Our recent road trip to visit friends and their beautiful home gave us the push we needed to get back to work on our own house. You know how momentum builds when you’re checking items off a to‑do list, then fizzles and you take a little breather? That was us. We tend to work in fits and starts, but a spark of inspiration after being away had us refreshed and ready to dive back in. Within a day of returning from the nine‑plus hour drive I sorted through photos, wrote a couple of posts, caught up on messages, and by evening I decided to make curtains for the dining room. They turned out to be one of my favorite things in the house.
I’m honestly smitten with them. We already love several features in the house—our hallway frame gallery, the oversized bedroom light fixture, the large gray sectional, and some quirky art pieces and ceramics—but the curtains feel like a real win. The best part: they only took about an hour and a half to two hours to make.
We picked up a deeply discounted Robert Allen upholstery fabric from a local outlet. It had a minor irregular stripe along one edge, which I could easily work around, and the price was right. I wanted two panels about 90 inches long for either side of the big picture window, so five yards of fabric was enough. That meant each finished panel cost a fraction of the original fabric price, which felt like a score.
We don’t usually open and close curtains for privacy—when we need privacy we rely on blinds or shades—so our goal was to hang curtains high and wide to let light in, add height, and create drama. That meant we didn’t need to worry about making the panels wide enough to fully cover the window; instead they would frame it, hang in front of the wall, and create a generous, layered look.
To cut the fabric straight I rolled it out on a 5 x 8 rug and lined up the edges with the rug’s corners. For length I measured 90 inches per panel before hemming. The fabric was about 57 inches wide; I trimmed three inches off the side with the defect so it wouldn’t show after hemming. I used the first cut panel as a template for the second, so both turned out identical.
Next I laundered both panels to preshrink them and keep them washable, which is important for the dining and kitchen areas. I took them out of the dryer while they were still warm to minimize wrinkles. For hemming I debated between iron-on hem tape and my sewing machine, and decided to sew. I ironed a half‑inch fold along the short edges, then folded it over again and stitched the seam. That extra fold hid the raw edge and made a tidy finish on both the front and back without needing pins.
The same iron‑and‑stitch method worked on the long 90‑inch edges as well. With the defect trimmed and the hems folded twice, the flawed stripe became invisible. The finished corners looked neat and professional, even though I took a relatively simple approach.
To hang the curtains I clipped oil‑rubbed bronze ring clips to the top of each panel and slid them onto a long oil‑rubbed bronze rod. We mounted a 144‑inch rod so we could hang the panels wide. Our usual method for final placement involves one person standing on a chair while the other steps back to judge how the curtains hit the floor. It takes a few adjustments to get the length juuuust right, but the result—curtains that graze the floor slightly—is worth the effort.
The panels hang so they drape in front of the wall instead of blocking light and covering the side windows. We extended the rod about 19 inches beyond the window trim on each side so the curtains frame the wall and allow maximum natural light. The dark rod coordinates with other deep tones in the room—the dining table, the chair legs, and the painted back of the built‑ins—adding a cohesive, grounded look. A dark rod hung high and wide can be like eyeliner for a window: it sharpens and defines the whole composition.
Color is easier to appreciate in close shots; from a distance the fabric reads teal with pops of green, chartreuse, white, and brown. The mix is busy but beautiful, and it ties into other accents around the room—like the darker teal on the back of the built‑ins and the little yellow‑green knobs on the base cabinets. Those happy coincidences make the room feel thoughtfully pulled together.
I couldn’t resist setting the table after the curtains were up. Even if no one was coming over, arranging a runner, plates, cups, and a few clipped branches made the space feel complete. I left it all there overnight because I enjoy waking up and walking into a room that makes me smile. There’s something about small finishes like curtains and fresh color that can completely transform a space.
Looking back at how the room looked when we first toured the house, it’s clear how much a different arrangement and a few well‑chosen updates can change the feel. We often overlook furnishings and finishes when house hunting and imagine what the room could be. In this case, converting room functions and adding elements like curtains, paint, and a future doorway to connect the dining room and kitchen are simple moves that will make the space more functional and balanced.
Have you made curtains or changed up a room recently? Even modest projects can make a big difference.
If you prefer not to sew, there are also no‑sew options using iron‑on hem tape that create clean, washable curtains without a machine.