Draperies Make The Room

One of the things I have learned through many years of flipping houses is this: draperies can really make a room. There is something about good quality window treatments that just finishes off a space.

For our Illinois house flip, I invested in really good window treatments for every room. We used Bali blinds in a white cellular style, which were great for insulation as well as privacy and light diffusion. And for the dining room, office, and family room, I ordered curtains from Ballard Designs.

Now I must confess, I have tried two other curtain options in the great room since we moved in last summer. First, I tried making my own curtains with fabric from IKEA. And while they were cute, it didn't quite work as a cohesive whole. Then, I took down the patterned curtains and put up lace curtains from IKEA. And they were good for allowing more light to come into the space during the dark of winter.

But after we painted, I knew what the room really needed : the Buffalo check curtains from Ballard that I had used in our dining room in Illinois. Lucky for me, there was a sale (because these curtains aren't cheap!), and I placed the order on Monday and received them on Wednesday. That's fast service!

I just love the soft neutral color with the Palladian Blue walls! Everything about this once dark and pokey room has now been transformed, and the space now feels lighter and brighter and serene.

One of the pleasant surprises was how the curtains tied in so well with the fireplace. The color in the tile no longer looks like an "accident", and the crisp white mantel matches the crisp white window trim. This is the feature wall that you see when you first enter the home, and it makes such a nice first impression now.

Thanks for visiting the cafe today!

If you stop back soon, I will show you the new kitchen color and transformation. Stay tuned!