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.
Lindsay J says
I am not sure which color I like best. None strike me as, “That’s it!” The soft blue ties in with the rug, but not the other blue elements you have. Both greens go well with your figleaf plant and objects on shelves.
But I do know that I really like the bamboo shades. They are perfect.
ShellyP says
Great post. I love fabric, I love window treatments and I loved the look of a layered window with a beautiful fabric and a woven shade. Score! When you finally decide on your fabric, may I recommend that your panels are at least 2.5 times the width of your window AND I recommend lining them. The additional yardage will give you that upgraded look that you seek and the lining will lengthen the life of the fabric, block sunlight and give some “tooth” to the draping. Sewing drapery panels is not hard: it’s straight lines, ironing, hemming and straight seams. Have fun with the pleating! So many options… box pleat, inverted box pleat, triple pleat, goblet pleat (yikes, I sound like Forrest Gump)…
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Shelly!
xo
s
Lindsey says
Totally off topic but I saw these stacking rings and thought of you guys ! Bee love <3
https://www.etsy.com/listing/198764592/one-solid-sterling-stacking-ring
YoungHouseLove says
Ack so cute! Even has our initials!!
xo
s
Cristina says
I LOVE that this is the title of your post. Kelly was always one of my favorite characters on the office and now I love the Mindy Project. On occasion I paint my nails in bed at night and watch past episodes OnDemand because I can’t wait for it to start up again in the Fall (my husband doesn’t mind…he actually really likes the show, too).
Jessica says
One of my favorite lines from the show…ever! So happy to have The Mindy Project!
Ashley says
Hey!! I’m pretty sure you’ve answered this question a million times, so this question is really for anyone. What version of Photoshop works best to create renderings ( like those in this post) or mood/inspiration boards?
Thanks in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
We have Adobe Photoshop CS5.1. We really like it!
xo
s
Peg says
How about sun-up sun-down shades? They can be either pulled up from bottom OR pulled down from top. We love them!
Jolene says
I just love the emerald green curtains. It’s different and fresh!
Mara Smith says
My vote is blue curtains with roman shades, please!!
Mary says
Love the bamboo/blue curtain combo. No more grey!
Amy T says
BAMBOO BLINDS and BLUE (matching the rug) CURTAINS…hands down. There is no competition. I know you guys tend to not do matchy-matchy, but some times MATCHY IS GOOD.
Sonia says
Hi Sherry and John. I think you should get rid of the coral plant pot, it throws off the entire color scheme of the room. That color does not belong there, especially as you take the room in this direction with the rug and the window coverings. I vote for the blue gray curtains by the way, great color!
Stephanie says
Um. YES! The combo of shades plus curtains is IT! I have to ask, and I am SURE you’ve probably already done a whole post about it, WHERE and HOW do you get your bamboo shades? I have unusual sized windows and I am not sure how much of an allowance to leave for hardware so that the shades can fit within the window fram (inside mount). Do you have a favorite place that you order custom from? After searching and searching for a good deal on these types of roman shades, I am realizing that I will have to do custom. Thoughts?
YoungHouseLove says
We mentioned in the comments that we’re on the hunt for a good vendor so there have been a lot of great tips from people right in this post’s comment section! I can’t wait to look into some of them (and of course we’ll share what we end up doing).
xo
s
Eileen malec says
Adore the blue grey option… The last one. Please!!!!!
Agreed with previous poster who mentioned that that coral pot was a bit distracting…but I know you’ll wow us with whatever you choose!
JC says
Love the huge leaves and the height of your plant. Is it real? What is it? Hi maintenance or easy for someone with a black thumb?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a fiddle leaf fig from Home Depot! I’ve had it for months and haven’t killed it yet! His brother is in dire shape after I moved him into another room (he used to be in the office too) so my advice is to find a spot they’re happy and never move them! Ha!
xo
s
Martha says
I just want to say it made my WEEK that you made that Office reference!! I love that line and always try to work it into everyday conversation (it’s surprising how often you can do it if you try). and nobody ever ends up getting it. Here’s to you Kelly Kapoor!
Michelle Holland says
I have a random question about your Farmhouse Pendants….could I put them outside on my front porch? They would be covered and pretty much out of the elements but I wanted to check and make sure it would be ok. So what say you? Thanks for the help and I ???? your light collection.
