apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Very clever.

That is the most brillant DIY I've seen in a long time. Love it!!!

brilliant!

What do you see from the other side?

That actually looks like a diy I could do!

Brilliant! Thank you so much for this post... I was just trying to figure out how to do this. You saved me some brain cells.

This is one of, if not, the BEST DIY ideas on AT to date.
So clever and so simple!

Simply brilliant, Jenny!

GENIUS!

genius...thank you for this post.

but I do agree with LoriSF, it needs to be finished on the other side too

omg! i sooo wish i wouldn't have thrown mine out now :( i will definitely be doing this for all of my remaining blinds-thanks, thanks, thanks.

Hi everyone,

I completely agree that the backside of the shades should be lined. If you don't need or want black-out fabric, I suggest some simple and inexpensive white muslin for the back of your shades to unify the look of your windows from the outside and to help minimize the visibility of the blind slat shadows.

Thank you for all your kind comments! By the way, I would love to see pictures of your finished DIY shades!

Jenny
littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com

I love this!!
Can't wait to try it.

What a cool idea! Thanks for the warning to avoid hot glue (which is my adhesive of choice for many small projects). Do you know how well fabric glue holds up under being exposed to sunlight everyday?

This is way simpler than the other blinds to fabric curtains how to. Guess who's gonna do this?!?! ME!

good question about the fabric glue. i'd like the answer to that too.

would finish the back in a complimentary fabric or muslin. this is a great idea. i'd like to try it.

I used to be a hot glue user, too, but I have been completely converted to Fabritac, which is a permanent adhesive, for more than two years now. What I really love about Fabritac is that it dries crystal clear and doesn't seep through the fabric or leave a bump after drying like other glues do.

I'm not sure about the staying power in the sun exposure questions, but after almost a month of use, I have had no problems with the glue on my shades.

I suppose if you were really worried about it, you could sew the fabric to the plastic slats as long as you have a good sewing machine and are using a heavy weight needle.

I sincerely doubt I'll have any issues with the Fabritac in the future, but I spent about $8 on my shade - so who cares if I have to re-glue later or spend 10 minutes making another one? :)

Jenny

Lining doesn't just function as a "finish" for the back of the blinds. It acts as a filter for UV rays to protect the interior decorative fabric and to protect carpet/furnishings from fading due to UV exposure. Plain muslin will not work as a liner. You will need a liner that has UV protection. It doesn't have to be blackout fabric but it does need to be drapery lining.

The shades in this photo were professionally made. To see Jenny's project, go to her blog.

How about painting the slats to match or complement the fabric, and hemming the edges before gluing? Then it would look more finished, if you don't want to add a liner.

"It doesn't have to be blackout fabric but it does need to be drapery lining."

Drapery lining doesn't cost that much/yard...

Wonderful idea; I never liked the look of mini blinds.

Great project! I definitely plan on trying it.

GREAT!!! I don't have money to replace my blinds but I have fabric! I can't wait to see how this turns out when I try!

I tried this tonight! I had two hours to kill while my partner walked the dogs and our soup simmered. In 90 minutes I completed one blind.

First, notes regarding the instructions:

I don't think there's enough detail about attaching the top edge of your shade to the mounting rail. There's a scant mention about leaving two inches open on either side. This is because you'll need to fuss with the hardware at the ends when you mount your shade.

Though the photos show it, the text doesn't explicity say to remove the "ladder" cording all together. Don't just snip -- remove completely.

Supplies: You may need a hacksaw! If you can't find a blind that's the right width? My window is an odd 59.5", not 60". Neither a 60" nor two 30" will fit. I purchased two 30" blinds and used hacksaw to shorten either side by 1/2 inch, and scissors to trim the slats.

For a more finished look on the reverse side, fold the fabric edge under about 1" (like a pants hem), then glue everything down. I decided with finished edges, I didn't need to add a lining to the back. If you're as uptight as me, and you have a sewing machine, consider hemming the edges with a sewing machine and then glueing everything in place.

If you've got old window panels that you like, use them -- especially if they're the right width (e.g., a 48" wide panel will be perfect for a 44" wide window.)

Results:

I'm not as pleased with the results as I hoped I would be. It's done perfectly well, everything works as promised, etc etc. But I'm glad I tried this in my laundry room before I took my wood blinds apart in my kitchen and gave this a whirl. These are perfect for a laundry room or a kid's room or a garage, etc -- they do look clean and nice, but they lack the refinement of custom or mid-range blinds.

If you're on a tight budget and want roman shades, then these are 1000% fabulous. Do it. It's easy. If you're picky and have a little more money in your budget, you may want to hold out for a purchased shade.

P.S. My BAD. The instructions *do* say to leave about 2" free at the top for dealing with mounting hardware. Clearly I didn't read closely enough. And that's a testament to how easy this project is.

Oh! and I almost forgot. This project is Best for blinds mounted inside the window frame, not outside.

I like the idea. I also think its kind of funny that in the first photo the fabric is Joseph Frank and runs approx $250 a yard with a 3 yard minimum (not so great for the DIY budget but looks wonderful)

marfanboy, that isn't a DIY shade, which is one of the problems with this post. All but one example (the one with the instructions) are custom blinds.

i'm so loving those shades. simply gorgeous and those living room is soooo my fave. I love green!!

oh my goodness, THANK YOU!!!! I have tried everything from making my own roman shades (pretty, but a huge PITA) to the roller shade kits (not satisfactory)--I amso going to do this. Awesome!!