But since company will be coming in the next few weeks, I thought I'd show you another little peek at the “guest room” which is the boys' room made over to be more couple-friendly.
Be proud of me for what I've accomplished with this mental handicap of mine.
BEFORE – I do love that chair — it's upstairs now. And those bunks were super sturdy and wonderful, found second-hand — they have a good home. But that carpet… oy. |
(There are more pictures of the “in progress” variety here.)
Okay, yes, I admit it. I am a person who would rather live for a decade with really bad — no, seriously, really bad carpeting than go through the disruption of re-doing the room.
I am the only person on the internet with this syndrome.
Everyone else is out there stripping and yanking and caulking and painting…
But in my defense, life goes on.
If I could have seen all the good things people do — if there had been Pinterest — I would have done the floor and walls just this way, right off the bat. Of course, there is the issue of “who do I mean by *I*”? Because nursing a baby and homeschooling a bunch of kids and not having any money and… well, I wasn't up for it, even with visual encouragement.
Now I know better than to move in somewhere and not just tackle everything, but how much can one not-very-handy couple do? I don't get those people who renovate their whole house, while homeschooling, while feeding everyone. When do they live? cook? read?
I only have so much energy each day, you know?
Well, now it's…
… not done. No. But getting there. There's art:
Not a ton of art, but the beginnings of something on the walls. (Over the mantel is Habou's painting of a patch of woods and a little stream.)
There are lamps (maybe turned the wrong way temporarily, oops) and what do you think of this crocheted coverlet I found in a box of linens, the last from the Chief's mother's stash?
You will remember that I got this bed from a thrift store for $16. People sleeping here (including the Chief and me) will always have to make do with twins or fulls, because I love a cheap vintage bedstead!
I spray painted and covered (with some leftover drop cloth) a free piano bench — it's handy for unpacking suitcases, I think.
There's a little rug, which I brought in from my room and put here, where I think it looks better:
On the other side of the bed is the (free) crib I spray-painted and a couple of baby blankets from long ago.
Someone has to gaze out of every window.
What do you do about windows? Do you know of a good place to find wooden blinds? I think I would like those, but I don't want to pay a fortune. How about you? Did you spruce things up for the holidays coming upon us?
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
newurbantraditionalists says
You know, I have only one set of “real” curtains in my house that I truly like. I found them at at a thrift store and I am just now realizing that they are actually shower curtains. What a good tip. The pattern you used in this room would actually be perfect in my bedroom as well.
I love wooden blinds but can't afford good ones. I recently had some decent luck making operable roman shades though I think the mechanism might still be too delicate for a house with kids.
Margaret says
I am laughing, because I just bought those same shower curtains to use as curtains in my bathroom! I got them on sale for $13 at target! I haven't hung them yet, because I wasn't sure…..but now that I see yours, I am definitely going to do it! Plus I am not as handy as you are, so I think I will have to recruit my oldest to adjust the length. I read your blog every day and loooove it! I am a Catholic mom in Leesburg, VA with 5 kids. And I just love the way you think!!
_Leila says
Margaret, do you really need to hem them? Just leave them long or hike the rod up. Laziness has its rewards… long curtains usually work better in a room.
Annie says
When we moved in I thought we'd strip paper, paint, redo floors, etc in a jiffy. We didn't. 5 years later I've been pregnant 4 more times, and started homeschooling, but we're not done painting. Much less decorating. That being said, before we moved in one single stick of furniture, I came over and ripped up every carpet/rug in the place. I could not stomach the idea of having the dusty old things in my house, especially with a baby just learning to crawl!
Curtains are so ridiculously expensive. More expensive to make yourself! Most of mine are hand me downs from my mom or a friend's mom. Some I made myself, without pricing first. Oops.
Jamie says
Well Auntie Leila – I seem to have much in common with you. You give me hope..someday me house may be rid of crazy carpeting and actually have curtains in rooms. I too suffer from the disease you explained in another post – the Mary Bailey peeling wallpaper while caring for several small children – doesn't really happen like you think it will! We live in a place where we need blinds or curtains so have been forced to update. We ordered online (I think blinds.com or something like that.) Word of caution – real wooden blinds attract dust like crazy. Though they are very classy looking – but generally covered in dust.
Diane says
Had you not told us (and others recognized the pattern), we would never have known. Incredibly clever (and fiscally conservative) idea!
