As our laundry room adventures continue (priming, painting, and tile prep are in progress!) I thought it might be fun to share some virtual options that we tried on in the office (we tested out some wall ideas in Clara’s bedroom last fall and checked out a few looks for Teddy’s room about five months ago). Remember when I photoshopped some curtains and a rug into the last picture of this post about our new light and chairs? And I mentioned in the comments that West Elm had a rug sale (making the one we liked $100 off) so we pulled the trigger on it?
Well, said rug has shipped and is on its way to our house as I type this (cue the celebratory rug-welcoming drum line!) – which got me all hyper about nailing down a window treatment idea. Especially since you guys had some fun suggestions (everything from roman shades and other colored/patterned curtains to no window coverings at all but a deeper accent color on that back wall). So let’s play around with a window fashion show for a second, shall we?
This is the original rendering from the end of that post:
Next I tried curtains that are less emerald and more leafy green.
Then I went sort of taupe-gray with them, just to see how that would look.
Next I tried a soft blue-gray color to tie into the rug.
Then I added subtly patterned roman shades (found here), which I thought I would LOVE but they seemed a little busy with the rug.
Next I tried making that back wall a deeper color while leaving the windows completely bare.
Then it was back to roman shades, but I tried to make them look more like simple white ones to get an idea of how those might feel.
I also tried on some curtains against the deeper back wall, but that felt like too much going on.
So I took the back wall back to its original color, left the curtains, and added bamboo blinds. Ooh. Something started tingling. It felt layered and warm (the blinds tied into the cream light in a nice way).
See how much of a difference just a rug and some window treatments can make?
I also tried the same bamboo blinds + curtains combo with blue curtains instead of gray ones. We like both options (we might lean slightly more towards the gray ones, but aren’t 100% sure) so the deciding factor might be what kind of fabric we find.
We’re going to wait to pick the fabric until the rug is actually here and rolled out on the floor, just so we can compare them in person, but we definitely feel closer to a solution than we did a few days ago when roman shades, curtains, and dark back walls swirled through our heads.
Do you guys have any tricks for envisioning things in your house? Do you use Photoshop or a free service like Gimp? Do you just slowly bring things in that you love without much planning beforehand? Do you make mood boards? Sometimes we’ll fall in love with a piece of furniture or a wall color (in person or in an inspiration image) and we’re 100% sold, and other times I find myself making a mood board or virtually trying things in the room if we just can’t picture something well enough to commit.
Rachel says
Love the Kelly reference. One of my friends and I would always chant that to each other when we would send each other pictures via chat to discuss clothing or decor options.
So, I definitely approve.
Also, great choices on the curtains. I love it.
Lori says
Since my daughter was a small baby, every time I have her try on new clothes I hear Mindy Kaling/Kelly Kapoor saying that in my head. Because who doesn’t love a good fashion show, especially at lunch.
Leigh says
I love the bamboo blinds option with the gray curtains but I think it’s smart to wait until the rug arrives. I wish I knew how to use photoshop! I have it but it takes time to learn. It would be nice to create mock up’s of how I want something to look. It would make getting the hubby on board a lot easier!
Michelle says
Oooo!!! I like the drapes with the bamboo shades. Before I even read what you wrote, I thought it tied the light shade in nicely. I love the layered look of the blinds with the drapes. The drapes frame out that area so nicely. I like the blue ones in the last photo. Drapes something close in color, but not matchy-matchy to tie in your rug would be pretty.
Katherine says
One of my all time favorite Office quotes. I frequently text it to my bff any time it remotely fits in our convo. Loved that you all used it today!!
MariA Lendt says
I’m so happy about this post! I love the layered with bamboo blinds look. I am planning the same thing for my bedroom. I want to know where you have bought your blinds from? What you liked and didn’t like.
YoungHouseLove says
Haven’t hunted for them yet but I think I’ll ask some friends what they have/like.
xo
s
Nikki H says
The shades with the gray (or blue) curtains look perfect. I just buy what I like and pray it goes with my other stuff. :)
Laurie says
What type of plant is that?
