A Colorful Alternative To Curtains

by Brenda @ Cozy Little House

I decided against the usual window treatment for this kitchen window. I live in an apartment, so the windows are cheap. I wanted to try to take the attention away from the ugly windows. So I came up with a fun alternative to curtains.
Here is the window before:

a colorful alternative to curtains, repurposing upcycling, window treatments, windows

As you can see, boring and ugly. It looks out on my patio. I'm lucky to have a large patio with a privacy fence where I can garden in containers. But right now, everything out there is dead and boring as well.

I went through my vintage linens and chose some to iron.

Then I took an expandable/spring rod and put it up in the window, leaving space to layer linens over it.

I just added them without giving it much thought, which I think gives it a whimsical look.

I had all these colored bottles I'd been collecting. So I lined them up along the window sill.

I have simple mini blinds that I can pull down at night for extra privacy. But during the day, I pull them all the way up to enjoy the view.

I just love to see the sun shining through my colored bottles. It's like a rainbow. Or stained glass.

Everyone comments on them. And it was such a simple thing to do.

So if you're tired of curtains, you might think about vintage linens. And maybe even colored bottles!

You will need:

Vintage Linens

An Expandable Curtain Rod

Colored Bottles

Enjoy!

Enjoyed the project?

You can do it! Saved to your projects

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this project?

Ask a Question

3 of 4 questions

Debbye Hicks on Jan 22, 2016
But the other thing in this picture is beautiful too, and it's your valance! What are the components that you used to make it and are those just lying up on a rod or what, please?

2
Marie Tuttle on Jul 16, 2017

I have double windows and no window ledge. I'm thinking of opening the inner window and placing colored bottles, etc. between the two windows. Think that would work????

1
Darlene Ernst on Jul 20, 2017

Does anyone know how to color glass bottles like this? Something that would just tint the glass.

5

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 166 comments

Michelle on Apr 12, 2021

Thanks for the ideas- to use my collection of old linens and old vases and bottles!

Like Reply
Doris on Feb 17, 2022

Wonderful idea (both of them) especially love the vintage linens.

Like Reply