Dining Room Window Update

It was a couple months ago that I had a small update I did to the curtains in the dining room.



I sewed the curtain panels together so that they wouldn’t come apart so easily. We had started pulling the curtains to the side to let more light in and sewing them together made things easier.



After realizing I liked the light, I played with alternatives. The main reason I had curtains was so that I didn’t have to look at my neighbors HVAC units.



They keep a tidy yard and I am THRILLED about that, but I wanted to obstruct that view, but enjoy the light.

I took down my double curtain rods and curtains and was able to sell them. $15 richer! And Little JCrew helped me patch the holes.



He really liked helping, so I handed him his own putty knife and a jar of dried spackle and he went to town on his window, while I worked on the other.



In researching ideas for new window treatments, I really started liking the idea of Plantation Shutters. My house growing up had some as cabinet doors.

The louvers were very small one-inch things. I knew I didn’t want that small.



I then found that louvers could be huge! Four and a half inches huge!! That size wasn’t common, so it was hard to find examples, but I was certain that’s how big I wanted them.



I then said I wanted it to be just ONE panel. This would help make the window still feel big.



Instead of two panels per window, there is only one panel to open up.



Next up was saying that I wanted a dividing rail. This allowed me to keep the top half open and the bottom have closed or semi-closed to hide those HVAC units.



The shutters had a three-week turn-around time. I was so excited when David came to install them.



They exceeded my expectations!! WOW!



They make the room feel bigger. Who knew curtains took up space? I never knew I had wainscoting below the window!



I can see a little wall I didn’t know I had before.



I think it helps that the dining room has wainscoting in it. Keeps it all formal looking.



I honestly have been staring at these forever. Every excuse to walk by. The outside view made me fall even more in love.



Mr. JCrew had the sun in his eyes at breakfast, and I asked him if we needed to close the blinds. He was excited to get the sun out of his face!

I knew I would like these, but I didn’t realize how much. Now to save money to put them in another room. Slowly, I’d like to do the whole house, except the kitchen. I like the bare kitchen windows.



This update cost me a whole lot more than my usual project, but I am thrilled with them. There are no curtains to push around and no cords from blinds.