Friends

04 August 2017

THE NEW BLINDS


Yes, I know I have talked about my blinds before but this is about the latest acquisition and the problem of getting rid of curtains.

Windows in my bungalow are huge and so were the good quality curtains. I realised straight away that the design would probably not appeal to younger people, nor would they fit modern windows, so it was thinking caps on. I came up with the idea of approaching charity shops which these days seem to take anything – except good quality curtains! I had heard that fabrics would bring in money but apparently not curtains! Hmmm if they’re not fabric, what is? Then there were the nets. Yards and yards of lovely white lacey curtains that I had no further use for. They didn’t want those either. This is what I was obliged to do. Because of the sheer weight and size I couldn’t dispose of them in one go, therefore week by week curtains were put out with the rubbish, taken away and probably burned. How sad is that?

All the new blinds are in place now and I love them. The rooms are so much lighter and much more attractive… and cleaner than nets. Because I couldn’t get up to the high curtain tracks the dirt was more obvious. Even Joe struggled to do it and he was a lot taller than me. Still, it’s not the height but the precarious position one has to take on stepladders. Fear became a regular visitor when faced with this such tasks.

On the left is the blind in the kitchen or, in other words, a view of the garden! Actually the blind is creamy white though you'd never tell from the picture. On the right is the quaint toilet which has a convenient window that shows what is on the outside. I have been known to put flowers in the basket. They look good inside or out.


The place felt cleaner the minute those dismal looking nets were pulled down and the overall appearance of each room is quite delightful. Now it’s all light and airy and, even better, more attractive.

The company who made the blinds must have been in their element because, each time some were delivered and fitted, I ordered more. Now every room except the lounge has a new look and I’m loving it.

19 comments:

  1. They look great Valerie. Coincidentally Iave also been replacing curtains, only with wooden shutters which as you say, appeals to the younger generation and to me in fact. They look neat and tidy and need less work when cleaning. I have been doing a couple of windows at a time and now only have about four to go.

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  2. Hi Denise. I am just a tad jealous of your blinds. Oh I would love but and know they'd look good but fitting them could be a problem for my very old bungalow. It would entail a lot more work than merely fitting a shutter. Never mind, I'm happy with what I've got.

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  3. *applause*

    Oh Valerie, your new blinds looks absolutely fabulous! Brava! I love how they have a scoop along the bottom edge. Very pretty!

    "The place felt cleaner the minute those dismal looking nets were pulled down and the overall appearance of each room is quite delightful. Now it’s all light and airy and, even better, more attractive."

    I know exactly how you feel because when my family moved to Florida from the Northeast, our home when from having heavy curtains on the windows to blinds. And it made a world of difference in how light, bright, and airy it made our home.

    Well done, my friend! Have a lovely weekend and enjoy your new curtains!

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  4. Better blinds do make a major difference.

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  5. And you have a beautiful garden to look at...:)

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  6. Good afternoon, Ron. My team of cleaning ladies love fhe new blinds which, they say, only need occasional dusting... something to do with the type of fabric used in the making. The blinds look so much better than the old curtains i keep wanting to experiment with different positions. How daft is that?

    Weekend looms, i hope you have a good one, my friend, with more sunshine than we have.

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  7. We have wooden blinds, called plantation shutters here, on all our windows instead of curtains, and I love them. I know you're going to love yours.

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  8. I love what you have done Valerie, that view from the kitchen window is perfect, and the blinds came out very nice, I am happy for you my friend, it all looks so good.

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  9. Looking good, Val. We shouldn't be surprised as you have great taste. I was thinking of you and Joe recently as the English Premier League is getting ready to start their new season next weekend. Looking forward to another year of soccer or football as everyone else calls it. Take care, my friend.

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  10. Hi Jimmy Yes, it's a great view from all the windows on that side of the house. I think that was what sold it to us in the first place, although the aspect was very different then. We let it go somewhat, being elderly and incapable!

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  11. Matt, that's true... Joe would have been geared up to the new season. He loved his football, well he used to play when he was younger. Never 1st Division but somewhere on the way to it.

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  12. Hi Janet. Plantation blinds' ... thanks, I was trying to remember what I had heard wooden screens called.

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  13. Your blinds look lovely! I would much prefer them to these dusty old curtains - now just to convince DH!

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  14. Hope you are able to 'go for it', Sharon. The change does wonders for the old ego.

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  15. I've always been a fan of blinds, all kinds, and hate nets. I don't mind a dress curtain to soften the look of the window. Yours look really nice.

    I think Charity shops are getting more and more fussy with the things they want to accept now.

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  16. It is sad to throw out something that has served you so well. But it was a nice trade off, love the view of your garden.

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  17. We have sheer cream colored curtains in the VA house as the windows are so long and when we removed them as a realtor suggested, the house looked "undressed." They are not dark and let in all the light, but you are so right Valerie about what a change there is when window dressings are changed around. And, less maintenance is great too!

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  18. Thanks, Kden, the top part of the garden does make a lovely view from the window.... but you should see the hidden part! It is geared to wildlife and wildflowers but I love it.

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  19. Beatrice, less maintenance was my aim but the end result is very satisfying.

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