5 Window Treatment Ideas To Improve Your Home

Coming up with interesting window treatment ideas that bring out the best in your windows as they bring in the sunshine, is a challenge to anyone with a yen to decorate. There are tons of non-traditional options and tips to make the most of what you have, and give your windows that million dollar look on a mostly discount budget.

How about recycling old items? If you inherited lace tablecloths that are no longer fresh and white, you can still get a lot of mileage and an interesting antique window treatment, by using a sewing machine to turn the tablecloths into window curtain panels. You might even have some old lace curtains on hand, that need to be brightened, but the bleaches have failed you.

Accept their "age" and build on it, by staining them with tea for a totally antique look. Simply take a bucket and use half hot water and half boiling water, to "steep" 30 black tea bags. When the water is dark, add your curtains and stir the mixture. Then let them sit for 30 hours, with the occasional stir to keep the color evenly distributed. Remove the curtains, squeeze out the liquid, and hang them to dry.

Window treatment ideas aren't always about curtains. The once popular wooden window blinds are making a comeback with people who prefer the warm, natural tones of wood to go with a wide variety of décors. Antique folding window covers can be had for a song at garage and auction sales, then refinished, and if you are artistic at all, decorated with tole paintings.

Little touches can add a lot to plain curtains. If you have a set of long, lined drapes and would like to liven them up, place small hooks or other mountings above where the rod is held, and top your curtains with silk flower garlands, or just silk greenery. There's no more fuss to cleaning these, than there is to washing a swag or valance. Just put a little soft dish soap in a tub of water, swish the silk garland around, rinse and hang to dry.

Your window treatment ideas are limited only by your imagination, and the time you have to spend decorating. Some of the most interesting and attractive looks are born from using leftovers, cast-offs and your own ingenuity.

Sarah Peters works at home, and spends most of her free time on various home improvement tasks. Over a few years, she had all her house windows replaced. In this series of articles, she shares her experience and advice.


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

In The News:


BBC Sport

Brown predicts home improvement
BBC Sport, UK - 23 minutes ago
Port Vale midfielder Scott Brown is certain that the Valiants will improve their poor home record. The Valiants can boast the second highest average gates ...

BBC News

Rhinos get home improvement help
BBC News, UK - 8 hours ago
Exotic reeds grown in Dorset have helped transform the home of six endangered rhinos in Bedfordshire. Whipsnade Zoo has recently spent £1m on refurbishing ...

Home Depot Q3 Earnings Call Transcript
123Jump.com, FL - 17 hours ago
You all obviously know that this is a difficult environment in the housing and home improvement markets. The view we had at the start of the quarter, ...
Tiffany Q3 Earnigs Call Summary 123Jump.com
all 2 news articles

Fitch Assigns Initial 'B' IDR to USG Corporation; Outlook Negative
MarketWatch - Dec 3, 2008
The Negative Outlook for USG reflects a more challenging outlook for housing, the home improvement and non-residential construction sectors during the ...

Christian Science Monitor

Lower mortgage rates aren't the answer
CNNMoney.com - 17 hours ago
"This will be somewhat similar to the improvement that occurred in the early 1990s, although we recognize that current issues are more severe in terms of ...
Tiny signs of life in mortgage, housing arena Tampabay.com
Signs of life in US housing market Globe and Mail
Credit Markets Thaw a Bit More US Banker
all 921 news articles

Home Depot appoints new chief to run China operations
Alibaba News Channel, NEW YORK - 13 hours ago
HOME Depot Inc, the world's largest home-improvement retailer, has appointed a new president at its Chinese unit after Yves Chen resigned. ...

Jakarta Post

Space Shuttle Crew Home Improvement Project
KTNV Las Vegas, NV - Nov 30, 2008
The space shuttle endeavour and its seven astronauts are making their way back to earth. The shuttle undocked from the international space station Friday ...
Video: Raw Video: Shuttle Undocks From Space Station AssociatedPress
Space shuttle Endeavor returns home College News
Space Shuttle Endeavour forced to make westcoast landing WCBD
ChattahBox - MyFox Houstonall 4,882 news articles

Building a home: Problems with contractor cause stress for family
Enterprise-Record, CA - 8 hours ago
The board has several brochures and documents to help people plan for building or home improvement projects. For example, the potential home builder should ...

The Home Depot and NASCAR Select Richard Childress as Recipient of ...
WhoWon.com, NE - 20 hours ago
by Allison Farr ATLANTA -- The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer and Official Home Improvement Warehouse of NASCAR, and The National ...

Spur your Local Economy With Home Improvement!
Franchising.com (press release), CA - Dec 3, 2008
If you're having company this holiday season and have a home-improvement "to do" list, consider the benefits of working with your neighborhood service ...
home improvement - Google News
Your Ad Here

Games at Buy.com

Holiday Home Store at Buy.com

Use Air Filters and Common Sense for Allergy Relief

Do you suffer from allergies or asthma? If you are one of the millions of people that do, air filters and air purifiers provide much needed relief.... Read More

How to Select Exterior Shutters

Installing exterior shutters is a relatively quick way to add style and color to the outside of a house. Historical and modern houses alike benefit from the... Read More

Replacing Your Sliding Glass Door Rollers

If the sliding glass doors in your home are more than 10 years old, you might notice that they are becoming harder to slide open. This problem... Read More

How House Plans Work

The Ins and Outs Of Choosing Online Custom Home Plans! So you've decided to build your own home, congratulations! Now where do you go from here?If you... Read More

Professional Asphalt Paving Contractors In California

Choosing an asphalt paving contractor can be a major event if you don't take cautionary measures to ensure proper work to be conducted. First, you must review... Read More

Buying House Plans Online

The Benefits of Self BuildingInvesting in property had always been very popular - and for many very productive and lucrative. However, as the prices on property begin... Read More

If You Want to Bring Your Bathroom Up to Date, Consider Fitting a Shower Stall

Modern shower stalls look sleek and stylish. If you have the space, adding a shower stall in addition to your bathtub can be a great way to... Read More

A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place

Tax season is over...The spring holidays have passed... Hopefully by now you have sent your taxes in and recovered from your spring holiday preparation. You can RELAX!... Read More

Roof Cleaning - Making Your Old Roof Look Like New!

Many Florida residents that have come from the North are surprised by the idea of roof cleaning - and even more surprised by the fact that many... Read More

Would You Steel Your Household Appliances

Would you steel your appliances? That is a question many consumers are now asking themselves.The "in" style -----------------------Stainless steel household appliances are the "in" style right now.... Read More

Choosing a Furnace Humidifier

While everyone longs for a white winter, the problems associated with dry winter air can be unpleasant. Low humidity can dry out our skin, our mucous membranes,... Read More

Installing a Toilet

The installation of a toilet is a relatively easy job for a homeowner. With a couple of wrenches, a screwdriver and a few shims a new toilet... Read More

Materials For Building Window Shutters

Shopping for window shutters can become confusing because of the huge variety of materials used and promoted as superior. The construction methods of a shutter unit, including... Read More

Ways to Heat Your Water

Water heating optionsWhere you live, as well as the life style you lead, the number of people in your household, and where you'll put the water heating... Read More

Hot Tubs Create a Backyard Oasis

What would you like in the backyard that is great for entertaining, would be a focal point and can be enjoyed by the whole family? Hot tubs... Read More

Wallpaper Doesnt Just Cover...It Defines The Room

Wallpaper is often overlooked as a key part of an attractive home. The right wallpaper will add character to any room in the house, and will also... Read More

Creating Your Joyful Home: Inspiration to Make a Home Planning Journal

If you are planning a home makeover or remodeling project, here are some ideas to help you.Inspiration to make a home planning journal from "Joy to the... Read More

Is a Hot Tub for You? Top 5 Questions You Need to Answer

As a way of relaxing, more and more people are adding a hot tub to their home. Not only are hot tubs relaxing but they also offer... Read More

The Mighty Dust Mite and How To Deal With It

A Closer Examination of the Dust MiteThe dust mite's mouth parts are grouped in front of the body, resembling a head. Their body is oval and covered... Read More

Home Improvement for The Ladies!

Your Own Homes Improvement Outline(One for the Ladies)Let me begin by saying what a home improvement plan will not do! I have seen this happen more than... Read More

The Versatile Reciprocating Saw: The Power Tool of Your Dreams

A reciprocating saw is simply one of the handiest tools you can own. These tools are great for applications in the home or the jobsite. Milwaukee actually... Read More

11 Tips for Stripping Wallpaper: How to Get Rid of Ugly Wallpaper!

I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again. The only reason I did this is for $100,000 profit. My family and I did not have... Read More

Is YOUR Home A Safe Home?

Do you or one of your family members suffer from allergies, asthma, add/adhd Heart disease, cancer, or respitory problems? It could be from the toxins in your... Read More

Successful Motor Protection Formulae

As we have discussed before, all overload relays have one major limitation - because they operate on line current, they do not directly sense the motor temperatures.However,... Read More

Vacation Break for Electrical Machines

Are you overloaded? Have you become a part of the highly stressed modern working environment? You may need a break - a vacation, a change in environment,... Read More

Flooring: Installing Ceramic Tile

Ceramic Tile brings a texture, richness and color to a room that Linoleum has yet to truly mimic. Tile floors can be installed in any room, however... Read More