apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i love these sheers. I want to go back and get some for every window I have. The only problem I'd see is the windows in the bedrooms, where I have one that is very, very close to another buildings window. I want to get some opaque contact paper and cover both windows to keep some privacy while keeping it light.

I love both of those bedrooms! Lovely...

Sheers are wonderful, and anyone at all with access to a sewing machine can run up a few pairs of tab tops. That gives one even more access to texture and drape of the fabric. Nice rooms.

these pics are all in the same apartment. at least two are the same room. i have a pair of hot pink wilmas that rock! i think tab tops are rather messy looking at the top, but you can handstitch the tabs into back loops. the wilma's only flaw (as with most ikea curtains) is the lack of a hem.which can also be fixed quickly.

Tab tops are seldom the right answer because they're so frequently hung incorrectly - as they are in every single photo above.

The rod needs to be mounted high above the moulding so that the tabs don't extend so far down that there's exposed glass and moulding above the curtain panel - look at nearly any catalog photo of tab-top curtains and you'll see what I mean:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/dupioni-silk-tie-top-drape/?pkey=csolid-drapes-shades

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=60955&CatID=60955&Grptyp=ENS&ItemId=1664fbb&cmRef=http://www.jcpenney.com/products/C028495.jsp

Then there's the part about gathering window panels:

The panels need to be sufficiently long so that there bottom of the panel doesn't leave the bottom of the glass/moulding exposed - otherwise, it looks like you're expecting the house to flood...
...and pulling the panels to the center is never a good look - there needs to be a hook at the side of the window to catch the loop or the panel itself off to the side.

totally agree, bepsf. I am not a fan of tab-top curtains...I think they often look messy or cheap.

I much prefer the RITVA curtains in white. they have a lovely linen-y texture to them, provide total privacy, but are still sheer enough to let glowing sunlight into the room. they look MUCH more expensive than $29/pair and I often use them in clients' homes.

Sorry, but what Bepsf said! I hate the look of sad, droopy tab tops.

I think IKEA's best basic curtain is the plain white twill one with the grommet top (I forget the name) - I have those in every room in my place.

I'm on the bepsf bandwagon. Sheers can look really sad really fast -- like underwear that's been washed one too many times. A thicker drape with more body is a much better look, imo.

completely off
I wonder how to attach a paper umbrella to a ceiling, as in first photo. Any suggestions, AT's? :)

Screw a ring or hook into the handle of the umbrella and a hook into the ceiling. You might have to shorten the handle unless you have really high ceilings.

To hang the umbrella here's what I did:
1. Removed glass lighting fixture to expose bare bulbs
2. Drilled tiny hooks around the perimeter of fixture
3. Cut the umbrella handle down significantly
4. Weaved fishing wire through the holes within umbrella
5. Tied fishing wire onto hooks.

The last hook is the trickiest in terms of getting to umbrella to be flush with the ceiling. Since the bulbs are bare please be very careful that the paper is not touching! (You may want to keep the glass on.)

Also, the pictures shown are from 3 of my previous apartments...! (They may look similar since it's my stuff reconfigured.) Pictures 1 and 4 are the same bedroom.

slowdown and violetmarsh, thank you guys!

If you live in an apartment that has mirrors on the closets in your bedrooms, you can hang these sheers over them so they are still accessible, but it will cut the stimulation of chi so you can sleep better (and disquise the ugly mirrors) and have better feng shui.

i would love to know what paint colors you used on your walls and floor. i'm repainting my living room and am looking everywhere for a yellow much like yours. thank you so much!

It seems as though Tanya has hung the sheers from tension rods, maybe to avoid drilling into the walls of a rental? not the neatest look, but renters are often limited. my favorite ikea sheer is the Vivan. they have a flat panel in front, with tabs hidden in the back, giving them sort of a modern french pleat look. they only cost about 15 per pair.

yoyoluvpink: the wall color is martha stewart coriander and the floors are the basic white, heavy duty, high traffic floor paint from sherwin williams.

correction: the wall color is Sherwin Williams white raisin! sorry about that.