Young House Love

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Using Fabric Swatches To Choose Bedroom Curtains

Curtains. We need ’em for our bedroom. After all, we’ve got some good momentum going in this room and we can’t wait to get more color in there (excuse this pic taken before the mirror went white):

Painting Window Angle

After debating things like a deep blue or a shimmery silver color, we agreed that we wanted to DIY some curtains (using this method) that brought out the golden green leaves on our new duvet. We also agreed that we didn’t want to do something too patterned because it would just compete with the large-scale print on the bed (and it is a bedroom so we want it to feel somewhat restful instead of energetic/cray-zay). So with a color in our heads (and a few similar paint swatches for reference in Sherry’s purse) we began the hunt for a plain or subtly patterned curtain option in that greeny-gold hue.

And boy was it a hunt (lots of hunting references today, apparently).

I’ll spare you a store-by-store play-by-play, but basically if it sold fabric and it was in Richmond, we went there. Probably twice. It was partially our fault for being naively hopeful the first day of hunting (yes, it was a multi-day mission). After bypassing lots of options for fear of not being “interesting enough,” – or not being “the perfect color” or “the right price” – we snagged one measly fabric sample as the last store closed that we hit up that evening (U-Fab for any locals wondering where it came from). That way at least we wouldn’t be coming home empty handed.

Fabric Original One

Verdict: it was too lime and not gold enough in person. Not that we wanted it to be a perfect match (we actually prefer a bit of subtle variation so it doesn’t look too Stepford Wives perfect), but this fella didn’t even feel like he belonged in the family. We also realized that even a small pattern was probably too much for our duvet to handle (as soon as we laid our scrap of fabric down on the bed we felt all jittery and scrambled- not exactly the calm smooth vibe we’re going for). Which was kinda sad, because you know we love a good geometric print. And we don’t mind mixing and matching prints and patterns when they can coexist a bit more easily.

So on Day Two we overcompensated and took home samples of everything that had even a remote chance of working. You never really know until you get things in your own space anyway (store lighting is so different than real house lighting).

Fabric Swatch Pile

From this bunch we pulled out our two strongest contenders. One was a heavy linen-looking swatch (left) and the other was a rich feeling suede-ish dude (right).

Fabric Two Contenders

We were torn between the two… until we taped them on the wall. That was a game changer. We figured judging them on the wall and in the lighting they’d get everyday was the only true way to make a decision (since light bounces off things that are flat on a bed differently than things that are hanging vertically on the wall). And look what happened:

Fabric Two On Wall

They totally turned brown on us! Boy was the whole wall-taping thing a good call. Suddenly both of them looked much darker and much less greeny gold than they did when they were basking directly under the overhead light on the bed. We quickly realized both would weigh the room down more than we wanted, which is how we found ourselves embarking on Day Three of the hunt – which would include going to a store that we mindlessly missed on Day One: Hancock Fabrics. Sometimes we skip the chains in favor of the fun local guys, but we’re glad we gave Hancock a chance. It’s where we found this happy little swatch:

Fabric Winning Swatch

I know, big whoop. But since we were on the verge of giving up completely, it was a huge whoop for us. He was close to the duvet cover, but a bit greener and cheerier – just a tad more avocado than golden. No pattern, just a subtle rib – but the semi heavy feel of the fabric (which my wife describes as “cotton duck-esque” for those who know what that means and don’t think it sounds like a cartoon character or a dish on Top Chef). Oh and we forget to mention the best news yet, since Hancock was having a 50% off sale (cha-ching) it was actually the cheapest swatch that we had seen in all three days of our little fabric hoarding expedition, ringing in at just $8.49/yard. So even though it took going to two Hancock Fabric locations to find enough yardage (12.5 yards total – which should cover both windows and a closet panel), we were thrilled to come home with it. And excited to regain feeling in our butts after all of that driving around. Seriously, three cheers to Clara for being such an amazing car-seat-lovin’ fool baby. Here are our spoils after that last fabric run:

Fabric Leaning On Wall

Now we just have to get around to cutting, hemming, and hanging them (notice we grabbed rods and ring clips for about $40 total from Target – I think that was sometime on Day Two). From the looks of things so far, these curtains and our duvet are going to be fast friends.

Fabric Through Bed

And don’t mind those wrinkles in the duvet. It just means it’s well loved.

Psst- Check out our cute niece and nephews (at least their profiles) and see how we made John’s parents all misty eyed here on Babycenter.

Comments

  1. mary W. says

    So I totally think you guys are divine, but I’m now wondering if you are planning on re-staining the floors since (although they are spectacular!!) they are looking super orangey in that last pic next to the green, no? Could just be the photo, I trust you will come up with something that is pure magic*

    Reply

  2. Erin says

    Oh a vacation property would be awesome!! I know you would totally want a completely different vibe for that… or at least I imagine you would. It would be so cool to see how you interpret vacation in a home design.

