy since that’s when we use the sunroom :)
xo,
s
Julie says
You can also get unlined ones with more privacy. We have them in our master bathroom which is located – inexplicably – right next to our front door and you can’t see in at any time. I think they come in varying degrees of light-blocking styles.
Ásta Júlía Aðalsteinsdóttir says
Wow I love the colors in the room. I agree I would paint the legs on the table. Then it would fit right in ;)
heather says
“Let’s talk about blinds bay-bee, let’s talk about you and me…”
Let’s talk about all the good blinds, and the bad blinds, that we see, let’s talk about blinds (let’s talk about blinds).
I CAN’T HELP MYSELF.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha me either!
xo,
s
Rebecca @This Nest is Best says
Love that you did more bamboo blinds! I just love the texture and warmth they add. And I can’t believe how much this room has changed!
We added some similar blinds to our dining room recently – http://thisnestisbest.com/2013/04/11/dining-room-updates-laying-the-foundation/
Still waiting for our room to have as much of a “progress” feel as your sunroom does, though!
YoungHouseLove says
It’ll get there Rebecca! Congrats on the updates!
xo,
s
Tonya says
I was inspired by the bamboo shade in your office to put bamboo shades in our newly renovated master bedroom. I had been thinking about making burlap roman shades but the bamboo seemed to click. I found 2 bamboo shades at JcPenny on CLEARANCE for $13.00 for 2 blinds! EEK-super excited :)
YoungHouseLove says
Holy cow that’s awesome!
xo,
s
Quinn Cooper says
You have done an amazing job with this room. Looks super cozy and generally an awesome place to hang out.
The bamboo blinds definitely add a nice touch and some privacy!
xo Quinn
Quinn Cooper Style
Penny says
That pic of John making out with himself will never fail to crack me up.
Johanna says
I have loved watching the transformation of the sun room… Amazing job! It looks so warm and cozy… Combine that with the deck, and I don’t think I’d spend time anywhere else this summer! Enjoy it guys!! :)
Shannon says
The shades definitely help balance out the other brown/dark tones in the room! Yay!
Bob says
Could you please post a picture of the new bamboo blinds in the sun room? Would love to see what it looks like!
Christine @ www.idratherbesweating.com says
The blinds look great! I must admit, I used your look from your old house with the bamboo blinds and white curtains in my family room and it turned out great. Now I am thinking about adding the bamboo blinds to my breakfast nook. Currently I have cafe curtains up but I am “over” them and they feel a little too country. Seeing your sunroom now makes me want them more!
Jeanna says
Love the new blinds….. they really warm up the space :)
Stacey says
Hahahahaha – worst post title to date and I have read your blog from post #1 ;) Our power went out when I was gonna comment on Rose The Vine last week (I snorted tea at the Titanic reference). The after pic is amazing – there’s actually a house behind there!
Misty says
Love it!!! It adds so much warmth to the room too!
julie (etsy stalkers) says
We remodeled our house and ran out of money when it came to window treatments. It’s now 6 months later and we’re just getting around to buying them. Something tells me my neighbors aren’t enjoying the sheets on my kids’ windows.
Jen says
Looks so nice in there! And unrelated, but I really love that guest room. It looks so beautiful in there too, kind of reminds me of this place Palomar that we stayed at in Chicago for a wedding recently. I think it is the boldness.
I also can’t get over that photo tip or that you guys have mastered it. You know, there are technique-sensitive aspects to what I do for a living so I it should really come as no surprise that the same is true for something like photographing interiors or photo editing in general. Yet I am still sitting here like a total idiot shocked that photos can be layered in this way.
Thanks for sharing. I love to learn something new everyday. :)
Sumati says
You’ve just convinced me to go with a darker wood blind in our new house instead of white. We are building a house (moving into it in less than 2 weeks!!) and the walls are light gray with white trim.
Jenna says
I would love to replace our white wood slat blinds with bamboo in our dining room, but I don’t dislike our current blinds at all so I can’t really justify it. Darn. Your sunroom is really coming along nicely!
Alisa says
We have both in our living room! The white wood slat blinds are interior mounted so we mounted the bamboo on the exterior so we have the option of using one or the other.
aimee says
the shades look really nice!
Are there any more plans for the daybed sheet/cover? I want to love this room, but it just so much gray. It looks great on the walls, but the gray sheet looks so sad to me. I think a bright fun color or pattern would really brighten the whole thing up.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes I’d love to update that :)
xo,
s
Brittney says
Love them! Have you tried the lighter shade of bamboo blinds? I am trying to convince the hubs to get some bamboo blinds for our living room and dining room. We have really dark (almost black) bamboo floors and he thinks they would clash. What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
I would bring one of each home and hold them up to see. A little fashion show. Haha! They’re happy to take back the one you don’t want.
xo,
s
Megan says
I love it!! I also love how they are all at the same height. The OCD in me would not be able to leave the room if they were not!
James says
Another thumbs up for the bamboo blinds here too, Sherry. Would love to get some here except for the lack of privacy that might result.
Melanie says
Love the room!
Are there any future plans for changing out the tile floor or are you happy with it? Looks like it’s in good shape.
YoungHouseLove says
We debated putting cork in there but the tile is in great shape and when we later in the rug it’s not too bad.
xo,
s
Aaron says
Ok guys, I went ahead and bought Miranda for our living room after your post about her in the office. I love her, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out how to get her to go up like you guys have her in these pictures. For me, she just wants to roll up when I pull the cords. What’s the trick to taming the fickle Miranda?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we just installed it and pulled the cord to let it all the way down and then pulled it halfway so it went up to this height. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
They look great!
We have bamboo blinds on our slider (4 vertical panels) and as much as I love them, I think we’re going to replace them soon. I realize just how much I can see out during the day and I think about how the reverse would be true at night for people walking their dogs and now that they’re building behind us foot traffic is bound to jump. I don’t know what we’ll use to replace them yet but it’ll be fun looking for deals.
Kami says
I am waiting on my JCP purchase. Bamboo blinds for a picture window and one for a smaller window in the living room that I painted Moonshine (with some encouragement from your site!).
Molly says
Ok slightly unrelated fencing question… We have a spot much like yours that looks directly from our patio to our neighbor’s patio/hot tub. W would like to do a few panels of privacy fence that would connect our garage and a tree line, but I’m worried our neighbors will be mad/think we don’t like them (they are very nice, but it’s awkward to eat outside when they or their kids are in the hot tub, and their dog run ends at the tre line too so their dog and our dogs just bark away at each other). Thoughts??
YoungHouseLove says
I would chat them up about it sweetly to warn them it’s coming (not asking them, just giving them a friendly explanation about how you’d like more privacy by the hot tub (I’d make some joke about not wanting to flaunt my bathing suit body, haha!).
xo,
s
Megan W. says
I love the blinds and how they warm up the room! Quick question – where is the bowl on the coffee table from? I couldn’t find it on the source list page. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s TJ Maxx a while back :)
xo,
s
Nicole says
Are you guys thinking of selling this house soon? It seems like you’re making a lot of changes lately that would make a house more sell-able.
YoungHouseLove says
I think we’re just in that phase of room decorating when we need things like blinds. Haha! We tend not to “change” our style to sell a house, so we try to just make decisions we love, not do “things that sell” just because with our first house we learned that we didnt need to repaint or take down all the personal art to sell :)
xo,
s
lees says
annnnnd, that would be a yes to your question since there wasn’t a total “no” response. haha. we know you guys are sellling soon. haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Fixing up old houses is our love, not to mention our livelihood, so we’re open to selling or buying a rental or even a beach house. We can’t wait to see where we end up!
xo,
s