Saturday, May 12, 2012

It's All About the Draperies

Well, here I am, back up in good ole Massachusetts.
I was welcomed with grey cold rain.....
UGH!!!
But today is glorious, so everything's OK in Betsyland.
HOWEVER!!!!
As you were warned, I still have one more story to share about Florida.

When I first met Lissette (one of my BFF's)
this is the way her house looked.....
If you've been following my blog, you know she lives across the street from me in Florida, and is Chloe the wonderdog's mom.
The kid on the right, and the second from the left, are her two hellions daughters.
This picture was taken around 4 or 5 years ago.
But this blog isn't about them, it's about DECORATIN'!
So pay attention to the wall color, countertop,
 red corner cabinet, dining chairs and 
NO DRAPERIES!!!!!
Lissette has a natural eye for decorating, but needs a leetle nudge when it comes to layering. 
She's afraid to have 
TOO MUCH STUFF IN A ROOM!!!!!
Can you imagine??????
What a ninny.
That's right Lissette, 
I CALLED YOU A NINNY!!!!!
Here's a picture of Lissette.....
and her hubby Sergio.
That little wiseguy in the back is Sofia, their oldest....
You may have recognized Sergio from MY SCARY STORY!!!!

So, I am really tired, and it's their fault.
I've been after Lissette for 
2 years....
that's right...
2 years....
to add draperies to her sliding doors and window in her living/dining room.
Look at the picture above, 
It's just not cozy with bare windows.
AND DON'T GIVE ME THAT @#$ ABOUT IT BEING ENOUGH TO 
HAVE SHUTTERS ON THEM, 'CUZ IT AIN'T!!!!!

So, this is what the room looked like at this time last week.....
Lissette had changed the paint color to blue,
 changed the side chairs to a Swedish Country style
Stripped the hutch and repainted the inside
(more on that latter)
And changed the chandelier.

We were sitting in her living room one day, 2 or 3 years ago, and she asked me...
"What would you do if this were your home?"
Now folks.....
YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK ME THAT, 'CUZ IT WILL COST YOU MONEY!!!!!
I mentioned (sweetly) that I felt the chandelier was out of scale to the rest of the room.
It was too small....it needed to be bigger!
it was this...

And we changed it to this.....

Although the crystals were very pretty, they disappeared against the strong light of the sliding doors.
We had to fight with Sergio about the chandelier shades, but he eventually caved in accepted that the light looked better with them.

I also may have mentioned
(repeatedly)
that the hutch was too short for the room.
The scale was way off. 
It needed something on top of it to give it more height.
So Lissette stuck those wood platters on top, but don't worry, by the end of this post, I will have fixed that!!!!!

So the hutch was red because Lissette had painted it red.
She gets a can of spray paint, and there's no holding her back.

So then we chose a green color....
and while I was up in Massachusetts last summer, she painted it green,
and hated it.....
So she and Sergio got out the sander,
or however they stripped the @#$ thing, 
and removed most of the paint from the outside of the piece,
 leaving the green on the inside.....

And I had her replace the starfish knobs with cottagey glass ones, and change the placement to a more traditional (and gooder) spot.

So, as you can see in this picture, the room was coming along and looking very pretty.....

BUT I COULD MAKE IT COZIER!!!!
We just needed to go to Pottery Barn and buy some unlined sheer
Then we went to Lowes and looked for drapery poles.
Here is a picture of Lissette trying to figure it out.....

We were trying to figure out if the white was the right color white, 'cuz of course we hadn't brought the fabric with us....
OH NO!!!!!
That would have been too easy.
And then, Lowes didn't have enough of what we wanted.
We got some really nice help.....

Her name is Marvalyn....
It's amazing what a few off color jokes will do to break the ice and get a little help!!!!!
She wasn't sure about us at first, but she sure loosened up after my sparkling repartee!!!!!
But still.....We left empty handed.

So, Lissette ordered the panels, and the next weekend we went back with the fabric in hand.
This time we went with Sergio and Chloe the wonderdog....
This was a much more successful trip, as I bought stuff for ME too.
I got a new ironing board that will hang on the wall in my redone laundry room next year.....
(Chloe thinks she's surfing!!!)
Lissette had better luck with the poles.....

And we dragged our booty home with happy hearts.....

NOW ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS HANG THE POLES AND SEW THE DRAPERIES!!!!!
First up was the problem of the brackets being a different white than the poles and rings, so we (Lissette) spray painted them.
She said
"Look!!!! We can rest them this way, and they will stand up so we can paint them!!!!!"

