Guest Room Glamour

When I visit my twin sister Diane in Atlanta, there’s usually a home decorating project in the works. During my current two-week Thanksgiving stay (nearing its end, alas), I made a new bedskirt and window treatment for her downstairs guest room.

When Diane and her husband Ed moved into their present home 10 years ago, I made simple tab curtains for the windows:

The ruffled bedskirt, which I had made several years before, was a carryover from their old house:

This time around Diane wanted a tailored bedskirt and some kind of window treatment that could be raised and lowered. She wasn’t happy with the idea of Roman shades or any variations on that theme, so she came up with her own design: a simple pointed panel in the “down” position that folds and buttons into a valance in the “up” position.

She made a sketch of what she had in mind:

Here is Diane’s vision, transformed into reality:

She had the bright idea of adding tassels on the sides of the panels to disguise the brackets holding the curtain rods. Clever sister!

In the “down” position, the panels just cover the tops of the plantation shutters on the bottom half of the windows, completely blocking outside light:

In the “up” position, natural light floods the room:

The panels measure 34½” wide and 36½” long and are lined with blackout fabric. Five inches from the top of each panel are five self-fabric loops enclosed in a seam. About 21” down from the top are five ¾” buttons covered in the same fabric. The loops and buttons blend into the background so well you barely see them. A deep pleat is formed when the buttons are raised to meet the loops.

Here is a close-up of button and loop:

The fabric is a screen print by Mill Creek Fabrics that Diane found at Frugal Fabrics in Norcross, Georgia. The new pleated bedskirt is made from the same fabric:

The reward for my labors? I’m going home with the castoffs! I’ll probably be able to use the old tab curtains in my own home, and I’ll cut the bedskirt apart and add the ruffle fabric to my stash.

Here are a couple before-and-after shots. First the windows:

And now the bedskirt:

Let’s finish with a view from across the room:

Another successful collaboration with my twin!

 

 

 

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7 Responses to Guest Room Glamour

  1. Colleen says:

    Absolutely lovely! All hail the Home Dec Queen :)!!

  2. Merethe says:

    That looks wonderful Dawn.

  3. Nubs says:

    As the happy beneficiary of Dawn’s latest home dec project and many others showcased on firstlightdesigns.com, please know that Dawn assures me these projects were all labors of love and not the result of a demanding twin. I so want to believe that! Thanks, Nubs. xxxooo Diane

  4. Jocelyn says:

    Okay I have to ask you about the desk. We have the same EXACT desk. It belonged to my husband’s grandmother and was passed down to me, and is now passed down to my daughter. It is very old, and ours has some veneer that is peeling back just a little. I was so amazed to see it, because it is exactly the same, including the little chair. I guess it is what was called a lady’s desk. Do you know if this is a family piece or is it something your sister found somewhere?

    • Dawn says:

      What a coincidence! My sister found the desk and chair several years ago at Scott Antique Markets in Atlanta. It’s hard to know where the set came from because about 1500 antique dealers come to Atlanta from across the country one weekend a month for the market. She doesn’t remember the dealer having any specific information about it. There are no manufacturer’s markings. Diane’s guessing it’s from the 1930s or 40s because of its scale and design but has not researched it. It’s absolutely charming.

  5. The ATL Crew and Diane says:

    We love the curtains!! and the post and eagerly looking forward to the next one! Come back soon.

  6. Lisa says:

    I live just 45 minutes north of Atlanta…would you talented ladies like to come stay with ME next time? 😉 Seriously, though, hadn’t heard of that antiques market. I’m going to check it out!

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