YoungHouseLove says
Fiddle leaf fig from Home Depot!
xo
s
Alyssa D. says
Its nice to know I’m not the only one who goes around in life saying “Fashion show, fashion show, fashion show at lunch”…..or tailored to whatever I am doing….”Make the bed, make the bed, make the bed at lunch”
Paige says
Any ideas on where you will find the bamboo shades? Love love love that idea!
YoungHouseLove says
Haven’t hunted for them yet but I think I’ll ask some friends what they have/like.
xo
s
JHZ says
Love the blue & bamboo option!
Sena Dees says
Love the reference. I like the blue curtains with the bamboo blinds. It feels very classic Peterisk (sp?). I totally need to hop onto this Photoshop before big buys for a room. WAAAAAY better than me imagining it, then buying, trying out and returning. Not as great of a plan. ;)
Michelle says
Totally off the drapes topic, but about your envisioning question, I wish I knew how to use photoshop like you guys do. I could use it right now. LOL Putting hardwood floors in my house, a good portion of the main level of our two story. I have all oak woodwork (trim, doors, cabinets). Hubby doesn’t want to paint it all, so it has to stay. Trying to find an engineered hardwood floor to match or that looks right is HARD! LOL Bummed we can’t do true hardwood (our subfloor is that OSB board).
Kat says
I really really loved the dark green curtains so all of the new ideas looked very “meh” or “bleh”. I do like the last one, because the brighter curtains accent the bright outdoors (the grey curtains seem drab and accent the dirt outside). The only thing is that the coral pot seems off – it draws the eye too much and unbalances the room. I think if it was yellow or navy, it would go a long way towards balancing the space.
I love how your house looks – I wish I had a knack for decorating. Things always look so awesome in my head and they just never come out right and I’m never happy. I picked a blue bedroom color for our room and then immediately hated it. (I may have secretly cried.) My husband won’t let me repaint – he is all about the “once and done”. Drives me nuts.
kristin says
i got excited when i saw the bamboo blinds added to the mix too. :) what program do you use to play around with all this? photoshop?
YoungHouseLove says
Yep!
xo
s
Sarah says
I love the blue curtains with the bamboo blinds!
Cindy says
I’m on the fence about curtain color, but I love the bamboo blinds. Not only do they tie in with the light, they also tie in with the fourth window. It gives the room a lot of dimension. Love it!
Amanda says
caught the reference in the title immediately: i love the office! (the show, not necessarily YOUR office) i personally like the option with the accent wall and solid-colored roman shades on all of the windows – it seems to match the other sleek lines in the room and show off that gorgeous bay window, rather than covering it with fabric and a straight curtain rod. why not an accent wall with the bamboo blinds?
Sara says
I’m a die hard emerald green fan. What did it look like with the roman shades? Eh?
Karen Wurgler says
I really loved the look of the dark green curtains! I think it brings in the green from outside and the green from the plants inside and adds a bold statement to the room! But I think the bamboo blinds also add a natural element and a functionality to block out light if you should ever need to. Can’t wait to see what you decide!
Kerry says
2 things …
1. Don’t ya just love West Elm?
I just did a little living room re-do (water damage – ugh; new furniture – hooray!) and all of my little accents (pillows, sculptures, door mats) came from there.
2. You are so patient!
When I design a room, I want it all done, all at once. Waiting for the rug to decide on the curtains gives me the shakes. Your strategy will certainly render more lasting happiness — but I can’t hold myself back!
Cara says
I’m trying to talk my husband into white curtains and bamboo blinds. I think I will try photoshop. He thinks curtains are outdated! What? Love the way the office is coming along
Annelies says
This is great for envisioning the room! I like the taupe-grey curtains with bamboo look, it indeed adds a lot of warmth to the room. But I feel in that picture the chairs are too dark. Maybe try bamboo with the leafy green curtains? I think it ties in more the dark chairs. But either way I’m sure you’ll come up with the perfect result in the end !
Christine says
We bought bamboo blinds for the office about a month ago and LOVE THEM. It really was an accident because they were the only blinds we could find that weren’t custom made that fit our windows. They add a gorgeous natural feel to the room.