YoungHouseLove says
I think only if something is rated for outside use is it safe for outside and I don’t believe these are… yet! The good news is we are trying to add that feature to some of our lights so they can be safe outside too, so I hope we can get that going!
xo
s
vanessa says
Oh, totally loving the Emerald Green as well as the last photo with the bamboo.
It would definitely be a hard decision- loving how fresh the Emerlad green is but the bamboo does soften the look and feel and might be a nicer environment for an office space.
Beth says
That Office quote finds its way into my mind on a frequent basis! :D one of my favorites.
Samuel says
Hey,I love these ideas, they are all really awesome.
The bamboo shades look really nice, however, I really think they suit kitchens and/or breakfast rooms more. They look good though, you definitely know what looks good and what not. Although I really like the bay window with just curtains or roman shades as it brings sophistication into the space which would suit the beautiful new chairs, and as it is an home office.
Just a friendly suggestion and a tip.:)
P.S.
I can’t wait to see the new laundry all done and dusted!
Michelle says
The bamboo blinds/curtain combo is a winner! I love that look. I usually just buy what catches my eye and hope that it fits into my vision. And I keep track of all of my receipts!
Emily H. says
I get it! I just watched that episode last weekend! I appreciate all your references, I feel like we could be great friends.
Joanna says
Just chiming in to say that I really loved the clean, yet soft, look of the single colored Roman shades. Great idea for trying things on your house before spending a bunch of time, money, and effort on them!
Debi says
I like the plain with the darker wall the most. It lets the green from outside stand out.
In the winter the bare trees with snow would be quite striking too.
Lauren says
Yes! Love the bamboo blinds and the curtains. I’m leaning towards the blue gray color- I think it brings in more color without being totally crazy.
Sharon B says
Blue and bamboo!
Fahlon says
Have you guys considered using short curtain rods on either side of the desk? Less fabric on the sides would be cheaper and less heavy visually. It would also eliminate the horizontal line across the top of the room (my eyes are drawn up but stop at the rod instead of your cool light shade.)
Short rod how to: http://thecrazycraftlady.com/2014/01/short-drapery-rods/
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the links and ideas, guys! So fun to hear them all!
xo
s
lauren says
i would actually go with a curtain color that matches the tomato red tone of your potted plant and the books, to the left, in the bookcase! a la steve zissou: powder blue and vibrant red…such a beautiful combination.
Jen Decker says
I think yellow mustard colored curtains would look amazing with the green color from the rug….Good Luck!
Annie Swift says
I like the bamboo options, my only query is relating to the rug – it would annoy the heck out of me my office chair wheels getting stuck or shifting/folding the rug… It’s happened to me in the past, maybe just paranoid! Lol
YoungHouseLove says
We wouldn’t go for a thick tufted rug for that giant bump it would cause, but thought a flat weave could work well as long as we kept it in place with a rug pad. We’ll have to see how it works in real life and report back!
xo
s
Emily says
We got our bamboos at overstock.com Amazing price for good quality. not childproof at all so you’d have to figure out the cords.
http://www.overstock.com/search?keywords=bamboo+shades&taxonomy=sto1&ralt=sto6,sto39,sto7&TID=AR:TRUE&searchtype=Header
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the shade hunting tips guys!
xo
s
Emily says
ps: what about deepened wall color with bamboo shades and no curtains?
kylha says
Hey, love your photoshop-ing! Just thought I’d weigh in and say my absolute favorite was the bamboo blinds and the blue-ish curtains. I felt it was a splash of controlled color and that the blue helps tie in your rug and also some of the blue items you have scattered throughout your office. I’m not a matchy-matchy person, but I felt the blue curtains helped unify things while still giving you some beautiful color.
Megan Walsh says
You Are Fun people and every room in your house reflects that, and so should your office. Blue/gray are booooring.
LEAFY Green, with bamboo that matches the tones in the floor or the ceiling shade, now thats fun. (With white wall.) Buuuut,
You need to add more FUN by painting the kiddos chairs and adding fabric to your chairs that is similar to the color of the planter! The black chairs look like the elephant in the room, and elephants can be fun, but not really.just saying…..