And I said.....
"Or, we could be not so stupid more practical and set them this way, so we can paint them in one step!"
So we took them outside and painted them right up, yes in deedy!!!

After they dried, I marked where they should be mounted.....
and then put Sergio to work.....
We got all (both) rods up. The one over the sliding doors had to be in two pieces, as it is WAY long. We covered the joint in the two poles by resting them on the middle bracket. Then we got Sergio to cut down the one over the window.
There's a green that runs down the middle of our street, it's were we do our do it yourself stuff and have neighborhood get togethers and doggy play groups. It's a neighborhood that Norman Rockwell threw up in.
Here's Sergio in action!!!!
He Da Man!!!!

So we got the poles up, and tried the panels out with the clip on rings we had bought. I was going to sew the panels to the rings, but the clips were good for seeing if we liked the direction in which we were going.
Yep, I was liking it, so I took them home to sew the next day.
I sewed two panels together for each side of the sliders,
(look, my dining room disappeared into my sewing room!!!!)

 and then I hemmed them. 
(look, my guest room disappeared into my cutting room!!!!!)

Then I sewed pinch pleats at the top and then sewed them to the rings.
This is something I would normally do in 2 or 3 days, but as I was leaving the next day, I did it in one day, and
that's why I'm so #$% tired!!!!!
It took me a long time to sew them,'cuz I kept on having to go to the bathroom. 
That's 'cuz this is the size of my coffee cup.....

So here's how it turned out.....
The panels on the doors are up, now the window looks really bare.....

WOWZER!!!!!
Ain't that purty????

Sergio was so happy he was floating around the house singing dirty ditties.
(the girls were outside, no young ears were offended)

Here's a close up of the top.....
I left 4 inches on the sides, so I could tack the panel to the wall. I will have to do that when I go back down, as I didn't have time to buy the wall hooks.
Here's another close up of the pinch pleats....


I moved the basket from the table to the top of the hutch. 
The top is curved, so there was a big gap under the sides of the basket, to hide the gap I stuck some old straw hats in front.

It gives it the height I wanted, and looks pretty too.
Next year, when I come back, we are going to put chicken wire in the doors.

So, the room in two days went from this to this.....

I know why I'm so tired!!!!!
It's all the exercise I'm getting patting myself on the back!!!!

Don't forget!!!!!
This coming Tuesday, is the answer part of
OY VEY!! Q&A!! Tuesday!!

Later Gator

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34 comments:

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Love the changes and the sheers are absolutely perfect. Hugs, Marty

Gwen said...

Beee-you-tee-ful! YOU DA WOMAN!!

Olive said...

Extremely purty. Them windows are no longer nekkid.

Lori said...

OK Miss Betsy.... I have a B. Spreert project going on. You will have to wait to see. But, EVERY time I look at the fabric I think of you. Now you can't stand it can you? I have a couple questions I would love to ask you. Maybe I have to wait for your question day. Tuesday? Lori

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting said...

Soooooo Pretty!!!

GunnyMom said...

I live in the desert of california can you come and re-do my 6 year old house ??

Amy Chalmers said...

This is beautiful! I love the changes Lisette made to her house before you finished it off~all of the changes were pretty dramatic. It looks like a room I would love to live in!! Good neighbors~they look like a really cute family too.

FABBY'S LIVING said...

The sheers are so pretty! You and your awesome neighbor did a great job, now your room looks wonderful, Lisette! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
FABBY

the pink shamrock said...

i don't think latter is a word?

Connie@Connie Nikiforoff Designs said...

I think I've reached an all time high in number of times I giggled while reading this post! Man, I love your humor. And also I love the look of the windows. It showed me how mine are going to look cuz we have pretty much the same sort of blinds...and I'm missing my sheers till we can get them installed :-) Thanks Betsy! Love your blog!

Kathleen said...

I wish you were my neighbor.

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

Gorgeous my dear! Welcome back to the Lovely Northeast!

janet xox
The Empty Nest

Anonymous said...

very pretty! do you know what the name of her blue paint is?

Jennifer @ Town and Country Living said...

It looks so much softer and yes, cozier. I wish you lived by me!

chateau chic said...

The room looks lovely. I really like the blue walls, soft, airy curtain panels, and how you styled the top of the corner cabinet.
Mary Alice

Connie said...

Simply wonderful. The room should be named "Island Breeze".

Crystelle said...

They turned out SUPER pretty!
But I am just tired watching you do all this work!!!!