Curtains…I didn't know what to do with the one window in my bedroom at the old flat. The window that was only four feet away from the neighbor's kitchen window. It was December, and as a “temporary” move, I hung a lap quilt I had that happened to have a hanging sleeve on it from the curtain rod. It covered the window completely, more or less went with the décor and kept out all possible drafts. The room faced north, and due to the proximity of the house next door, never really got any natural light anyway, so the quilt blocking the light wasn't an issue.
Annie says
Oh, also, my windows tend to stay bare till a particular guest or party inspire me.
Also, hand me down curtains, of course, have to be remade to fit your windows so that always takes me an age to get to and did I ever tell you I discovered recently that I remade the blue and yellow toile valances hanging in the boys' room upside down?? It makes me laugh every time I see the little Chinese man hanging upside down out of the tree. Just right for a boy's room, right? Kind of takes the formal edge off the toile.
_Leila says
Annie, that's so funny about the upside-down man. I'm sure the kids will always think that's how it should be, and feel sorry for the odd folks who put their men right-side up.
Melissa Diskin says
THIS is the place to get blinds: http://southernhospitalityblog.com/window-coverin…
I pointed my best friend to the SH blog and she bought her blinds according to Rhoda's advice –and they are really, really good quality and very reasonably priced (much lower than many other places, even the usual-suspects of inexpensive-ness). I've seen them up close, which really is everything when you're spending $$ like that. So I'm getting mine from there in the spring.
I've also seen blinds here and there at various thrift stores, but usually at Junior League stores or one with a specific charity in mind, like the Humane Society, you know? (Maybe that's just how people roll here in the ATL with their nicer stuff.)
If I were ever to stay in that pretty room I would stuff that rug into my suitcase and take off! Not really, but I love it. And I believe that dark green-black is called Charleston Green (again with the Southern bias…)
Lisa G. says
I love your mantel treatment – the silver, that bird print. It's very pretty. The whole room is very nice.
Caitlin says
Check Burlington Coat Factory if you're in the market for curtains! I'm not sure how they compare to the shower curtain prices, but when I was pricing the curtains at Target the ones that I found at Burlington were considerably less expensive!
Woman of the House says
That is a beautiful room. I would live happily ever after in that room. It is warm, comfortable, and well appointed. Well done!
Mamabearjd says
My favorite curtain is a sheer shower curtain that I found on clearance years ago, and I sewed vintage handkerchiefs across the bottom. I love it. I have it folded over a spring tension rod in my bath.
We might be about to move, and I am planning on hanging drop cloths with drapery hooks until I can save up/commit to anything different.
Ellen T. says
Oh my goodness. I absolutely buy shower curtains and use them as real curtains. Like you said, it's so much cheaper! And usually so much prettier! I'm glad to know I'm not as insane as my roommates thought. Or, at least, that I'll have good company in the loony bin 🙂
_Leila says
Ellen, you know it.
priestswife says
maaaaarble firrrreplaaaaaaaaacce…. (no, no- I'm not jealous at all- why do you ask?)
Pippajo says
I have one of those exact same shower curtains languishing in an upstairs closet waiting to be turned into panels for the guest room (that used to be Redheaded Snippet's room)! I remember you said you had a plan for yours…and they look LOVELY! I can't WAIT to get mine finished now (sorry for all the caps and exclamations)!
Also, this is amusing to me because I have just gotten a job at a retailer of fine window treatments and my training is making me want to tell you all about what we have to offer. BUT, although our wares are beautiful, they are PRICEY and, thus, not for the thrifty-minded shopper.
That being said, I have absolutely minimal treatments on my windows (where I have any) and they are all homemade from old hand-me-down or thrifted curtains or shower curtains. I don't like to cover windows as I like to have as much light indoors as possible but when your bedroom and living room face the church parking lot, you need to do something to make sure the congregations can't see each and every thing you're doing (Hello, opaque sheers)!
I love, love, love how you make things work! It's so much more resourceful, creative and challenging than going to a store and buying up an entire matchy-matchy collection.
Mrs. B. says
I have a Target shower curtain hung on rings like that in my boy's room, too! Now I can stop feeling a little weird for doing that: I am in good company!
