The boys' rooms have the same exact curtains in there. They were versatile enough to go with all the bedrooms. The rest of the house has ZERO curtains. We have plantation shutters on the first level of the house with exception to the windows on the back of the house. I wanted those views to stay open, but we eventually hung shades to use in case we wanted privacy or to block the setting sun for those 20 minutes that it is right in your face!
But the kitchen nook was still feeling unfinished.
I don't remember exactly how I found Martha and Ash, but I started following them on Instagram. I watched them for a while and made it a goal to eventually purchase custom curtain panels from them. I measured twice and provided the measurements and a picture. Ashley then asked more questions and then recommended options.
I ordered samples and picked out what I wanted and then requested a quote. I then sat on that quote for a year! Once I was ready, I actually made the purchase and waited 6 weeks for them to arrive.
During that six weeks I got nervous! I started second-guessing how I was going to hang the curtains. Remember, my walls downstairs are made of Insulated Concrete Forms. There is 3 inches of foam, 6 inches of concrete and then another 3 inches of foam. I was nervous I would flub up the installation into the foam and the heavy curtain rods and heavy curtains would come crashing down as soon as I got them up!
When the curtains and the hardware arrived, it made me even more scared. I think I made a mistake ordering the curtains without thinking this through. But I continued to search through the many photos I took during construction to see if I could see where the "studs" were. In ICF walls, there is plastic webbing every six inches that goes through the foam and concrete.
This webbing can be used as studs and can support 300 lbs. On the foam, there was an infinti marking where the webbing was. The framing installers were suppose to line those up with each row of blocks.
I studied pictures of the drywall in that corner and saw now seams that they plastered the screw holes above the window! That's when I studied the ICF framing before the drywall phase.
When I zoomed in, I could see the infinti marking. I then measured ever six inches. I easily found the studs on the outside edges of the window. They required a lot of umph to drive the screws in (to get started) so I asked for Mr. JCrew's help.
I couldn't find the stud in the middle of the window. I bought an extra bracket in case I had off-center studs, but there weren't. I then put superglue on the 3-inch screws and screwed them into the foam.
The corner bracket was cool. I had not seen one like it before. The down side to the corner, was that there were no studs there either! The corner was where the biggest curtain panel was going to be! I used superglue on those screws and drove them into the foam, too.
Once I had the brackets up, I let them sit there for a week. Then I hung the poles on the brackets and let them hang out for a week.
I finally hung the end panels up with no problem. I knew they would hold.
It was the middle panel I was hesitant about. The curtains and hardware hung out in my closet as I gained courage. My mom kept asking about when I was going to hang them. Then I waited even longer to hang the middle panel. Maybe I didn't need it? But that would be a waste of money.
I also waited to make sure that the superglue was set and would hold. I finally got the courage to hang the middle panel and put the curtain up. I left the ladder there to support the weight of the curtain.
I finally bit the bullet and removed the ladder. It stayed!!!
I bought my first ever steamer to use on these curtains. It took the wrinkles right out. I plan to use it on the boys' curtains. I thought the weight of the curtains would pull the wrinkles out, but they are still there after 3 years.
I purposefully chose the curtains to be the same color as my wall. I'm really digging "texture" with color on color rather than incorporating too many different colors into a space.
I am loving it! The view you see from entering the front door is my favorite. It makes you feel like the ceiling is much taller!
I chose pinch pleat top to give it a more formal look.
The measurements turned out perfect! They hit the floor just right. I ordered these before I found the rug, so the rug took up an inch of the curtains fall. I have since moved the rug over a little so the curtains can touch the ground.
I am loving adding the finishing touches to the house. The curtains are a favorite!!
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