Today I’m answering some of your design questions, including a few specifically about window treatments!

Featured Picture credit to DeaVita.

I lead a design group called Behind the Scenes and a few months ago we talked about Window Treatments, and as part of preparing for that class I asked for some of window treatment hang ups (pun intended). Today I’ll be answering a few of those, plus a couple of other more general questions that pop up regularly on social media and in YouTube comments!

*This post contains affiliate links to products I know &/or love.

Question Number One | What Can I do about my IKEA curtains looking too thin?

First off, I know I’ve mentioned my love of IKEA curtains before, but this seems like as good of a time as any to share again. IKEA is the first place I will check for curtain panels when I’m on the hunt!

Not only do they have great prices, but more importantly, they have LONG lengths that can often be hard to find in regular packaged curtains. I like to hang my panels about 4″ down from the ceiling and want them to go all the way to the floor. IKEA curtains (like these RITVA panels) make that possible, and I’ll always share about them because of it!

So If you’ve got some curtains that are looking a bit too skimpy for your liking, my first piece of advice is to double them up. And I don’t mean by lining them, though that is an option!

I suggest doubling the number of panels you hang up. So even if you only need two panels to cover the window, you would install four to give the extra fullness you’re after.

Another great thing about IKEA curtains is that they come with pinch pleat tape sewn in and ready to go. You’ll need to buy their additional RIKTIG hooks but they’re really easy to install by sliding the prongs into the loops in the pinch pleat tape. This option gives you a really sophisticated tailored look, while also helping with adding some fullness.

If you have regular straight curtain panels, you can convert them to pinch pleat curtains using pinch pleat tape!

I’ve noticed that this tape works best when you take a razor blade and cut the closed end open for each of the prongs.

Question Number Two: What Kind of Window Treatments do I Use For My Sliding Glass Doors?

I think the limited window treatment options for sliding glass doors can certainly cause a lot of frustration!

If you’re a homeowner and have the budget and/or DIY construction skills, I would highly suggest getting to the root of the issue and swapping out the sliding doors for a nice set of French doors.

Even if that means you have French doors and two stationary windows on either side to help accommodate the previous sliding door width.

I know this option isn’t a solution for everyone, especially those who rent, so for anyone else, I would simply treat the doors as a large window and hang panels on a rod in front of them. Make sure your panels are hung high (about 4″ from the ceiling) and that you have enough panels to create a robust full look, and viola – no more sliding doors or sliding door blinds to worry about!

You can even add two different types of curtain panels (like the featured photo) if you like the look and to add some more design style.

Another option that is again based on budget and/or DIY skill is to add a transom above your sliding door. There’s just something about transom windows that elevate the design of whatever space they’re in!

Question Number Three: How Old Are You?

I am 4#…… *sound of static*

Question Number Four: Can I pair tall white panels with horizontal blinds?

Yes! I think the best way to do this is to create lots of contrast. If you’re going with white curtain panels, I would say to use some sort of natural blinds instead of white ones.

There are a variety of options like bamboo, woven grasses and jute, and in many different styles from standard mini blinds to thicker slat blinds or roman shades. Any of these options would look lovely with white panels.

Something I truly love about the combination of natural blinds and long white panels is that it’s a really sweet and complimentary pairing of masculine and feminine, hard and soft. For that reason I think it’s one of the best window treatments you can have for a master bedroom where the balance between masculine and feminine can sometimes be hard to attain!

I will caution you, though, that if you use natural shades in a bedroom or bathroom, you’ll want to line them! In the evening you can often see straight through them when your interior lights are on. Keep that in mind!

Question Number Five: Where did the “She Holds Dearly” name come from?

It began 5 1/2 years ago when I decided to start this blog. That was back when we started our now 11 yr journey to renovate our 1906 farmhouse. I knew then that I wanted to be able to speak to people who liked to DIY and who had an eye for old forgotten things. Who had desires to revamp and bring honor and life back into them.

Holding dearly meant being the one to look for things that might otherwise be overlooked or devalued by other people.

It was honestly a struggle to push the “publish” button the first times, and the idea of being a public face on social media and in YouTube videos was the furthest thing from my mind.

But what I noticed in this sequence of events has rung true in others as well.

Sometimes God starts us with taking just one little step that unfolds into something much bigger and better.

To look at what She Holds Dearly means now, half a decade later, it has blossomed far beyond caring for material things and into a passion and love of supporting women who are growing their creative businesses and designs for their own homes and spaces.

Women who love design and feel like it is something more than a hobby, but something that truly makes them come alive.

I whole-heartedly believe that we are gifted by God to be creative. It is the image of God in us.

And seeing how this blog and platform has changed to allow me to come alongside these talented creative women has been such a blessing to me! I love getting to teach and pass along what I learned in design school and in my 20 years of experience.

There are formulas about the different processes and tricks to utilizing systems like Pinterest, which can be both inspiring and overwhelming when you don’t have the knowledge about the best ways to help translate all that inspiration into your own space.

And now, I get to do that alongside you, all the time, and it brings me such joy!

My favorite part about how this community has grown and developed is my Behind the Scenes design group. It’s the best of all the parts I’ve already mentioned, AND with the addition of a wonderful community to grow alongside. We meet weekly for class and talk daily in our private group, and it’s an honor to watch these talented women hone their skills as they change and grow their homes and businesses.

If that sounds like something that would you would like to be a part of, I hope you join the waitlist HERE to be notified the next time we open our new student registration:

Take care, and I’ll see you here again next week!

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