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Roll up shades are often one of the most inexpensive window treatments that homeowners or apartment dwellers can install. After a while, though, those faithful shades start to look a little dull. Instead of buying all new shades, decorate roll-up shades to create customized beauty in your home.
Most basic shades come in white, ivory or cream colors. This makes a terrific base for whatever your imagination can dream up. If you’ve installed shades in colors, then you have an opportunity to coordinate your decorations with the colors of the shades.
Roll up shades made of cloth or vinyl can be decorated with fabric, paint, stencils, ribbons or other craft materials. They can be displayed by themselves, or enlivened with coordinating curtains.
Create Beautiful Roll Up Shades With Artful Decorations
Acrylic craft paint that matches the room’s color scheme is the best option. When choosing colors of paint, think carefully about the effect you want to achieve. You’re your neutral living room need a pop of bright color such as yellow or bright green? Is your floral bedroom due for some shades decorated with coordinating soft pinks and blues. Or what about bold reds and oranges for a Contemporary dining room? The choice is yours, but be sure that you complement the room’s décor. However beautiful your roll up shades might be, you don’t want them clashing with the room style.
When you’re ready to paint, unroll the roll up shade and weight it down with heavy objects such as books or clean rocks. Next, draw your design on the shade with a pencil. If you’re really talented, you may want to draw an entire mural or perhaps a picture version of a child’s favorite story. Some roll up bamboo shades are thin enough that you can trace a stencil or pattern placed behind the fabric and then paint it or draw it in with fabric markers.
If drawing isn’t your gift, consider using stencils that coordinate with the theme of a room. For instance, a bathroom could be a good place for shades done in stencils shaped like seashells. Or stencils like vines and ferns could reflect a woodsy feeling.
Stencils are especially good for decorating shades for children’s rooms. Rocket ships or dinosaurs often delight little boys, while girls love dolls or horses. Older children and teens can join in the decorating fun by painting their own roll up shades. Be prepared for wild colors and unusual scenes; you may have to set some decorating ground rules first.
Get Creative With Your Window Treatments
Fabric and ribbons also enhance cloth and vinyl roll up shades. Spruce up the borders of shades by attaching ribbons along the edges. Use spray adhesive if the shades are vinyl, fabric glue if they’re cloth. An Americana look can be achieved by attaching star-shaped pieces of red or blue bandana cloth.
Once your beautiful decoration is added to the shade, let it dry completely before rolling it up for hanging. As mentioned earlier, you can set off your newly design shade by hanging coordinated curtain panels on either side. This has the added benefit of giving you additional privacy.
With some crafty touches and a little imagination, roll up shades can be as stunning as the most expensive customized window treatments.
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