I also share a commitment problem when it comes to curtains: what freezes me is the choice of a pattern that will agree with the rest of a room and that I will not grow tired of (and that my husband approves, too….) But I do love curtains (even though I keep them open as much as I can, since I need to see outside – how do so many people live with blinds eternally lowered?? I'd feel in prison.) So to keep things simple and cheap I got solid colors at Ikea…
I only have decent blinds in one room, and because of moisture problems (it's right by a bathroom), we picked faux wood as opposed to real wood. We got them here: ” target=”_blank”>http://www.selectblinds.com – wonderful experience (they send you free samples), not sure about the prices – but keep in mind that their 30% off and buy 3 get 1 free is good year round, no matter how much they talk about offers expiring. One thing that I regret is not realizing that because the slats are thick, they hide a good chunk of the window even when pulled up all the way – but you may not see this as a problem, since your windows are so tall.
The rest of the house has those usual miniblinds in a horrid dirty white color – but since I keep them up most of the time, I can live with that.
Beautiful, restful room for your guests… It must feel so good to you to see the progress!
Juliana says
Ack!! Why didn't I think of this??? We have door-size windows (no joke–we live in a row house), two to each room that faces the street, and they are a pain to curtain. The shower curtain thing might just work for us! I've been wanting something for the second floor front room, but can't find anything non-boring. Shower curtain section of Target, here I come! Brilliant life hack.
Jaimie says
We were so lucky to move into a house where the previous homeowners had already purchased (at significant cost no doubt) those wide, white-painted plantation-shutters for almost every window in the house. They look so nice and because of the unusual window configuration, there really wouldn't have been another suitable option for window coverings. So we got off very lightly. I find that our bedrooms are still not quite dark enough with just the shutters, so we did do an additional layer or curtains or a Roman blind in each of the bedrooms. Not quite as onerous when you only have to do three rooms though (and one of those with only a single window).
Your house looks HUGE! I love all the original details.
CaMama says
Since we live in the west where it is very arid and dusty, I HATE blinds. They are so labor intensive to keep looking decent. I finally took down the last blind (in the laundry room) that the previous owners left (it only took 10 years). Only some of our windows require curtains for privacy, but since all of them are old, drafty single pane, all have curtains except the very small ones. I don't have as many windows as you, so I've managed to cover all of them through thrift store finds – usually thick material or lining thinner material with thrifted sheets or flannel. I'm sort of handy (as opposed to my completely unhandy husband) so I made interior shutters for one set of windows by cutting down folding door panels (it wasn't an easy project since I was making it up as I went along, but it turned out looking pretty good). In the summer I swap out the winter curtains and use stuff from my vintage linen collection (my one weakness, as Dorcas Lane would say) to hang over the empty curtain rods.
Margo says
it's so lovely! I love the real way you talk about decorating/living in houses. THANK YOU.
As for window treatments, we live in the city, so we do want the privacy. We got wooden slat blinds at all the downstairs windows, but we did it over several years, every time JCPenney's had a 75% off sale. In the fall, I think? Upstairs, we have matchstick blinds. A few rooms do have curtains that I made – and the living room has what I call drapes which I made from chartreuse fabric. They were a commitment, all right!
my curtains are here: http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2011/02/chartreu…
http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2011/03/1970s-cu…
http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2010/12/creamsic…
Helene says
LMLD home decorating posts are my favorite! I just love your beautiful furniture. And now a whole new world of shower-curtain curtains is opening up for me! Great idea! Hooray! Many of the “official” curtains today have bold colors and trendy McTrendsville geometric patterns on them. They're ok if you're 22, but what if you're not and you actually want some class? Your shower/guest curtains look FABULOUS. Happy Thanksgiving to your wonderful family! I still treasure your post on how to get ready for a big crazy Thanksgiving with a big crazy family. That's what I'm doing this week, too!
Kh. Patty says
Love the black painted floor. And the rest of the room too! All So Pretty. 🙂
I also have the same commitment phobia re: curtains. Unless I know I'm going to be somewhere for 9 months and the windows are disgusting and ugly. Then the curtains are up the first week (that happened once). Otherwise, with pretty old wood windows, I just don't want to cover them up too much! But then the blinds do need softening. Will be quicker in the next house!