    P.S. You sure have a lot of “Erin” fans. HAHA

    Reply

  3. Megan says

    I don’t know if this has been asked and answered, but how do you keep Clara happy during your shopping trips? My daughter is 2 and a half, and she gets really impatient in the store, especially when my husband and I are talking over various options, or discussing various solutions… I have some sad/funny pictures of her sobbing in Home Depot. She does love the paint chips, but I only allow her to pick two per trip – she’d ravage the display if I let her loose. If y’all have figured out a way to avoid store meltdowns, I’d love to hear it!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ok, this is embarassing, but singing always works. So if we want to talk through something sometimes we have to sing our conversation. Like ” I love this swatch so much so much! I hope it works, it works it works!”

      Probably won’t work forever but it works for now. Haha. Oh and she loves playing with my Kroger card. Like she’s shopping. So cute. Anyone have ideas for keeping a 2.5 year old entertained for Megan?

      xo,
      s

  4. Heather @ REOlisticRenovation says

    Good choice! I like that you went with something more plain. I think some of these prints that everyone is loving at the moment we might all be really bored of soon. I like more simple window coverings because then you can make changes in the room without the whole look getting compromised. The color is pretty!

    Reply

  5. Shauna says

    See, this is why I love your blog. I would have been so quick to just buy the first thing I saw (in your case the first fabric) because I think that would have been great, but then you guys go and pick something that looks even MORE perfect! I’m currently searching for fabric for my bedroom and closet door/curtain (I guess closet curtain, it just feels weird to call it that!) but I’m so overwhelmed!
    Hey did you guys see West Elm has all of their bedding 20% off? I know it doesn’t help you guys since you just bought new bedding and all, but I thought I’d pass it along in case anyone else was looking for some. I also bought new bedding from there about two weeks ago but I haven’t taken it out of the package or anything yet. Wondering if I can return/rebuy it since like I said, I haven’t even touched it yet! Hmmm..

    Reply

  6. Heidi says

    i CAN. NOT. WAIT. to see the final product! chartreuse is my all-time favorite color, and i’ll probably be making a handful of curtains in this exact color when i buy a house later this year! :-D

    Reply

  7. Kait says

    I love the no-sew curtains and was just thinking about doing it that way myself (even though I love to sew!). Looking back on the nursery pics I was thinking that if you wanted them to be a little more substantial/weighty/sun-blocking, you could line them with one more strip of hem tape to stick all the layers together! So, just a thought for you and your readers!

    So excited to see it come together!!

    Reply

  9. the ravenna girls says

    Great deal on the fabric – I buy a lot, and for something with a substantial weight to make nice curtains, thats a great deal. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Norfolk (my bf lives there), so maybe I’ll have to mosey up to Richmond since it sounds like you’ve got some great fabric stores to check out. Can’t wait until you guys share what will be happening with the ceiling fan since its right in front of the curtains I’m sure you’ll find something to really play off that pretty color!

    Reply

  10. Wiggs (The Beholder) says

    Love the curtains, but I get what you mean about being sad you can’t use pattern.

    WHICH GOT ME THINKING!!!

    You could open up your pattern options elsewhere in the future (an upholstered bench?) if you got a nice blanket to have on the foot of your bed and cover some of the pattern. I have a white knitted throw on my bed and it completely softens the look. You don’t even have to cover the whole foot – I always spend like 10 minutes in the morning making the blanket look like it’s just been tossed there on the corner. I can’t believe I just admitted that.

    Reply

  11. Charity says

    I am going to be one of those annoying people right now…ready, go!
    Get white window hardware! Don’t do the black :( The crispness of white with your room will make it pop… after all, you want your mirror and window rod to be friends, right?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Charity,

      It’s actually oil-rubbed bronze (not black), but we love how it looks like eyeliner in a room! We used it in our last house (full of white curtains and light slipcovered sofas) and we love the dimension and impact it makes. Check it out here in Clara’s room with her playful curtains. Even looks at home in a nursery. At least to us – it’s definitely a personal preference thing!

      xo,
      s

  14. Kasaundra says

    Congratulations on finding the perfect curtain material! It’s so hard finding just the right pattern/shade/material. That’s why our living room windows are still curtain-less! You guys are so on top of things. Love it!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Pretty darn crazy. If you asked either of us what we’d do three years ago we wouldn’t have guessed where we’d end up today. Not in a million years!

      xo,
      s

  16. Christy says

    I love the way everything is coming together, but I had a little epiphany while looking at the pictures. Your new master bedroom looks an awful lot like Clara’s bedroom in the old house. The color scheme is very similar. Did you realize that? I know you are trying to take some color risks in the new casa, so I was just wondering.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s funny! The green is a lot more yellowy-green than it was in Clara’s room, more like chartreuse. But there’s some aqua and some pops of color, so we can see it! We’ll be adding in some other colors as we go though! Stay tuned. And of course when it comes to the whole house palette we have that rich deep blue-green that we used on the backs of the bookcases in the living room that we’ll be working in, among some other bold colors we’ve never embraced before! Wahoo. Can’t wait.

      xo,
      s

  17. Aimee says

    I am so jealous of how quickly you guys tackle projects and finish rooms!

