My husband and I spent two years renovating our tiny cottage. We started the process before farmhouse chic became popular though there are definitely elements of that throughout. From our antique apron-front sink (my husband’s great-great-grandfather’s) to the original white shiplap in the laundry room, there are touches of charm and vintage quaintness all over. Since we live pretty far out in the country, I didn’t think too much about window treatments when we moved in. We have plantation shutters on the front side that faces the road, but the back of the house overlooks a four-acre field on our property, so I left those windows bare.
Over time, my husband and I felt that even those windows should have some sort of decor and at least a partial covering. I didn’t want to install shutters and block the pretty view, so I got creative with a way to solve the problem. I settled on roman shades, which would add a touch of personality to the room without obstructing any of the scenery they provide. The only problem? The roman shades I was pricing online were way above our budget, and even if I had someone make me one, the fabric and labor were going to cost me more than I was comfortable spending. We have two small children and are in the stage of life where absolutely every penny counts.
So, I started researching some options on how to create a DIY roman shade as inexpensively as possible. I landed on a site that detailed a process using a cheap single curtain panel and mini-blinds from the dollar store. The technique seemed simple enough and the supplies were certainly low-budget, so my husband and I set forth! I tweaked the process here and there to meet our timeframe and dimensions, so here is what we ended up doing:
