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Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live

58 replies

GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:21

I can't trawl through anymore shops. We moved here 6 months ago and still have no curtains in the lounge.

I've had a specific idea in my head, but I can't find curtains or even just fabric like it. My friend actually has a pair similar to what's in my mind, but apparently they are Laura Ashley about 15 years ago. (See pic for swatch)

I'll attach some photos of lounge in the next post (MN seems to malfunction for me if I post a long post plus pictures) but there are two windows. We're in a farmhouse, so I don't like anything modern, but it's hard to find two sets of curtains the same when looking in charity shops for example.

I did think a lined linen curtain might be nice, or a neutral heavy velvet, but I don't love those ideas, they'll just 'do for now' if you see what I mean

What lovely curtains have you got?

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:22

Whoops, forgot picture of curtain search. Here:

Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
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schbittery · 28/09/2016 07:23

I hate curtains and would always have blinds or shutters, not that that helps very much. Does it definitely have to be curtains?

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schbittery · 28/09/2016 07:24

I take it you've been to John Lewis? That is a nice pattern.

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7to25 · 28/09/2016 07:27

I am a curtain person and the only thing I have seen vaguely like that is an embroidered linen for £££££££
I think the clue is 15 years ago, although I would think more like 20.
Are you sure this is what you want? Unless the curtains are small, that print would just be lost and look like a spot from a distance.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:29

And here are lounge windows. The walls with the picture frames on will eventually be all shelves, and the carpet is going to be ripped up so the floor will be bare wood. I've also put a picture of the sofa up, just for an idea of colour scheme, but we probably won't have a navy sofa forever.

Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
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schbittery · 28/09/2016 07:31

shutters :)

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:32

sch we have shutters in the kitchen because I'm also not a huge curtain fan generally, but I put curtains in the spare room and hung them right from almost the ceiling down to the floor, and it looked so lovely and cosy. I can't bear curtains that stop half way down the wall. I did consider shutters, but I think with the shelves and the wood floor, it would all be too harsh and cluttered.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:33

I'll try and find a picture of our kitchen shutters, but they're not the louvre shutters that everyone seems to have these days.

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CatNip2 · 28/09/2016 07:34

I don't like curtains either, I prefer nice roman blinds. Spend hours flicking through the Laura Ashley and Marks and Spencer home catalogues for swatches then get a lovely lady on eBay to make them up for me. You could do the same for curtains though, choose from the brochures, order the swatches, find someone on eBay with a great reputation to make them Up.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:35

Nap I have seen those before, but I think the pattern is too..cluttered, so it all ends up looking like one colour from a distance, rather than cream with a touch of colour IYSWIM?

7 I'm not sure on anything anymore! I'm willing to accept I need to completely change my idea now.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:36

These are the kitchen shutters.

Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
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schbittery · 28/09/2016 07:46

lovely house OP, I can see why you're struggling to do it justice. I can see where you're coming from with linen. Plain cream linen?

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schbittery · 28/09/2016 07:46

same shutters as kitchen?

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Justwanttoweeinpeace · 28/09/2016 07:47

What's your budget? There are companies who will print the fabric for you. You could copy your friends' (if she won't mind!)

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 07:52

I think if I was to have shutters, they'd have to be the same as the kitchen, but those shutters would look to cluttered and cold once the shelves and wood floor are done IYSWIM? Like all harsh wood lines.

Just I'm really not sure on budget. I think it would depend on whether they ended up being good enough to take to other houses should we move house again. How much does that printing cost? Lovely friend did offer me to swap her curtains for something of mine, but she only has one set and they're too short for my window

I think a cream linen would look nice. Or like the colour of the sofa cushions. Linen just feels a bit less modern somehow, even though it's very 'in' at the moment?

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Justwanttoweeinpeace · 28/09/2016 08:05

Friend used a company called bagsoflove.co.uk for her DS's curtains. They were about £100 I think, cotton with black out lining. Small window though. Don't know the size but the window is the small one on the front of your average 30's semi.

I wouldn't use them for a big complicated print but if you're just doing a simple floral with an easy repeat they should be fine.

I got some samples for about a fiver each but went with something else in the end. The fabric quality was perfectly okay. Not super luxurious though.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 08:06

I might go back to Dunelm today with the view of looking at plain, neutral fabrics instead. I keep going in searching for a similar floral, and I think I need to erase that idea now.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 08:17

Sorry Just - crossposted. I'll have a look at that website.

On a side note, what are people's thoughts on the shelves - should they be the same colour as the wall, or wood coloured? We have access to some really lovely wood, but I don't know whether it would be too dark to have two walls covered in it.

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GinAndOnIt · 28/09/2016 08:18

Oh no, that poppy pattern is way too big, sorry Blush

Can't get the b&q link to work?

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glorious · 28/09/2016 08:24

What about these? Can post you links if any good. They are the wrong colour but I thought a similar kind of feel.

Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
Help me decide on curtains before I lose the will to live
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justaweeone · 28/09/2016 08:26
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