YoungHouseLove says
Where did you get them? Would love any and all recommendations!
xo
s
Christine says
We ended up getting the bamboo shades at Lowe’s. They had a variety of different sizes and were way cheaper than custom ordering. They were on sale at the time and I think they were 27-ish a piece. The ones we saw at the Home Depot had broken wood (also didn’t have the sizes we needed), but the packs we got at Lowe’s all were in great condition.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Christine!
xo
s
Kelli says
Question: I don’t remember, do you have deep window sills to inset your bamboo blinds or would you have to hang them outside the frame? I ask because we’re currently battling shallow sills and I don’t know what to do! Hanging them outside looks silly to me.
YoungHouseLove says
We think we have enough of an inset frame to hang them inside-mounted in each window. If we’re a little shy of that we have an idea for slightly building them out to work, so we’ll share that as we go!
xo
s
Bethany says
I love the idea of some kind of subtle pattern, all the solid colors seem a little flat and boring to me. I think the patterned Roman shades didn’t look that great because the pattern and scale are too similar to the rug so they are very compete-y. Maybe if you tried a little stripe or tiny polka dot? I think patterned drapes + the bamboo blinds would look great! Can’t wait to see where you end up!
Jess M says
Lol I have nothing! I just hope for great return policies and a memory that gets me to take it back in time if it doesn’t work ;-) Also, I prefer the gray curtains.
Kristi Lynn says
I dropped everything I was doing to read this post, simply based on the title. I love it. :) Whenever I buy new clothes, I dance in the dressing room mirror with them on and chant “Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!”. Sometimes I get some weird looks when I come out but hey, finding the perfect pair of jeans deserves a celebration, amiright?!
karla says
I didn’t read all the responses, but what about YELLOW!? It looks very muted to me…second choice, emerald green!
YoungHouseLove says
Love all the suggestions guys! Thanks for sharing them!
xo
s
Amy says
I like the bamboo/curtains a lot.
What happened to the light blue curtains you mentioned a month or so ago – I thought you had a seamstress working on?
YoungHouseLove says
We cut a few fabric samples and brought them home but a lot seemed darker or thicker than we expected, so we never actually got any sewing going! We figure if we get them made we want to be super sure!
xo
s
Laura says
I literally LOL’d at your post title – Kelly Kapoor rocks! I’ve definitely used that line many times. :) I typically use Photoshop to get some design ideas, although I’d love a taste of your mad skillz. ;)
Angela R says
Not that my opinion matters since it is not my house ;)but I really love the green curtains. I would have never thought to put them in that room, but they look awesome. I also like the incorporation of the bamboo shades. Gosh I wish I knew how to photoshop, this would save me so much headache trying to figure how things look together in a room.
Penn says
I do NOT own the company, work there or have any affiliation with them, but I needed bamboo blinds custom cut for a couple of my more “difficult” windows. Shopped all over, including local blind stores, and ended up ordering from Payless Decor online. I measured myself, they gave excellent instructions, they sent numerous free samples of all different types of woven bamboo, the price was far less than anywhere else, free shipping and they arrived within a week. I also ordered one set with white, blackout fabric on the back for a bedroom and they worked out great too. I would definitely endorse this company.
YoungHouseLove says
LOVE the tip! Thanks so much Penn!
xo
s
Shira says
Penn, thanks for writing this! Helps other readers too (like me, who madly went over to the site)…. :)
Brooke says
Wow! So many cute options. The office is looking so great. Question: How do you make a sneak peek of what the room could look like? Photoshop? Maybe you’ve already done a tutorial on that and I missed it. I would love to do that with some of my rooms in the house.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes it’s Photoshop. We did a post a while back with some pointers for ya here :)
xo
s
Louise says
The last picture, so pretty with the blue curtains and bamboo. That lamp will go extremely well with the pattern in the rug. Such a good office!
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
WOW I really like a lot of your ideas, but I really love the last picture. I do moodboards all the time. Makes it easier to make a decision and less time returning products. lol ;)
Can’t wait to see how it all comes together. Such an awesome room!!!
