Amateur upcycling

I’m having a cabinet curtain quandary…try saying that when you’re drunk.

As mentioned a while back I’m mid-way through making these shelves more likeable to my eye.

Image

That’s them, already painted in Fired Earth’s Carbon Blue and on their way to becoming a linen cabinet. Now I want to add a curtain on the front, to keep the dust away from my most spesh Toast bedding set.

The wonky curtain pole is a copper pipe with ‘angles’, soon to be attached at the top of the shelves. A nice young man sawed it to size for me at Shaun’s (DIY). A man with a wig on helped me find the ‘angles’. Here’s a gratuitous close up…

Copper piping | Curtain pole idea I made a Pinterest board of potential fabrics for the curtain – have a swizz – and now I’m torn between two that don’t even feature on it (in the same colour anyway):

100% Natural linen | Mello Grey Spira fabric

100% natural linen or linen/cotton grey Spira fabric.

What do you think? My man completely threw things by preferring the natural linen, which I was not expecting.

12 Responses to “Amateur upcycling”

  1. Maria
    May 16, 2013 at 12:53 pm #

    The shelves look great painted! I like the patterned fabric but also depends what else is in the room. Don’t forget to post the final picture. Also have you had the stair runner installed, am curious as to how the stripes look as that is what I’m thinking of getting.

    • myfriendshouse
      May 16, 2013 at 1:03 pm #

      Hi Maria thanks for commenting – it helps! Re stairs, either I have forgotten a whole project I was planning (possible) or you have mixed me / us up with someone else. But now I’m thinking about getting a stair runner, so thanks for that.

  2. Miki
    May 16, 2013 at 2:07 pm #

    Love the patterned fabric. My eyes just keep drifting and lingering on that one. Hope this helps…x

  3. Emma
    May 16, 2013 at 2:14 pm #

    Stripes. Defo.

  4. susana
    May 16, 2013 at 5:02 pm #

    I really like the color of the cabinet, I actually thought it was grey, like the wall in my kitchen with the Fornasetti plates.
    I dont like the wave/striped pattern,its too busy for me , I think the curtain should complement the cabinet, frame the porcelain or linen inside I love the linen one,because I think it will frame the porcelain inside if you have it open ( Im thinking that you would be doing 2 curtains).. The lines of the cabinet are classic and so I think that it would look very elegant and stand better the passing of time as well,if not…if you are more inclined to use pattern, I would suggest vertical stripes, ( preferably black and white, as thin as in the wavy pattern you posted) because I like the idea of elongating the overall look. I think it makes rooms look taller, bigger…… also, if you still want pattern, but not stripes, what about a ” Toille de Jouy ” ? in dark blue or grey?….if the french ones are too expensive, Ikea has a beautiful one in both colors as bed sheets, get it and make the curtains !……. actually If you were close, I would go and do ti with you 🙂

    now
    somewhere around 300 copies of elle decoration, I have something to show you on the subject, ( hope to be back soon )

  5. susana
    May 16, 2013 at 6:13 pm #

    and I think what maria (first comment) meant is
    stair runner = curtain pole
    because your curtain pole looks like those stair runners you use to fix a carpet on a stair….

    I actually found the photos I meant to show you, and it also has a bit to do with the post from Maria.
    they are about a cabinet with a double life, the inside ( like maria suggested you do with the striped fabric ) is covered with a Toile de Jouy , ( grey tones) and either has shelves full of porcelain or it
    has a few objects and under it fits a single bed….
    the cabinets doors are white…..

    I will try to post them on facebook for you….

    if you decide you cant live without the pattern fabric, that is also an option, you could cover
    the inside ( and all the beautiful painting work you did ) and add a curtain in a very similar tone to the cabinet, without pattern…..

  6. myfriendshouse
    May 16, 2013 at 7:05 pm #

    Thanks for all your comments, I will now stand in front of it for hours weighing up the options. Or drink wine and worry about it later.

  7. Feef
    May 17, 2013 at 12:50 pm #

    sorry to throw a spanner in the works but I really love the Paola Navone fabric from your pinterest board..!! (and also the one on the far left) 🙂

    • myfriendshouse
      May 17, 2013 at 12:56 pm #

      Hi Feef, I love those two as well. But, the far left one (Marimekko) is only available as a tea towel and I’m worried about the price on the Paola Navone one, but maybe I’ll look into that properly. Thanks for your comment.

  8. Jackie
    May 18, 2013 at 2:23 pm #

    Love this idea! The copper pipe is genius…..how about an Ian Mankin Ticking….?

    • myfriendshouse
      May 21, 2013 at 9:48 pm #

      Ah Jackie, I will check that out. Saw some nice coloured linen today too that might be in the running.

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