Cottage By The Sea says
I love, love, love the little red persian rug. I wanted to jump right through the computer and take a closer look. That other green carpet – oy is right. NEVER let the red one go though. Just saying'. My guest rooms downstairs are also fitted with double beds. I made my kids sleep together two in a bed, most of their lives. People thought it was mean but I figured they'd get along better during the day if they had to stay close at night. And they did. I say proudly! Now when they come home, they're so glad to see each other, they sleep like puppies in a pile all in one room so beds aren't even necessary. Our guests will just have to make due with full sized beds, because we are all about a cozy home. I laughed about your window curtains. Mine also, are Target shower curtains. They are a white voile and I refitted them to hang in my kitchen and hall windows. I have to have blinds on every single window because I live in the city. Although it's a small town, it's a beach town and like living in a fishbowl. We are all so close together you can argue with your neighbor through each other's bathroom window. Again, “oy”. The cheapest place I've found to buy blinds is Ikea, if you have one near you – or they do have a catalog. But for us, living where we must put them up and down every single day, and they get the salt air, etc. We are very hard on them and they must be very sturdy to last. We got ours at Smith and Noble. Very expensive but, the ones since our remodel look and work like new and they've been hanging for four years. I hope they last 40 more because I'm not to keen on buying new ones either. Someday when I'm not so tired (tee hee) I may try to make some curtains to hang just on the edges of the blinds for looks, to soften it up. PS. I love the permanent crib in your guest room. We have one too. It's a blessing to have a permanent crib, isn't it?! Blessings, Tia
Becka says
I think your room is lovely and has everything a nice guest room needs.
An advantage to using shower curtains as curtains with those clips is that the slots provide the spacing for you!
Betsy G. says
We found all of our wooden blinds on Craigslist for super cheap. Just keep a list of the measurements and be patient. We collected ours gradually.
Tiffany Borges says
Every time I clean thoroughly before a big gathering, our cats think we're moving. They're pretty skittish right now. ha! I only do curtains in baby nurseries, and I only remembered to do a nursery scheme for the first two babies, I guess. Gingham is my favorite. Next would be toile. I'm going to look for windows to use your shower curtain idea on, though. And I have two marble-topped vintage tables with sort of a mission base, which I envisioned zip stripping and laboring over with heroism. You've just freed up about 1/3 of my summer with the spray paint wisdom~! I cannot wait.
Paula says
We're not going to detroit and no one is coming here for Thanksgiving so it's nothing special spiffing up. I so glad we don't have to go to detroit. I dread going at christmas. And I have the same darned carpet over the pine floors in my 1905 farmhouse. It would cost a bit to have it refinished, but I'm almost like-let's just paint it! (the dogs would give it hell!) And the stupid drapes in my bedroom haven't been washed in …gasp…since we moved in in 05. Now that might be a good weekend project. …if I can figure out how they made those darned rosettes! I'll probably ruin them if I take them down…but am the QUEEN of sneezes! Allergies I tell you! Happy Turkey Day!
Kelsey says
Wow, I so appreciate how real you are about this issue. I often come across young mommy blogs that really make me feel like I'm missing something. How am I supposed to re-label my mason jars in chalkboard paint and pastels, starch my chevron pillow shams, and upcycle a thrifted cashmere poncho into fabulous toe socks – when I can't even finish washing the dishes without needing to nurse the baby? Not mention all the much bigger home renovation projects. It's inspiring to a degree, but I just cannot relate. You are such a breath of fresh air!
Betsy M says
Amen to all of that.
Mary @ Parenthood says
Heh. Speaking as someone who has slowly been renovating the 100 year old house we live in over the last year, I can say that it's all about priorities and what you find fun and/or easy.
We gutted our basement two weeks before I had a scheduled c-section this year, and have slowly been putting it back together. Yes, it's been a ton of work but I guarantee you that you too are doing things that I am not. And while destroying part of the house is certainly dramatic, that doesn't mean the things you are doing instead aren't equally important or interesting! Most of us tend to discount what we do as “boring” (lies! Everyone has an interesting story to tell!)
Mary says
It's interesting how we all decorate differently. I always start with the fabric, including the curtains. I usually sew them myself. Cafe curtains or tabs ar favorite. The simpler the better. I used bed sheets in my daughters room. Love them! I didn't even think about using shower curtains. What a brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing and Happy Thanksgiving to all the members of the Lawler family, the in-laws and out-laws!! Blessings.
Tiffany Borges says
And I would like to add that I'm a fan of valances, when looking for a simple way to add color or definition to a room. Even they can be spendy, though, when it matters.
Katherine says
We have that shower curtain! It is usually slung over the rod because of the kids' bathtime, but every time I pull it down I love it all over again.
As for your green carpet… I think we used to have the same one in my basement growing up…
Mrs. Pickles says
Shower curtains! Brilliant!! My el-cheapo window mistreatment solution was to buy a segment of fleece when it was on sale and cut slits along the top to slide along a rod. Super klassy. (They were great darkening shades for kids' rooms though!)
