Friday, May 21, 2010

How to Cover the Sun Room Windows Without Taking Out a Loan

The original Roman shades in my sun room had been there since the dawn of time.  They were not only old, but ugly and falling apart.  I almost keeled over, though, when I found out how much it would cost to buy replacement shades. The room is about twenty feet long with sets of windows on three sides. The sizes range from 23 inches wide near the doorway to over six feet.  Even making replacements myself would have been very expensive. I spent a couple of years checking out ads and searching online before settling on this:
PIC


Yes, it is simple after all the searching, but it was also less than $300.  There are vinyl blinds underneath so that privacy is possible.  I can count on one hand the number of times we have used the shades in that room, but it is nice to have the possibility.  The valances are just rectangles of natural denim sewn in a tube and turned right side out with the ends sewn shut.  The seams are, of course, at the top where the valances are stapled to 1x4 boards mounted to the wall.

I don't like the blind cords hanging in view and was going to bundled them with rubber bands up under the valance.  There are two problems with that idea.  First, it is a royal pain to roll up all those cords.  Second, the rubber bands will rot out pretty quickly in the sun anyway.

All in all, I am happy with the end product.  It looks much better than it did!  Any ideas for dealing with the cords would be appreciated.

3 comments:

  1. Very nice clean look. My suggestion for the cords might be those metal brackets they have at the hardware store...I'm not sure of the "official" name but you can loop cords around them in a figure 8....they would screw directly onto the wood.

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  2. Great idea! I do love an excuse to go to the hardware store.

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  3. The cord brackets are a good idea and not spendy! Your solution was thrifty and clever, both things that I love. You have such patience waiting for the right idea/materials/time to come along.

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