Ombre Painted Chevron Curtains Tutorial

Ombre Painted Chevron Curtains Tutorial

By Nancy of Owen's Olivia

Thank you so much Cassity for having me!  I am delighted to be here today.  I blog over at Owen's Olivia, where I focus on design, fabric, DIY, and anything else that catches my eye.  It has been a wonderful creative outlet for me, so it makes me happy that others are enjoying reading about my journey.  I have only been blogging for three months now, so I am truly honored that Remodelholic has noticed my work!  

My husband attends NCSU for electrical engineering (B-O-R-I-N-G :) while I stay at home with our son, Owen.  I am very blessed to be able to dabble in my creative affairs and tend to Owen while my husband is off doing all the dirty work.  He is awesome.

  It has been a sloooow process converting our guest bedroom into a room for Owen.  Seriously, he'll be 15 by the time I am done with it.  Curtains were the first thing on my to-do list.  I knew that I did not want to make curtains (though I do like to sew), and Ikea is not within driving distance.  I needed something fun and playful (but not too baby like) that blocked out light.
 

Hard work aside, painting these curtains are incredibly easy to do!!  ANYONE can paint these curtains and make them look custom.  You can even take this process and do a completely different design.  The sky is the limit.  Do not let all my pictures and steps trick you into thinking there is much to do or painting curtains is cumbersome.  I just take a lot of pictures, and I am literally walking you through every step!  If you are visual person like me, you can probably get by just by looking at the pictures.

Items needed for chevron curtains:

Curtain panels

Painter's tape ~ 1, 2 or 3 inch wide (my chevrons are 2 inches wide)

Speed square or some other form of a template (if making a template you will want your corner to be a perfect square or 90 degree angle)

Paint (I bought 4 sample cans from Lowe's)

Please note that there are many different ways to apply a chevron design to fabric.  This is a way that works best for me for this particular project.  You may find a faster way to apply the design. 

Step 1.  Place the speed square just above the curtain's hemline.  Tear off two pieces of tape, and place it along either side of the speed square. 

Step 2.  Place the speed square at the top of your chevron point.  Draw a line.  Cut the tape along that line, so you create a perfect tip for you chevron.

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Step 3.  You will now use your tape as your template for length and width.  Because my tape is 2 inches wide, my chevrons will be 2 inches wide as well.  Place two pieces of tape next to the inside of your blue tape.

Okay, don't worry about that glob of curtain showing there in the corner.  Those two pieces of tape will be removed.  I just needed those in place to create a nice point and V.   Once those are taped down, repeat Step 3. 

I taped off where I do not want paint, so I placed tape along my hemline.
 

Step 4.  Move the speed square (or the template you made) over to create the next upside down V.  Make sure your tape will create a sharp point in the corners.  (Refer to photos below for better clarification.)

 You want your point to look like this!!!!

NOT THIS!!!!!

Step 5.  Repeat steps 2-4 until you have your first row of chevrons. For these next few photos ignore the paint that I already applied.  To make your next row of chevrons, you will not need your speed square except for marking straight lines.

Step 6.  From here and on out, you are basically repeating steps 2 and 3.  Place two pieces of tape along the sides of your chevron.  Notice that glob of curtain again?? :)

Step 7.   Place another piece of tape, and cut it so it is straight.

Notice below how the left piece of tape is gone?  I moved it over to the next chevron, so I knew how long of a piece I needed. Basically, I used the same two pieces of tape throughout the project as my "template."  Still confused?  Don't worry!  Hopefully, these pictures will help explain it better!

Here I am checking the length of tape, so I do not waste my expensive blue tape. :)

The torn piece of tape to the left is about to move over . . .

 to the far right.

  

I cut a straight line with the next piece of tape, which will be my bottom point.  The top of the tape (where my fingers are touching), I just tore it off.  For that torn part, you are repeating step 2 by using your speed square to a mark a straight line for you to cut. 

If you end up cutting your tape crooked throughout the project, do not worry about it!

