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I went over my daughter’s new house today and now that things are winding down from the wedding and Holiday’s, it is time to decorate! Her bedroom was first on the list, and she is so anxious to get started! We reviewed the plans I had made for her bedroom redesign which you can see here.

She has chosen Ben Moore Coventry Gray for her wall color. I think that is a good choice because gray works well with so many great colors. Her bedroom has two windows  and after working with her today, I realized that not everyone knows the basics of buying curtains. We all have to learn sometime, right? In case you do not know the essentials, I hope I can give you a few helpful ideas to remember.

For instance, when Meg and I started talking about sizes, she did not realize there are the same standard sizes wherever you order. We went online and she found panels she loved. I showed her how to find the different sizes that are available. Next, we have to measure her window to see which size will fit best.

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Standard Ready-Made Drapery Sizes:

50” x 63”

50” x 84”

50” x 96”

50” x 108”

When I asked her if she knew where to measure  to find the correct size panel, she had no clue. I explained how hanging the rod above the window makes the window appear taller and more attractive as shown below:

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Not everyone knows that! Hanging the rods higher than the actual window makes a more impressive, bolder look. Then Meg wondered if we should hang them a few inches off the floor. Please, this is important, do not ever hang your curtains inches above the floor. The bottom of the panels should touch the floor.They look like flood pants when they are up too high.

And more thing I want to mention:

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When you are ready to purchase, we aware that the panels are sold individually. I think they might have sold in pairs at one time, but now they are usually sold separately. So be sure to buy two panels, one for each side, for each window. You should have heard Meg complain that she had to pay for two more because she thought they came as a set. I also suggested she buy an extra panel so that we could make a long boudoir pillow for her bed out of the window fabric. Or maybe even a cushion between her cabinets:

She is going to paint the cabinets and trim in Cloud White. For this window above, I think a pretty shade would look best.

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I don’t know if you learned anything new here today, but as my daughter made me realize, not everyone necessarily know the basics of purchasing window panels. I hope I have helped someone that is new to ordering!

If you need ideas and suggestions for decorating your home, contact me today.