Diane says
I love the bamboo shade idea. You’re right it ties the light fixture into the room….I like it much better in the office…..I also like the grayish curtain. I think it calms and soothes the room which when you’re working is a nice feeling. To me the green is too jarring.
Emily says
What is the name of that plant you have in the corner?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a fiddle leaf fig from Home Depot.
xo
s
Jenny H. says
The very last rendering is where it’s at – LOVE!!! Layered and warm, but still feels young and light-hearted with those blue curtains. Gorg!
Stephanie says
I’m fairly new to the blog, have you guys ever done a tutorial or post about photoshopping items into rooms? This is so cool
YoungHouseLove says
We did a post a while back with some pointers for ya here :)
xo
s
julie s says
love the addition of the bamboo shades but my vote for curtains would be one of the greens
Gill says
I’d definitely vote the emerald curtains, love the pop of colour. Your office is gorgeous!
Rebecca says
I absolutely love the bamboo blinds + blue curtains combo in that room. I have a sliding glass door in our kitchen that I was thinking about adding bamboo blinds to but I’m afraid interior mounted blinds would interfere with opening the door. I need to research if wall-mounted options exist. Great inspiration here!
Isabel says
So I really liked the emerald green curtains when you posted the rendering last week but I’m totally digging the curtains + bamboo blinds. However, I think that if you did the bolder color + bamboo blinds it would look really nice too and still add warmth. I love the idea of the bolder color being the first impression you get of the room, but I’m biased towards bold colors ;-) I wouldn’t choose the blue curtains simply because I liked the contrast a different color adds. Whichever direction you choose though will look beautiful.
It’s funny because now that I read home/DIY blogs and magazines I feel compelled to do mood boards, etc., but I’ve noticed the process works better for me when I just let my mind absorb inspiration and let it slowly create a visual image of what I want. Sometimes it’s an eureka moment and the whole room comes together, sometimes it just takes forever!
Jill says
Now, you have Teddy and a presidential office.
YoungHouseLove says
Ha!
xo
s
Megan says
Don’t you love that moment when stuff just CLICKS?!? I admit, I wasn’t digging the cream light/rug with little else in the room to blend… but the bamboo blinds are the PERFECT coordinating piece! (And I vote for the taupe-gray option curtains :-) Everything looks much more cohesive now. I love the nuetral/natural aspects vs all the bright on white. Great job! Oh, and I had bamboo blinds in our first house… found them at Pier 1.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Megan!
xo
s
Katie says
I love the blue + shades combo!
As a heads up, Lowes’ has some roman shades that are kind of like faux-bamboo-ish, with a nice natural texture. I picked them out for my bedroom at my parents’ house and liked them so much I got a set for my bedroom in my apartment, too. They provide good privacy but still let in a lot of light and look pretty rolled up or down! I think they come in a couple different colors, too. Here’s the link to the style I have – http://tinyurl.com/lg8396b
And two shots of them in action in both rooms – http://instagram.com/p/j4-Y4zxRLT/ + http://instagram.com/p/lVcAbQxREY/
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
Danielle Purtle says
What about the aqua color in the roman shades? Also have you tried the visual of hanging them on the upper exterior of the window? I am a fan of that because it seems to elongate the window the same way drapes do. See the teal photo on this page:
http://www.voguewindowfashion.com/roman-shades.html
Susan says
LOVE the bamboo shades! My preference is the taupey-gray curtains with those shades. The emerald curtains are nice, but I like how your accent bits of color and Clara’s art stand out with the gray ones.
Have fun deciding!
Jo @ Let's Face the Music says
From the beginning I wasn’t crazy about the emerald; it detracted from the view through the window which I realize will not be green year round. The bamboo blinds tie the outdoors to the indoors and definitely make the lampshade “work”. I realize when you pick “the actual fabric” some of the heaviness of the curtains might not be an issue. Love how the room is starting to look like it belongs to “Madame President”. Sorry, John. Jo @ Let’s Face the Music