Blog Crasher: Fashionable Roller Shades

The blog has officially been crashed and I am so excited!!  Meet Laura.  She is the voice and soul of Bobbie + Agnes (the first blog I ever followed) and the creative talent behind Laura Lee Interior Design.  She is my go-to-girl for design tips, but most importantly one of my best friends (since high school!).  No matter if it has been days or weeks, we pick up right where we left off without skipping a beat.  She is also a wonderful mother, wife and sister; a true total package.  Today, she is here to let you in on a little secret.......

Fashionable RollerShades

I’ve grown to loathe mini blinds, not to be confused withplantation shutters.  They (the shutters) are timeless.  So, in two years of living in our littlecasa, I’ve slowly removed most of the blinds in our house.  Some windows have full panels, some haveroman shades, some have cornice boards. I love seeing the world outside, through the glass, not the blinds. Thenursery was the recent upgrade.

Before....

 

After... 

 

I first saw this on a blog I follow...Cottage and Vine. 

The designer in me actually called a professional, had themmeasured and thought about roman shades, custom fabric, the whole nineyards.  The more I thought, the more Ididn’t really want romans.  I wanted blackout, quick up, quick down, easy, but cute...and...not spend too much money.

Light bulb goes off.

My fabric, any fabric, and roller shades.

I pretty much follow Rene’s instructions with one, or twoadditions.  I found my fabric atHancock’s, an unexpected find, but it was perfect!  Khaki, wool, herringbone.  Perfect for the equestrian room.

 I laid the shade over the fabric to cut the access off.  I cut the fabric so that there was about aninch on one side and the bottom.  The edgesof the fabric were frayed and I wanted it to show.  I would hang the shades with this on theinside of the windows.  I put the shadeon the very edge of the fray to get the cuts accurate.

Then glue.  I used fabricglue, also found at Hobby Lobby.  I gluedthe side and then the bottom.

 Let dry overnight.

Hang.  (May or may notrequire man power, and a drill.)  Follow hanging instructions with shades, andfollow the instructions for getting the shades to roll up as tight as you wouldlike.

The panels in this room are non-functioning, so I can’t pull themto cover the rollers, and I don’t want to add a valance.  My wheels were spinning, how can I cover the rollers?  Even husband asks, “Aren’t you going to coverthose rollers?  Ummmm....yes....

I had just helped my sister take down lots of those rods (butthey’re not rods) that you just slip a panel on through its pocket.  The name totally escapes me.  They’re flat, not attractive and you canchange the widths.  And I did not take apicture before I did this.

 Hot glued upholstery binding. (Found at Hobby Lobby.)

Almost done.  These windowsare on the front of the house, so you could see my very uneven cutting job fromthe front, or the road.  Must fix.  Back to Hobby Lobby.  Amongst the trim I find this perfect redtape. 

 Cut.  Hot glue.  Done.

I love them from the front and back!  The best part is that I bought the black outrollers from Lowes, 20.00 per shade.  I’mnot sure if any of you live in Central Time Zone, but the sun keeps crazy hoursin this time zone.   Now when this littleguy sleeps, it’s like a cave...a beautiful cave.

 Win-win for everyone!  (Andyes, they work!)

 

I told you she was creative!  She might even have me convinced to keep my ugly roller shades.

Lisa