On Monday I promised to return and tell you how I took my budget bamboo blinds from see-through to peep-proof in a few easy steps. I saved a ton of dough by opting for the unlined blinds in my living room and dining room-turned-office. . . but they allowed both strangers’ eyes and cold drafts straight through the windows.  So, in one afternoon I DIY’ed them into privacy bamboo shades.   How to line and insulate Roman bamboo shades: 1.  Purchase white insulating lining fabric from a sewing store. 2.  Spread out the shade, fully extended, on your work surface. 3.  You’ll see that pull cords run down the back of it, going through little rings.  Untie the pull cords from the bottom, and remove from each ring. Leave them attached at the very top, where all the fancy hardware is. 4.  Figure how much of the back of the shade you need to line.  (For example, I didn’t need to extend the lining to the very bottom, because the shade is doubled up at the bottom.

5.  Cut a piece of liner fabric to fit the shade. 6.  Grab a glue gun to adhere the fabric to the back of the shade with hot glue. **Notes: I found that three thin vertical rows of glue worked best.  The blue arrows and numbers in the image below show how I applied the glue in three rows.   The red circles show where the rows of cord loops are.   Be sure not to apply glue too close to where the cord loops are. 7.  Once the liner is glued to the shade, carefully use sharp scissors to cut a notch in the fabric where each metal loop is.  Pull the ring through the notch. 8.  Run the cords back through the metal rings, and tie at the bottom as they were before. 9. Hang your shade, and enjoy your newfound privacy. If you have a single shade that is wider than 54″ you will need to line it in sections.  For example, if your shade is 60″ wide, you’ll want to line it with two 30″ sections just to keep things nice and even. Shop around for the best price. 

You should be able to find the fabric for less than $7 a yard. If hardcore insulation, and not just privacy, is your goal – be sure to buy “insulating” liner fabric, not just privacy liner fabric. By all means, if you are confused by my directions, please let me know so I can improve them!  I really love this inexpensive privacy remedy, and hope it helps! Small Space Solution: Beautification Station How to: Pack like a proYorkie Pups For Sale In Austin Txclick thumbnails for larger picsChief Slap A Hoe T Shirt For those who cringe at the prospect of a home full of drab venetian mini-blinds, but don't relish in the thought of going into debt decking out each window to their liking, take heart. Puppies For Sale Near Dubuque Ia

We've devoted many a late night to scouring the net for deals and hounding friends for their favorite sources, and now it's time to report back to you... There are many aspects of decor where the old saying, "you get what you pay for," certainly holds true, but when it comes to Roman shades, it's not always the case. Many custom shades, like those we've been dreaming about from Smith + Noble, seem to be worth their price tag according to friends. However, when it comes to shades from pottery barn many big name retailers, our personal experience has shown us that price tends to reflect the big brand name rather than the quality. All of these seem to strike a decent balance between price and quality. FIRST ROW • 1 West Elm's Jute/ Poly Roman Shade We know friends who have had these for several years and still love them. They add bit of natural texture and just enough privacy.• 2 Overstock's Kyoto Cappuccino Roman Shade • 3 Overstock's Serenity Rice Paper Roman Shade. These are beautiful for letting in soft diffused natural light.• 4 JC Penny's Linden Street Joshua Cordless Roman • 5 JC Penny's Caruth Roman Shade

SECOND ROW • 6 Pearl River's Natural Matchstick Bamboo Blinds. We found this while shooting photos for an upcoming house tour (see the picture below) and fell in love with the way they filtered the light and the crazy low price tag.• 7 Pearl River's Linen Cloth Blinds. A good basic no frills, texture-adding alternative to mini blinds.• 8 Amazon's Lewis Hyman Elegant Fabric Roman Shade. • 9 Overstock's Twill Khaki Roman • 10 Target's Global Home Jute Roman Shade. We've had these in two homes to great effect. If you're hoping to add more character to these standard roman shades and blinds, check out this previous post on how to customize your look. Wondering if the Designer Bamboo shade can be an outside mount. Yes, they can be mounted inside our outside. Which bamboo shade is the most private/less see through? We could not say but we always recommend customers order free samples. That will give you a feel for the look and texture of the product. If you are looking for privacy though, we highly recommend you add a privacy or blackout liner to your bamboo shade.

Can you provide me the length of the shades when they are rolled up? I'm assuming like most bamboo shades they have some overhang. The valance will hang approximately 6 1/4" inches and the final fold will be 4-9 inches below the valance. Can the bamboo shades be used outside? Hello, our current collection of bamboo shades are not treated for the elements that they would face outdoors. Unfortunately using them outdoors would void the warranty; however, we have heard of customers treating the shades themselves for the outdoors. On the Designer Bamboo shades, if you elect not to have an edge band, how are the edges finished off? The shade will have a straight and neat cut. Most of our bamboo shades are ordered without an edge binding. How durable is this product and what kind of warranty is offered? Our products are made from the highest quality materials which are known for superior construction and durability with proper use (see warranty link below).

Are your bamboo shades cordless? Our bamboo shades are not cordless. However, the following products can be purchased as cordless: -Cellular Shades, Roman Shades, Roller Shades and Pleated Shades. I purchased some bamboo roman shades from Lowes. Loved the look when they were down. However when I raised them they bunched out and were bulky. Do yours raise fairly flat? Our shades are folded up roman style. We have not had any customer complaints in regards to them "bunching out". However, they invariably will have some depth to them when they are fully raised. How much depth on the window trim is needed for the inside mount hardware? If you are mounting your blinds directly to the frame of the window, measure the exact width and height of the wood frame itself, from outer edge to outer edge. Or, for maximum privacy and light control, go above and beyond the window frame. We recommend adding between 3” and 6” to your width measurement. Also add 2” to your height measurement to allow enough room for the mounting brackets above the opening.

There will be no additions or deductions made to your outside mount specifications. The mounting space requirements for each type of shade are as follows: Minimum Depth for an Inside Mount Depth For a Flush Fit Bamboo Roman Shades (standard lift) Bamboo Roman Shades (Rollease lift) What color is the blackout lining street side? The color of the blackout lining on the street side is always white. I am thinking of putting your bamboo shades on my basement windows, has anybody used them for this before? Yes, our bamboo is used on almost any application you can think of inside the house. We have customers put them in their basement all the time. I understand that the privacy lining is white, is it fabric, is it perforated, or what does it look like? The privacy liner does not have any perforations to it, it is a plain solid (off) white liner. It is a light filtering flocked fabric lining that will diffuse UV rays and sunlight, but it does not block the light like a blackout liner.

What is the minimum depth required for an inside mount of the designer bamboo shades, specifically the Mindanao? The minimum depth required for inside mounted bamboo shades with a standard pull cord is 1/2". In order to have them mounted flush (fully recessed) you would need to have at least 2" of depth. If you order a rollease clutch mechanism, then you can still mount them in as little as 1/2" of space, but to have them flush, you will need 4.5". Do the duofold (top down) bamboo shades still have a valance at the top?The valance will actually stay in place when you lower the shades from the top. how long does it take to get the bamboo shades once ordered? Here is our shipping expectations for the Designer Bamboo Shades: Production Time: 2-3 business day + 3-5 business days for shipping. No changes are allowed for Rush Orders or Designer-line orders due to the immediacy of production. Please be certain your order is correct. DO these come in a style that does not have a valance mount?