So last week was the last fall trend prediction simply because it’s FALL and also because it’ll be winter soon. Going back to last week I posted my first DIY on TikTok and it seemed to get good feedback. DIY is something I’m incredibly fond of and know a lot about in the sense where I’m not rich and need to find affordable ways to make things work. I’m constantly trying to find new ways to make my space and my clothing feel more livable on a budget.
So, I talked about pencil pleat curtains and how they’ve wreaked havoc on my life for the past few years. Most vintage curtains found at the thrift stores happen to be pencil pleat for the simple fact they were very popular. They were created in 1920 by a man who probably had no idea the trouble he would later cause for us millennials. My grandma offered me her hooks that she once used and was fond of, but I knew that I needed a better solution than that to show you all!
With that being said I am constantly thrifting loose fabrics because I am a textile artist and it helps me cut down fabric cost as well as buying new and creating waste. When finding these orange and beige tweed curtains and not even looking to see if they were pencil pleat or not (which like come on Mandi, you know better) I was so excited by the look I didn’t care. I brought them home with the excitement of hanging them and by golly was I disappointed when I couldn’t. So, I immediately started brain storming. I decided to take old curtains I didn’t use, cut above the seam and hand sew them to the back of my pencil pleat curtains. This created a long tunnel shape allowing a place for the rod to fit and hang comfortably!
But not only is this a blog about DIY but it’s also the power of curtains. Let me tell you that they can change any space drastically. I love curtains because there simple and if you are buying them second hand, they are also cheap.
You can see here that i've taken newer Ikea curtains that have the essential look to them and matched them with my tweed thrifted curtains. The total look costing me around $18 dollars. Which when considering the cost of curtains, this way is more affordable but takes some work and effort. But I personally feel that effort is worth it. Do you?
When decorating a room, we think of the basics, couch, chairs color pallets maybe a rug but never the curtains. If you are like me, you will create a color pallet follow it for a bit and then add random colors just because. My partners least favorite part of being a witness to me decorating.
Now most of my décor is found at thrift stores and has become a collection I’ve made over time, but I am also a huge supporter of Ikea.
Maybe Ikea is your thing or it's not, I know at first glance I didn’t think it was my thing because it is very basic along the lines of maximalist. Which is what I would consider myself. Ikea is very minimal and more about needs which is what I needed and didn’t know it. But if you can get stuff on sale or in there display section you can use their furniture as the base to your crazy ideas. Every time I go it’s a fun all day adventure, below are some photos of the curtains we got at Ikea and the way they brought together our living space!
It's truly all about the small details like throw pillows, throw blankets and styling your item in a non-traditional way. Here I took my curtains and tied them up to create natural light and dimensions to a plain flat object. I added some throw pillows that I got out of the sale section a few years ago in Target and the other one I made out of upholstery fabric I took off an old chair. The throw blanket was a gift from my grandmother and beloved one to say the least.
So these are just some small ways you can add to your space and make it feel more personalized. Re-decorating your space no longer has to be a hassle or something that will break your bank. It's all about using what you have in a new way, heading to the thrift store for a quick flip or treating your self to a few new items that can help elevate what you already own.
Its a short one this week, I can't wait to find more DIY for you and also see all the DIY trouble you'll be getting into!
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