| Vintage-Tablecloth Window Treatments |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-611 |
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Q: I just inherited some of my grandmother's old floral kitchen linens. They're too pretty to use. How can I use them in my decorating scheme? A: (Nancy Golden, DIY design expert) Vintage linens are wonderful for adapting to fit your interior decorating motifs. Here are some ideas for using vintage tablecloths as window treatments.
- Vintage linens come in an endless array of designs and patterns. Embroidered floral patterns (figure A) and western motifs (figure B) are just a couple of examples of designs we found. You can find ones of your own by scouring flea markets and yard sales. Select patterns and colors that will accent your existing decora.
- Many vintage linens of this type were vat-dyed, and can survive years of use and repeated washing (even in hot water and with chlorine bleach) without significant fading.
- When creating window treatments, highlight your vintage linens with decorative hardware. We found wood fence-post finials (figure C) that work great as valance tie-backs. To create the rustic, country look, the wood finials were first spray-painted black, then over-sprayed with barn-red paint.
- Wrought-iron or painted metal tie-backs (figure D) work well with vintage fabrics.
- We created unique country-motif tie-backs using pre-made birdhouses (found in crafts stores). The wooden birdhouses were hand-painted in colors that complemented the fabric colors (figure E). We painted ours first with a crackle medium, followed by acrylic paint, to provide a naturally aged look.
- Mount birdhouses or other decorative tie-backs to the wall using metal L-brackets (available at home centers ). For this particular application, the brackets were extended back slightly from the rear of the birdhouse (figure F) so that the birdhouse would sit out slightly from the wall. This allows ample room to support the gathered fabric.
- Another idea is to use vintage tea-towels, strung from clothesline with tiny clothespins, for use as a window dressing (figure G). We used hooked tie-backs with daisy decorations to add to the country look. To complement the vintage pieces with pictorial designs, we selected calico and gingham contemporary fabrics. Patterns such as these work well with vintage-country designs.
RESOURCES :
A Portfolio of Window & Window Treatment Ideas
Model: 0865739560
Creative Publishing International, 1995
Do-It-Yourself Fabric Decor: Pillows, Window Treatments, and Slipcovers for Your Home
Model: 0865733457
Author: Editors of Creative Publishing International
(August, 2000)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Creative Publishing International, Inc.
Website: www.creativepub.com
Decorating Table Linens: Sixty Tablecloths, Place Mats, and Napkins
Model: 0806985984
Author: Chris Rankin
Complete Book of Window Treatments & Curtains
Model: 0806906138
Author: Carol Parks
Lark Books, March 1995
Lark Books / Altamont Press
Website: www.larkbooks.com
Linen and Cotton: Classic Sewing Techniques for Great Results (Focus on Fabric)
Model: 1561582506
Author: Susan Khalje
(May, 1999)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
Making Table and Bed Linens
Model: 1842154451
Author: Sally Wood
(October, 2001)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
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