Rhonda S says
How funny! I have those same shower curtains in my bathroom and I think they are so very beautiful. I, too, often think to myself that shower curtains are so much more pretty than the curtains for sale everywhere. Lately, I've taken to buying cheap bleached muslin and making plain little curtains. It's working.
wstyrsky says
One of my recent discoveries for curtains are linen tablecloths. I found some beautiful ones that I cut and made valances and chair covers for, but with 120″ length, they could be wonderful as the drape themselves. TJ Max had great ones just today for $16.99!
Marcia says
You are right, Auntie Leila — visual encouragement can go only so far, material time and money being the limiting factors. But hey, that's an “inspiration room” you ended up with! It's so welcoming and cozy, and it comes with homemade and delicious meals,too, right? I like what you did with the shower curtains. I could not have thought of that even if I had years of free time. Have a good Thanksgiving!
Rachel says
I have made all the drapes and blinds in our house. It's just so much cheaper. Lately, I've used drop cloths, bleached and washed in hot water. They've turned out nicely. I want to come down from Canada and sleep under that lovely crocheted coverlet!
ayearinskirts says
shower curtains!! brilliant! I have a theory that having guests or throwing parties is an essential part of home maintenance. There are just certain tasks that don't get attended to without the urgency of people arriving.
Terri says
I love this room. The crocheted coverlet is beautiful. The piano bench for unpacking suitcases is a nice touch. If the prior owners of our house had not left their window treatments, we probably would have none. It requires too much commitment, and no one can see in our windows anyway. Happy Thanksgiving!
Julie says
I always find myself simultaneously laughing and nodding my head when reading your posts. I, too, am non-committal and can't do drapes. And while I would love to learn to use power tools (my husband, not so much) there is a nursing baby and 5 other kids to deal with. I settle for dreaming and Pinterest and dog-eared pages of BHG. Love your room – I have those curtains (in my bathroom!).
Laura says
Very pretty room. Despite what you say about not feeling that you much ability in the fix-it-up department, I think it's cosy and pretty! It reminds me of an old classy B&B room. I personally think that slightly mismatched, but drawn together by colors and textures is a much better way to go! It looks more intentional and less cookie cutter, and seems to express the individual doing the prettying-up more accurately rather than trying to buy expensive new stuff that you see in catalogues… Besides, why pay $5K to redo a room if you can do it for less than $500? I also love the neutral backgrounds with the dramatic dark floor and the touches of red in the rug and bedspread. I'm such a fraidy-cat about using bold colors on walls. I'm always afraid I'll hate them, and then won't be able to afford to do them over. So I stick to neutrals on walls, off white trims, and then have fun with colors in the furnishings. (Though to look at most of my house, it would be apparent that very little actual decorating is going on!)
mary says
Yup, got that same lovely shower curtain – hanging as curtains – in the landing upstairs. I bought one curtain, cut and hemmed in two – with Stich Witchery since I don't sew – and used looped ribbon ties in the shower ring holes to hang with. They look lovely and I think that since they are meant for the shower, they seem to have a way of always looking fresh. Great minds think alike – enjoy! 🙂
RubberChickenGirl says
I like the bamboo shades I see everywhere on pinterest…are those matchstick? They come in a zillion sizes at your dreaded BB&B:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/Rea…
I love the eclectic look of the classic/vintage looking drapes with the modern looking blinds. Sort of like when you added the mod pappasan (sp) to the other guest room. And you don't seem to have dust these like chunky slatted blinds.
I do love your homey decorating style. I always have liked this look of something coming together and stories to go with it and not just out of the box/off the page of a PB catalog. I see you have (another) fireplace. Wow. They do have amazing grates or whatever those black thingies on the front are properly called.
And the coverlet was the first thing I eyed. Perfect!
Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!
RCG
Mary Laurent says
Dear Auntie Leila,
Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for another beautiful and encouraging post.
I suggest Ikea's wooden blinds-they come in a couple shades of wood (or used to) and are pretty affordable. I also like the look of a nice plain window, especially in older houses which offer have nice wooden window frames already. These blinds hold up pretty well-we have had them in our children's rooms for about 8 years. Also, when they don't have the right size for the window we have put 2 smaller ones next to each other and I think it looks nice.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/100925…
Sincerely,
Mary