    I am always waiting to save money, or get a break from school, or the weather to be warmer….it never ends. :/

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey John,

      Yes, we don’t seem to have a need for it anymore, so we’ll be putting it up on craigslist soon. It’ll be nice to put the money that we make from selling it towards the new one. And we’ll share the craigslist link for any locals who are interested when we do!

      xo,
      s

  22. Blaine says

    Great choice. Maybe it’s the photography, but your bedroom looks massive from some of those angles. What are the dimensions? Just curious.

    Signed,
    Dreaming of more space in my 10 X 12 “master suite”

    Reply

  24. Rachel says

    AS someone who lives in Richmond and desperately needs to make some curtains for her living room, what are your top five places to look for fabric in RVA? I don’t know where to begin my hunt!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We always hit up U-Fab, Williams & Sherrill, The Interior Outlet (right next door to Williams & Sherrill), JoAnn Fabrics, and Hancock Fabrics. Oh and Hobby Lobby now too. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  27. Deborah says

    Just wondering if the curtain fabric is machine washable? Do you wash or dry clean the fabric before you make them into curtains?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Deborah,

      Yup, it’s washable. We always recommend washing fabric before making curtains to account for any shrinkage (although that usually isn’t a problem now that a lot of fabrics are pre-shrunk).

      xo,
      s

  28. Brandy says

    That looks so good! Can’t wait to see them hanging up. Now if you two could just help me redo my master bedroom! I think my problem is our master is so big I get overwhelmed! HELP!

    Reply

  30. Marcie says

    I love draperies and the way they pull a room together. Have you thought about putting a band at the top and using grommets. I did that in my dining room – it was fab! I used a different texture – chocolate velvet but I could see a creamy/white textile of some sort for your room!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s getting saved for a big end-of-year project (probably a quilt and a birthday bunting that we’ll hang every year in celebration of our gal’s big day).

      xo,
      s

  32. Aimee W. says

    I love the color of the fabric that you chose for your curtains, it really goes beautifully with your new awesome duvet! And thank you for posting about U-Fab…I had NO idea that we had a discount fabric store in Richmond! Just goes to show you how often I don’t drive around the city!

    Reply

  34. Erin says

    So I know the entire post was about curtains, but you also mentioned the duvet, which in my brain always begs the question “what’s with a duvet?” Why wouldn’t you just buy a comforter? I mean, you did buy a comforter at some point right, only to cover it up with a cover you so eloquently call a “duvet.” I’ve never really understood the concept – can you shed some light?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Erin,

      It’s totally a personal preference thing but we like the design of West Elm duvets (they make us happy- happier than any comforter we’ve seen, haha) and we also like the concept of just washing the cover (which is a lot less bulky, so it goes through the wash with the sheets very easily as opposed to washing a huge comforter all the time).

      xo,
      s

    • tanya from dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.com says

      I totally heart duvets. I like that you can change and wash the cover easily (much easier than a comforter) and many duvets have great fillings – like down or wool. Yay. If you haven’t tried a down duvet before, head to a department store and curl up in one of their beds with a duvet. So nice and fluffy – like fancy hotel bedding.

  35. Maggie says

    Hey guys – this is totally off topic, but was wondering if you had any recommendations on where to find wallpaper. I’d love to find a fun, “current” pattern for a section of our bathroom but I’m stumped on where to look. Thanks! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Liz,

      We finally got threaded comments to work (something we’ve been coding- and crashing- for weeks now). It means that whenever someone asks a question our response is automatically nested right under it. No more scrolling to find it! And you can “reply” to each other, so if someone says something that you’d like to chat about, you can start your own little side chatter and it’ll all be grouped together in a little sub-comment category! Can you tell we’re excited?

      xo,
      s

  37. Paula/adhocmom says

    I’m OBSESSED with curtains right now. Since we’re moving from an apartment with five windows to a house with I don’t even know how many, I am beyond excited about curtains. I’m like basing decorating decisions around curtains. Seriously, I could discuss curtains like all day.

