| Decorative Window Treatments |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-508 |
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Q: What type of design element besides fabric can I use to bring the outdoors into my window treatments? A: (from DIY decorating expert, Nancy Golden) Consider making drapery finials and tie backs (figure A) using grapevine wreaths, dried flowers and fabric embellishments. It brings the outdoors into your home in a beautiful way, and it's not a costly project.
Window Treatments: Drapery Finials and Tie-Backs
Materials: Grapevine wreaths
Dried flowers
Artificial butterflies
Silk ribbon
Floral wire
Hot-glue gun
Wire cutter
Steps: - Start with pre-made grapevine wreaths (figure B). These are inexpensive available from craft stores.
- Use ribbon to decorate and soften the look of the wreath. Rather than simply using plain silk ribbon, use floral wire to gather the ribbon (figure C) at regular intervals along the length of the ribbon. Simply pinch the portion of the ribbon you want to gather, and wrap it several times with floral wire. Snip off excess wire using wire cutters.
- Attach the ribbon to the wreath at the points where the wire is wrapped (figure D) -- at regularly spaced --intervals using a hot-glue gun.
- Continue around the wreath until the ribbon is fastened at several locations all the way around (figure E).
- To add to the natural look of the wreath, use small bundles of dried flowers (figure F) to conceal the glued points and exposed floral wire.
- Simply buy an assortment of dried flowers from your craft store or floral shop, and gather together small bundles of your own design.
- Connect them at their stems using small pieces of floral wire and cut off the stems to create small bundles (figure G).
- Once you've created your miniature bunches of flowers, attach them to the wreath (figure H) using the hot-glue gun. Tuck the stems inside the ribbon to conceal them.
- Once you've added all of your dried flowers, you can do some further decorating using tiny artificial butterflies (figure I). These are available from craft stores.
- Attach the butterflies to the wreath and flowers (figure J) using a small bead of glue from the hot-glue gun.
Hang these decorative pieces at the top corners and sides of your window frames and drape swags through them to create a softened look around your windows.
RESOURCES :
Curtains: A Design Source Book
Model: 1841721727
Author: Caroline Clifton-Mogg
(May, 2001)
Ryland Peters & Small
Complete Book of Window Treatments & Curtains
Model: 0806906138
Author: Carol Parks
Lark Books, March 1995
Lark Books / Altamont Press
Website: www.larkbooks.com
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