Use your second piece of tape to make it straight again.

Step 8.  Paint!  I divided my curtain into four parts, so I would tape my first part and paint it before moving onto my second part.  Make sure you press along your tape really well in the area you are painting.  You want good adhesion so paint will not leak underneath.

One thing I learned from this is to not include the stitching in the design.  I should have painted just above the hemline, but thank goodness this did not happen at everywhere on my curtains.  Overall, I am very pleased with the end result!

So let's take one last trip down memory lane . . .

Now, just sit back and admire the new curtains!

And this is what I get to see from my room.  (Yes, my hallway is chevron (painted by me 40 weeks pregnant), but I told myself no more chevron in my home.  Okay, maybe a little pillow or something down the road. :)

This project was contributed by one of our fabulous readers! We love to share your projects with this great blogging community. So, if you have projects from kitchen renovation ideas to small bathroom remodels, overhauled and repurposed furniture, spray paint updates you name it please send it in! Thanks for reading Remodelaholic!

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Repurposing an Old Shutter Into a Bathroom Counter

Repurposing an Old Shutter Into a Bathroom Counter

Submitted By Cleverlyinspired

Thanks so much to everyone who shares in my excitement about my new (old) counters! I really really love doing this project. It is so fun to see something transform from a worn out piece of wood...to a stylin new vanity top! Here is a little background to get you up to speed...
I recently painted the cabinets...(see this post) and the counters were looking a bit blahhhhh. So I found some really cool shutters for the counter..(see this post)....and I am going to keep the same faucets and just purchase a new drop in sink.
I will continue to post about this project for the next few weeks...I will show you how I changed out the plumbing...took off the old vanity top...cleaned up the faucets....and put it all back together! But for now...lets just look at all the pretty pictures :) That's what we all love the best right?!?!

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I NEED Some Roman Shades

Hey Ya'll

I hope you are having a great Memorial Day, and that you take a few minutes to remember those brave men and women who have given their lives for our freedoms.  Thank you.

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On a totally unrelated and less important matter, I have been thinking about roman shades which means I had to do a Google search cuz that is how I roll... (seriously Google should be paying me for all my plugs of their search engines... Are you listening Google?- crickets churp- guess not!)

Anyway, I have 2" white faux wood blinds throughout my house.  They were installed by the previous owners.  I am glad they all match, and I used to dream of having them throughout my house, but now my tastes have changed a bit, but let's be practical.  I am not going to trash them cuz, that is just wasteful.  But I do want to cover them up at least with some roman shades.

It is fun to dress up windows... who doesn't love fabric?  Well if you don't I sure do.  So, I have been looking for images of windows that I like.  Thought I would share them with you.

What are your favorites?

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I like this sheer option, cuz I LURVE light, but I also like privacy.

Although this may not be enough privacy - 

and you may see the blinds too much that I plan on keeping under the "valance" that the romans make.

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Okay, here is the natural shade option, which I love, but I couldn't make this one, so that is a minus...

but, but, oh it just looks so good...  (I wish the kitchen came with the blinds...)

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I like the graphic nature of the stripes.  I made some like this in my room during high school.

They still look good... 

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I love the linen look of this fabric.

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Another bamboo shade... they are just so HOT...

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I have always loved the simple detail that the ribbon brings to these blinds...

and another one or two versions...

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I plan on pairing them with panels on the side, I already have the panels... now I just need about 4 more hours of nap time a day so that I can accomplish some of these 30,000 plans I have... sigh... someday!

What looks do you like best?

Do you have any inspiring links to show me?

  If you read the recent feature about stenciling drapes here, 

I am really thinking that might be the way that I go, only with my romans...

What are your thoughts?

Remodelaholic is written by Cassity and Justin.  Cassity has a degree in interior design and Justin is a landscape architect, so we adore everything that makes up a HOME!  We love to share home remodeling ideas and projects we’re working on. From huge kitchen renovation ideas to small bathroom remodels, there isn’t anything we won’t try to tackle (at least once!).  We  are in the midst of our third whole home renovation, so there should be a lot more inspiration coming your way.  We hope that you will stop by often for home design inspiration, tutorials, interior design tips, delicious recipes and what is going on in our family life.

