Courtney from Two Straight Lines has such a beautiful home, as I’m sure you’ll agree. But, like any homeowner, she is having a bit of a design dilemma. Recently, she wrote in looking for some help from decor8 readers. Here’s her issue:
“I am having an awful time with window treatments in my eat-in kitchen. It is on the west side of the house so it gets blasted in the afternoon with a terrible glare. I live in Michigan and the light here is glaring because it is often overcast.”
She continues, “So here’s the deal: I made little cafe curtains for the “cute French kitchen effect,” but they really don’t suit the purpose too well, because they block out half of the light all of the time, and don’t do anything for the afternoon glare. I’ve considered bamboo shades, or possibly wide wood shades with a colored twill tape. My island is sort of charcoal, so I though it might be nice to make these charcoal, since most of this room is cream and khaki, with teal and red accents. I am a big fan of stripes, so maybe a pinstripey look in a bamboo shade would work. I also have considered the striped solar shades like these, from Smith and Noble, but worry that they may look to “officey”, although we do have bronze colored ones in our home office and den. Solar shades are nice because they block the glare, but you can still see the yard, which is one this side of the house. I like the curtains over sink, but could layer a shade under them as well, but I would also be willing to lose them altogether. Here is a link to my flickr account with additional photos.”
Okay Courtney, I’ll start off this discussion with my tips: I suggest bringing in some pattern and texture into the space, and since you like to keep things neutral, add some visual interest by incorporating a bit of texture, like bamboo. Since you are open to stripes, opt for something along the lines of these natural woven shades with a multi colored stripe trim, maybe something that brings in a little of the rust I’m seeing in your living room, along with the cream, beige and charcoal that is currently in your kitchen. Since your island has a dark base, and your floors are hardwood, the colors that run through the bamboo would be a nice tie in. The Saga Solar fabric is a good option for the stripe lover in you.
Now, I’m turning this discussion over to decor8 readers, do you have any advice for Courtney?
Want to show off your space? Have a design challenge? Send your photos, with details to decor8blog[at]yahoo[dot]com.
August 24th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
I have no advice because I’ve bookmarked your site because my apartment is a blasted mess.
I live in Seoul, so I don’t think you can provide me with services. Plus, I’m a huge clutterer, so I’d need to sort that out first. Hence, the vicious cycle.
Thanks for a great blog. You’ll be getting hits from Seoul from time to time!
August 24th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I second Holly’s vote for those beautiful Smith + Noble bamboo shades.
What a gorgeous kitchen!!
August 24th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
At first blush, what struck me is the “open” lines across the top of the window. It might not be in keeping with the clean look in the rest of the house, but how ’bout a valance across the top? If glare is a problem, how about some sheer half-curtains across the bottom. It looks like she’s got the neighbor’s chimney facing her, so constraining the view wouldn’t be a terrible price to pay. Just an idea…
August 24th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
Wow !! what a beautiful and well decorated home.Your neatness, uncluttered look reflects a serene and zen look. I would go for the shade which holly suggested.
Holly…did you notice something common in courtney and danielle’s photos.. we all tend to stick to the family of beige colors(just like me)we all are so afraid of colors and making that bold step of putting burnt teracotta or something similar on walls even though we love it.. help us
Eve
August 24th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
What a beautiful home!
I don’t know if I’m going to say something way off base but what about working on the problem from the outside of the house? Like some sort of awning or pergola.
August 24th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Have you considered plantation shutters? Or do we only do that here in the South?
August 24th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
ok.
call me crazy.
but i think it would be kind of a cool illusion, if you will, to make the cabinet to the left a little more cohesive with the rest of the kitchen, if the window dressing connected from cabinet to cabinet, versus just the window space.
sincerely,
crazy ;)
August 25th, 2006 at 1:56 am
the first thought that came to my mind is window films
a couple of companies to note:
(these are my favs)
http://www.gilafilms.com/Residential/RoomViewer.asp
with the films, you can use whatever curtains you desire and change them as often as you like without losing the purpose..they come plain, frosted, mirrored or with designs or you can have custom designs made.
or
http://www.llumar.com/na-eng/Decorative/deco.html
August 25th, 2006 at 2:09 am
Are you keeping the yellow caf? curtains in the adjoining room? Then how about the Illusion Shadings from Smith & Noble, in “Soleil,” their pale buttery yellow shade?
August 25th, 2006 at 6:49 pm
Thanks so much for posting this Holly! Looks like I wasn’t too far off from you in what I was thinking. Now it looks like I better do some measuring!
August 25th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
i would put some teal colored curtains in a sheer fabric, ti add color (you said you had teal and red accents), to let light pass through but cover the glare… maybe hang some sort of “objects” in beige and red to the curtain rod, and let them hang over the curtain…
August 25th, 2006 at 10:07 pm
maybe if you put some polarized film to the windows might help, too????
August 27th, 2006 at 7:11 am
If you want to go the shade route, perhaps you could go for some Hunter Douglas honeycomb shades?
I love the diffusion of light that they provide with the flexibility of having them completely raised in the morning for maximum light.
August 27th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
This room is screaming out in desperation for a shock of modern, clean color. Whatever you do, don’t stick with the neutral shades …. everything in this room blends in to each other! Add some life …. I second the idea of a red / rust shade.
August 30th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
I agree with using window film. My boyfriend has his own installation company in Texas and I must say first hand that there is quite a glare reduction when you use the right film.