Shabby Chic; Volume III

countrybum

I don't know if this is of any help to anyone, but I went to my local 'refurnish' shop (its a charity that collect donated furniture and resell) and they had a pallet full of Farrow and Ball paint £5 for 2.5l and £10 for 5l pots. May be worth ringing round if you have any near you (mine is in Carcroft, Doncaster).

Yorkshire_Celt

I am hoping that some lovely person can help. When we had the kitchen done 14yrs ago, couldn't afford the fancy appliances that fit in unoits, so we kept the ones we had. Most are still working ! But, they do spoil the look of things. All different makes etc. So I would like to cover with a curtain. Just wondering, I know how to do curtains of any kind, but no idea how I would fix some kind of rail or pole. There is an ordinary worktop over the appliances. Has anyone done this ? Did it work well ? Thanks in advance. xxxxxxxxx

Lurleene

Yorkshire Celt - I have attached a homemade curtain between kitchen cupboards by threading it on to net curtain wire and attaching it to tiny hooks screwed into the carcasses of the adjoining cupboards.

Yorkshire_Celt

Thank you Lurlene. :A Was not sure if hooks would stay in the melamine covered chipboard stuff our units are made of. Do I have to get a special kind ? Did you drill holes first ?Is the wire tight enough so the curtains don't sag at the top ? I was thinking of using a light weight cotton, maybe gingham. OH not really keen but I am fed up of the look of it so want a change. Sorry if I sound dim, but don't want to make a mess of it and waste money.:(

maman

Yorkshire_Celt wrote: »

Thank you Lurlene. :A Was not sure if hooks would stay in the melamine covered chipboard stuff our units are made of. Do I have to get a special kind ? Did you drill holes first ?Is the wire tight enough so the curtains don't sag at the top ? I was thinking of using a light weight cotton, maybe gingham. OH not really keen but I am fed up of the look of it so want a change. Sorry if I sound dim, but don't want to make a mess of it and waste money.:(

If I remember correctly, the curtain wires come with hooks on them and you screw in eyes to the units either side (or it maybe the other way round). The hooks/eyes have screws attached like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curtain-Wire-Length-Includes-Hooks/dp/B002Z8N0KC

They could work loose if you're going to be pulling them back and forth a lot so you could perhaps gather your curtains on a rod (or piece of wooden dowelling) and sit it on two cup hooks. Then just remove/lift the whole curtain off when you wanted to get at the washing machine or whatever. In my experience curtains don't run freely on the wires or on a rod so it's best not to keep opening them. This is why I thought being able to remove them may be a better idea.

Maybe others have tried it?

chalkysoil

I have a gap in my kitchen (the last people had a fridge there) and have been meaning to put a curtain across it. The underneath of my worktop is mdf or similar, so would definitely take a cuphook, possibly needing a little starter hole with a bradall thingy. I once had a diy wardrobe made with cuphooks screwed in to the ceiling with a bit of dowling suspended in them, so it's qite strong.
Those expanding net curtain rods that you jam in between two places might do at a pinch. Or strong stick on hooks.

just remembered - my mate fixed up some long voile curtains with self stick Velcro!

emma_kate

countrybum wrote: »

wow, emma kate that looks bloody gorgeouse. I bet your house is ace!

I've got a little question I hope someone on here could answer - I've bought a sideboard from auction for our utility room, I've given it a few coats of paint so its ready to go in. However, I thought about fixing a piece of oilcloth to the top, a) to jazz it up and b) to offer extra protection. Any ideas the best way to stick it on - so you think a glue gun would be ok?
thanks

Bahaha! My house is a wreck! We have a pot hole in the living room floor! Not many can boast of such things! The house had not been touched for 40 years when we got it and I'm gradually beautifying it. As fast as finances allow! You can't see the floor in the photo (or lack of one) or the other wall which has green wallpaper poking out from behind a radiator that needs to be removed by a plumber so I can strip behind it...
I'm a master of illusion!
Anyway, I would use a staple gun to fix your oilcloth. Gets it nice and tight, no messing about waiting for glue to dry. Stapling from the underside if you have a top with a lip.

Yorkshire_Celt

Been having a think. I reckon if I made curtains and used lightweight lining tape for simple gathers, I could stitch plastic curtain rings ( smallish) to the tape on the wrong side of the curtain out of sight. Then put onto thinish dowel, prop it up on little hooks - bingo. The curtains might then pull back. Actually, that white telescopic stuff might be better as smoother and more slidey than wood. Will see what is in shed first. OH never throws anything away. Will have a go after hols.

Emma sorry to hear about pot hole, but mirrors look amazin.:j

shaz_mum_of__2

emma_kate wrote: »

That's my new hallway wall of mirrors, all the frames were cheaply sourced from car boot sales and charity shops. The big one is plastic and was gold with a cardboard picture of a cottage in it. That and another 2 were repainted. The little Degas print will also be replaced with a mirror.

Thats beautiful, well done

anguk wrote: »

Lovely! What do you use to paint the mirrors? I fancy filling my hallway with photos, I've got loads of frames but they're all different shapes and colours, they'd look much nicer if they were the same colour.

I am planning to do this in my hall we inherited loads of fancy frames and I am planning a photo montage

Yorkshire_Celt wrote: »

Been having a think. I reckon if I made curtains and used lightweight lining tape for simple gathers, I could stitch plastic curtain rings ( smallish) to the tape on the wrong side of the curtain out of sight. Then put onto thinish dowel, prop it up on little hooks - bingo. The curtains might then pull back. Actually, that white telescopic stuff might be better as smoother and more slidey than wood. Will see what is in shed first. OH never throws anything away. Will have a go after hols.

I hope this works for you , our machine is too deep (sticks out) or Iwould have tried this too


Has anyone ever added a large decopage to a tabletop, i have a lovely old sepia map i wanted to top a sideboard with, Could i stick it on with pva then varnish over once dry ..........does that make sense?

Bibbitybob

Those mirrors look lovely emma kate! I've got a wall of mirrors up my hallway but they're mostly unframed vintage ones with hanging chains.