    Reply

  38. Connie says

    I find it funny that my favorite decorating guru’s are putting up green window treatments against a blue wall. Simply because………those are the colors I have in my family room. I feel like there just may be a little designer somewhere deep inside. I stumbled upon the color combo by accident. When we moved in the house I chose blue for the wall, we put up the green curtains for privacy (still awaiting new window treatments. Not to mention someone gave us a green couch. Now its totally NOT

    Reply

  39. Leslie Ann says

    Do you feel print would have worked if it was more of a floral print, instead of the geometric print? One that could better tie into the duvet?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Leslie Ann,

      I’m a firm believer in the whole “there’s no right answer” and there are probably a million and one ways to skin this cat. A floral print definitely could have worked, it just may have competed with the duvet (or felt too matchy if it was similar in color and scale). So something a lot smaller scale and only in one or two tones (as opposed to having all the same hues and the same large branchy or floral shapes) would probably work best. Who knows though- fabric is one of those things you just have to hold up and see how it looks together for sure! At least that’s how we do it. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  40. Sammy says

    Hey Sherry, where do you keep all your face stuff (i.e. lotion, makeup, etc)? Can you give us a few ideas how to place them in a room without looking cluttered?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Sammy,

      Here’s a post about my makeup & bath products. I’m a total minimalist so my makeup bag actually fits in my purse and just travels around with me most of the time (since I rarely have time to put any on except when I’m in the passenger seat of the car, hah). As for lotion, that’s in the drawer of the sink vanity. My only tip about that stuff would be to only keep what you need and not hoard a ton of products like mousse and a crimping iron from the 90’s. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  42. Jany Claire says

    Love the geometric print fabric you first picked, I don’t think it was too far off in color but you’re right it was too busy with the duvet. What you picked will make a nice contrast.

    We have are looking to buy a home soon and have looked at a few recently. Most all of them are completely 70’s or 80’s inside from top to bottom so I love checking out your blog for ideas. Helps me see past the ugly to all the possibilities! Thanks!

    Reply

  43. Amy in PA says

    Feel your pain! I made curtains for our guest room a few months ago and ended up going to 3 fabric stores & 3 Targets to get all the fabric, rods & rings. Spent a few days of driving around the county thinking, “Perhaps this room just isn’t meant to have curtains!” But they’re done & look great!

    Reply

  44. Amanda M says

    I’m getting ready to use your method to do curtains for our nursery… question… can you use any type of fabric, or do you need a particular material? It looks like you have a bunch of different materials to choose from.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Amanda,

      We’ve used hem tape on nearly anything (it probably wouldn’t look great on something gauzy or airy since you would see it through the fabric) but anything remotely opaque should work. And if you get the heavy duty strength stuff (we do every time) it works well on thick fabric. Probably not some 1″ thick wool fabric or anything, but anything you’d want to make curtains out of should work.

      xo,
      s

  45. Shannon says

    I understand the process. I am in the process of making over my room and going with gray and yellow. I bought this coverlet by Dwell Studio for Target: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oNFyXYj6zXc/TK3zofp3WfI/AAAAAAAAEQc/kWlBKZeZvmw/s1600/dwell-studio-target-bedding-1-425lf021210.jpg and I love it. I also have the throw pillow with the big yellow flowers on the front. I am now trying to find fabric I like to go with it for the curtains, and I’m also considering faux curtains on the focal wall behind my bed, like Kara Paslay’s master bedroom http://karapaslaydesigns.com/?p=21 . I don’t have a window on that wall though so I was thinking about putting the curtains on the wall by the bed like that and doing something neat with a headboard and maybe a shelf or something above the bed. What do you think? Ok, I didn’t start writing with the intention of asking design questions! I think you made the right choice for you fabric, can’t wait to see them up!

    Reply

  46. Shannon says

    Oh, and I love that you hung the fabric on the walls…I still haven’t taken down a couple of the samples I put up over the weekend, even though they won’t work lol. I guess I will get to that. Mine were a little bigger so I will probably just use them to make fabric flowers for my daughter’s headbands lol. :)

    Reply

  47. T @ the peach chablis says

    I just finished my curtains – and I had the same dilemmas that you did! Brought a bunch of pre-made options home and hated them all. Finally decided to make my own and I couldn’t be happier! Can’t wait to see yours in action – I’ll be posting mine this week!

    Reply

  49. debbie says

    Sherry…You have the BEST husband eva!!! My husband would rather have root canals on all his teeth before he would shop like you did for the fabric to make those drapes!!! Consider yourself one lucky gal….My husband and I went to Lowes a few weeks back to get something and I started “wandering” the store looking at stuff…let me just tell ya we had a huge fight that night because he is the type of guy when ya have a list at the store…ya get whats on the list and ya leave…no “browsing” for him…no how no way!!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, I’m a lucky duck for sure. John grew up with three sisters so I always say they helped him to become the “tolerant” man that he is today!

      xo,
      s

  50. Heidi says

    Love the choice of curtain fabric! I keep wondering, are you going to add some pretty french doors to your bathroom nook? They would looks so charming and define the space, yet keep things airy and open. I loved the idea for your future dining room and french doors would look great here too! I enjoy your blog so much, keep rockin’!

    Reply

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