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Passport Diaries

Where Globe-Trotting meets Beach-Combing

February 25, 2010 decorating

Curtains Kawaaaaaiiiiiii!

I love curtains. Until yesterday, I didn’t have any; only a stylish shower curtain covered one window. That’s because–while curtains more than anything say ‘a grown-up lives here’–I am intimidated by all the parts, pieces and work that goes into each ‘window treatment.’ Also I think the name ‘window treatment’ is dumb.

Seriously, poles, hooks, curtains, the top curtain thing, hemming, hawing, drilling, bolting etc. etc. just seems like too much work. In our Japanese house we have lovely shoji screens anyway. But what was the point of all those sliding things on the curtain bar above most of our windows? I bought some clips, but they didn’t fit, so I shrugged off that unnecessary project.

Then my friend Mary (who figured this out after living here all of a month) informed me that Japanese curtains come with standardized boning and hooks sewn in. Two packages of the cutest curtains I’ve ever seen later, TA-DA!! My living room practically shouts, “Hey world! A grown-up lives here!” Even Chris liked the curtains and suggested I get some for the other window. The pattern coordinates with our Chinese folding screen, and the colors pull together our couch, pillows, throw and Singaporean side table perfectly.

On the other side of the be-curtained window is this Japanese cabbage flower, a gift from my neighbors when they made a small amount of noise painting their house for New Years. I planted it in a square foot of ground where nothing will grow and surprise! It loves it.

Categories: decorating

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Comments

  1. Hannah says

    February 26, 2010 at 12:41 am

    I LOVE your new curtains! I also am intimidated by the seemingly large amount of work that goes into them, especially when I'm moving yearly. Last apartment I lived in, I sucked it up and bought some curtains I loved, but the curtain rod wouldn't stay in the wall because there wasn't a stud there (or something like that). And in my new apartment, they're the wrong size for my windows! Hence my fear of curtains is justified. I'm glad yours seem to be working out so well.

  2. Magyar Journey says

    February 26, 2010 at 2:03 am

    Love them! Glad you dove into "adult" world. 🙂

  3. AS says

    February 26, 2010 at 2:31 am

    It will be nice to see everything when we come to visit. We re-arranged our house after we put laminate floors in, and then re-arranged again so we could have people over for the Super Bowl. I'm currently desiring to "learn" about window treatments because Luke doesn't like what we have in all but one room.

  4. Evelyn says

    February 26, 2010 at 3:19 am

    I've always been intimidated by all that stuff too! (Obviously, your mother had nothing to teach you in that area….) So my solution has been just draping fabric, as you may have noticed…Your curtains are lovely,and your cabbage, spectacular!!

  5. Heather says

    February 26, 2010 at 6:07 am

    it's intimidating stuff, isn't it? Love that fabric!

  6. Rachel says

    February 26, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    I love the new curtains. I have trouble picking out curtains too- it is my one now-not-so-secret downfall.

    They look very chic in your space and do pull together all of your colors and furniture in a mod-japanesey-tres-chic way! Way to go Mari!

  7. Mallory says

    February 26, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    The curtains are BEAUTIFUL!! Just being around Mary is decorating inspiration:)

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