A beaded curtain is an ideal window treatment for a high window that does not require privacy. Rather than leave the window without the beauty that a window treatment can add, create a beaded curtain for it. The beaded curtain will ornament the window without blocking light. In fact, sunlight will reflect on the beads, making the beaded curtain seem as if it is glittering. It’s an easy and fun window treatment to make yourself and one that will add beauty to your home.
Create a Beaded Curtain Window Treatment:#Step 1, Select Your Beads
Selecting the beads for your beaded curtain is the best part of this project. The beads should fall into two groups: The background colors and the contrasts. The background beads can be elongated in shape and of a single standard hue. The contrast beads are the fun, interesting ones. These should come in several shades, shapes and sizes, but still look as if they compliment each other. Your background beads can be made of wood or some other opaque material, but your contrast beads should be made of glass or see-through plastic, so light can glitter off their surface.
Create a Beaded Curtain Window Treatment:#Step 2, Create the Frame
Creating the frame for your beaded curtain is easy. Measure the width and length of the window you wish to create a window treatment for. At your local craft store buy a strip of wood to fit the width. It can be a broom stick, or a more ornate strip of wood. Next, buy a ball of string. Make sure the thickness of the string fits the openings in your beads. Next, cut your string into individual lengths that will form your curtain. Each length of string should be fifteen inches longer than your window’s length. At the top of each length of string tie a loop and thread on your stick. Crowd the lengths of string in accordance with the size of your beads, since once they are all beaded, they should be close to touching but not fighting for space.
Create a Beaded Curtain Window Treatment:#Step 3, String the Beads
Decide on a pattern for your beads before you start. If you’re unsure, it’s best to make a few sample strings and choose your favorite before you move on to making your beaded curtain. Even better, choose two favorites, and use one for odds and one for evens. This will add complexity to your beaded curtain. One more important trick is not to over do your contrast beads. The background beads should outnumber the contrast beads 2 to 1. This will show case the contrast beads better. And yet, you should feel free to string several contrast beads together. Remember that your beaded curtain will be high, and therefore your patterns should be large enough to have an impact at a distance.
Create a Beaded Curtain Window Treatment:#Step 4, Hang Your Beaded Curtain
The easiest way to hang your beaded curtain is to hammer a few nails above your window, leaving the nails sticking out enough to support the stick which forms the top of the beaded curtain. Alternatively, you can tie a string to both ends of the stick, and hang the beaded curtain the way you would a picture.
Related Articles:
Wall Room Divider: Create a Wall Room Divider that Lets in Light: A wall room divider is a great way to create new spaces in small homes. Follow these three easy steps to make your own wall room divider from floor to ceiling, while still letting light through.
10 Fabulous Home Improvement Ideas that Anyone Can Do: Ten cheap and easy home improvement ideas that will solve big home improvement problems. And don’t forget to check out the secret, bonus home improvement idea at the end.
How to Make a Faux Window with the Perfect View, Sunlight: A faux window will make a cramped room feel roomy and a dark room bright with fake sunlight. Best of all, a fake window can have any view you like. So follow these quick and easy steps to making your own perfect faux window.