Charlotte says
I loved the emerald! It seems a little darker than you normally go, but not too far off the path. But the curtain-shade combo is lovely. I like the darker gray.
I love this office! Can’t wait to decorate my own one day. :)
Ashley says
I LOVE the gray curtains. I think it helps all your colorful accents around the room pop more. I would never have thought I would like the bamboo but you were so right with that too.
I love your style and always find your rooms so fresh. How long does it take you to do a photoshop fashion show? I haven’t tried testing things out like that before but I’m not the photoshop wiz yet.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, if I was just starting out it would take me a lot longer (it took me years to learn in high school, and even not I’m not great!) but now I’m a lot faster (although still not flawless at realism, haha). I played around for about an hour or two for this little fashion show. Sometimes the hardest part is remembering to save each option as I go before changing it again!
xo
s
Joseph@littlehouseblue says
Hahaha, I have been making that “fashion show” reference for so long that I had literally forgotten what it was from. Every time my wife or I can’t decide what to wear somewhere or we’re talking about thinning our wardrobe I chant it. The best part is I got my three year old son doing it too.
Barbara says
Try NAVY blue curtains with the bamboo blinds. This will tie in the rug, the walls, and the chairs. Plus, it will ground the room and add that depth you are looking for.
Maria says
What about the bamboo shades with no curtains?
Sassafras says
Bottom picture for the win for WINTER time coziness (blue green curtains and bamboo blinds). Then in summertime I’d take it all down for an easy breezy light filled space – given you’ve enough tree cover to keep it from being an inferno in the heat.
Boo-ti-ful, jus’ boo-ti-ful!!!!
Myself I’ve always just winged it, no mood boards, no bring three things home and see if it worked. I just buy what I think is the right thing and we live with it a while. Seeing here what your methods bring about? I might need to find out how to make a mood board. Do you have a tutorial?
YoungHouseLove says
Check out polyvore or olioboard! We hear they’re so awesome for easy mood boards!
xo
s
Liz says
LOVE the bamboo blinds with the grey. It gives me inspiration to do something similar in my living room which has a similar window. Thanks!
Amy says
The wood tone from the blinds really breathes life into the room! The curtains in the last photo look great as well.
Do you have any wood furniture – a bookshelf, maybe? something in the room you could refinish/swap out for something in a darker wood? – that you could bring in? It would help tone down all of the white/pale/beachy colors & bring more of the natural tone in, which I think would help the dark chairs fit in better.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s hard to see in this picture, but Clara’s big wall of cork above her desk would tie into the bamboo blinds really well I think!
xo
s
katie mcg says
May I ask where you bought the red/coral planter that your tree is in? I have been pining over it in every office picture. TIA!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Katie! Lowe’s!
xo
s
Lulu says
Another vote for bold green with bamboo.
Colette says
I liked, no, LOVED the impact of the emerald panels and I also liked the bamboo shades, so I’m wondering how they would look together??
Sheryl says
I do like adding the bamboo shades, but definitely like them paired with the blue. To me the green sticks out like a sore thumb, as a nun once told me when I wore a colored dress for a choir program when we were supposed to wear white…must not have gotten the note. It’s something you never forget:-)
Dianne says
I loved the last picture with the blueish curtains and the bamboo blinds! It is just lovely. The rug and curtains make a big impact on the feel and look of your office!
Chrissy says
I’d go with a colour that doesn’t compete with the beautiful greenery outdoors. With the emerald and leafy green curtains, the eye is drawn to the curtains and not the actual window. I’d avoid green, personally, and go with something that highlites the greenery outside of the window.
Julie says
ANYTIME my sister or I get new clothes and we want the other to try them on, we chant “fashion show, fashion show, fashion show at lunch.” It warms my heart there is now a YHL post with this title.
Sarah says
I really love how bright and vibrant those first green curtains are… And of course, those bamboo roman shades are awesome! For me, I would chose a color that’s bright and vibrant for your curtains… Would it look bad with the roman shades??? I have no clue… lol… I don’t have your photoshop skills. But, I am seriously loving that fun and bright green color!
YoungHouseLove says
There are so many votes for emerald with the blinds, so we’ll definitely have to try it and see what we think!
xo
s