Good job!
Pat yourself on the back!~ :-)

Stacey said...

Oh that is gorgeous! I love the shutters with the white sheers. Also love the stripped china hutch.

Nita Stacy said...

Oh...I love those curtains. I need curtains in my living room and dining room and just have not found the right ones. But this is pushing me to hurry up and do it. Such a pretty room, now.

Miss Char said...

That is one fabulous transformation, I'm sure the family smiles every time they walk into the room. Thanks so much for sharing.

Unknown said...

love your humor and looks great! love the top of the hutch ! perfecto!

At The Picket Fence said...

HUGE difference!! Now can you just come to my house and tell me what you would do differently? :-) Their home was already beautiful but you just took it up to gorgeous level!
Vanessa

Ivy and Elephants said...

Their home is so gorgeous. I love every aspect of the transformation. I also love Sergio's cap...It's all about the U. Wooooo Hoooooo. I really enjoyed this inspirational post. I would love it if you would share this post at our WIW linky party? Hope to see you there!

Paula
ivyandelephants.blogspot.com

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

We've been entertained! Love it ~ looks great & we had a lot of chuckles today....thank you!

Donna D said...

Love their place - so fresh and bright! Wish you were my neighbor - I'd never stop laughing and my house would look a lot better!

Roeshel said...

They're beautiful! The entire room is gorgeous! You're so good at what you do and it's evident you're doing what you love. ;)

Nita Stacy said...

Betsy -
I featured this lovely room today on Mod Mix Monday!

very merry vintage style said...

It looks beautiful! I love the hats gathered on top of the hutch--what a unique touch. Thanks for linking up to Share the Love Wednesday!
Mary

Debra@CommonGround said...

soooo much better! Now I'm off to find drapery panels for my bedroom!! thanks for linking up, Betsy!!

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

A wonderful transformation, Betsy! NOW the room looks like it belongs in a cottage in Florida. I love ALL the changes - wall color, hutch stripped of the red paint, sheers at the windows, white slip-covered furniture vs. dark leather, and I like the green seat fabric much better than the striped. And I'm assuming from your parting comments about Sergio that everything has gotten HIS stamp of approval. ;)

Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage

House Crazy in Michigan! said...

I am listening...and learning about your ideas/opinion about how the curtains should be hung at windows. I do get it and mostly do like what you like.

But what about those of us that live in the poorer side of town and need to close off the view or the sounds? And those of us that live in a cold climate and need to close out the COLD and wind for 6 to 7 months of the year and depend on the drapes to close out the cold in the winter and the curtains to close out the sun in the hot summer??

This is going to sound like a"poor me" story so I apologize in advance. We are retirees on a fixed income and we don't have A/C in our home and need to close up the house (ie drapes) in the day to keep out the intense sun and heat.

The heat/sun ruined my old couch, carpet and chairs in less than 10 years. The fabric faded and ripped.

Before I bought new furniture, I did purchase special roll up shades that block 85% of the sun while still allowing the view to be seen and that has helped to protect the new furniture. But we still need our vinyl lined drapery on the south side of our home that over looks a Class A roadway (think 16 wheeler trucks/farm equipment/noise/dirt) and the HOT BAKING SUN!

What can a person do about curtains/drapes/shutters in these adverse conditions and still NOT cover their windows?

Thank you!

Small House / Big Sky Donna
http://smallhouseunderabigsky.wordpress.com

Brenda said...

Betsy,
I have just recently found your blog and I feel like I'm stalking you b/c I'm catching up on all of these posts. Love the sheer drapes you made and the other changes that were done to your neighbor's home. Lucky neighbor!

I couldn't help but notice the bar cart in the room. You didn't mention it but it's similar to what I'm looking for. Any idea where it came from?

I think you're kind and generous to share your vision and expertise.

Thanks,
Brenda

Unknown said...

You have the talent and humor in your craft.Very lovely how you transform your bff's house and the draperies are perfect for the window .Wish I have a friend like yours.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness Betsy! WHAT a huge difference these wispy, etheral curtains made in the room!It looks so much 'lighter'in there in every sense of the word. I am loving it.You truly are a master, and I am just in awe of your design acumen.Not to mention( and even more important!) - you are truly a lovely lady, so warm to your friends and so generous with your time.
Since I only found your blog a few weeks ago- I am catching up now on all the posts. I am having a wonderful time, learning a lot too,and now I am going all through my house, 'Betsyfying' it.
Dolores

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