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Stenciled Drapery Tutorial

Stenciled Drapery Tutorial by Heather

Hi Remodelaholic readers!!!  I am so glad to be guest posting today, from one remodelaholic to another!!!  I blog over at {twenty}something where I write about turning a builder beige turn-key into a home through lots of DIY projects and lots of great Pottery Barn and West Elm knock-off tutorials...all done on a teacher's budget!

My husband Rusty and I are both teachers at the same school, so we budget out our weekends and summers to cram in as much home remodeling as possible.  Here are some of my favorite projects:

My White Mantelscape with shutters and a coffee filter wreath.

Pottery Barn Jewelry Holder Knock Off made form a thrift store frame and some jewelery wire.  Cost totaled under $3.00 for me!

Pottery Barn Hundi Lantern Knock Off made from a thrift store light fixture and a glass hurricane from Michael's.  Cost totaled under $30.00!

Oversized Pottery Barn Clock made from plywood and a homemade stencil.  Project cost under $10.00!

Here is the project I am sharing today.  I took my breakfast nook from this:

To this:

Since Christmas, we have been redoing our breakfast nook.  Since curtains are the next most dramatic thing you change in a room besides paint color, I set out to make some curtains inspired by this West Elm photo:

Supplies:

• Curtain panels (Ikea Vivan in white)
• Acrylic Paint (Craft Smart, Yellow)
• Fabric Medium (Delta Ceramcoat)
• Stencil (Zagora Allover Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils)
• Foam Roller
• Brown Craft/Painter's Paper



Steps:
1.  Cover a large, flat working area with heavy paper to catch all paint that might bleed through.  I used my breakfast nook floor.

2.  Wash and dry curtains.  This will keep the curtains from drawing up later on when you go to wash them.


3.  The directions say to iron the curtains.  Mine were not wrinkled when they came out, so I just skipped this step and smoothed and tugged out the wrinkles.

4.  Mix your paint.  You can use fabric paint, but I found that it was too expensive.  I just bought acrylic paints and a product called Fabric Medium.  You just mix 2 parts paint to 1 part fabric medium, and you will have tons of fabric paint for next to nothing!  Play around with your shades by adding colors together until you get the color your want.  I took my yellow to a more muted yellow by adding some leftover wall paint from when I painted my kitchen.

5.  Place your stencil in the upper left hand corner (if you are right handed like me) and add a few pieces of blue painter's tape to hold it down.

6.  Prepare your brush by rolling into paint and removing excess on a dry paper towel.  You could also roll right on for a faster, thicker coverage.

7.  Stencil your first section. 

8.  Repeat last two steps until your are done!



Now, here are all of the little helpful tips I learned along the way that I hope can help you out:

It is very possible for the fabric to misbehave and ripple under the stencil or behave perfectly.  Both are fine because you can't tell when you are done!

When you are done stenciling a row, pull the whole curtain up and lay it back down to keep the paper from drying to the curtain.  I wouldn't pull your curtain down after each square because it actually helps keep your fabric tight and makes it easier to align.

When stenciling fabric (especially curtains), you will NOT get the stencil to line up perfectly because the fabric will pull all different ways and stretch.  Stop stressing about this since they will hang and flow anyway!  It's just like not shaving your legs in the winter...no one has to know!

Once you have lined it up as much as possible, carefully stencil the pattern beside it without going over the pattern in the overlapped areas.

In tight corners or edges, you can turn your foam roller sideways and use a tapping motion.  This works well in the parts of the stencil beside where you have lined up with the last area you stenciled and you don't want to roll over any parts that are not matched up.

And here they are in all of their glory!!

 

 

 

 

I really love how they turned out.  If this project really matches your style, come join me over at {twenty}something as I dive head first into my summer off with lots more cheap-o DYI projects and knock-offs!

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