Salutations! The cottage is feeling a little on the quiet side now that the kids are back in school and I’ve got the place to myself for a while each day. Good thing I’ve got Miss Paisley to shower me with never ending puppy snuggles whenever I’m willing to sit still for a moment. She happens to be taking advantage of blogging time right now and is here on my lap. She’s a funny little dog! Her kids are so happy to get back to school, and friends, and after school activities. And honey is definitely happiest when we are all on a ship shape schedule and not flying by the seat of our pants without a plan in sight. Well, they’re all scheduled up and I have some time to sort of look around and see how things are working in our cottage, and not working too. What about those front windows over the sofa? I never really got around to doing much with them.
When we moved in over two years ago, every window had these dark, heavily patterned balloon shades that just didn’t match my decor. So one of the first things I did was take them all down. So now two years later it’s about time to start thinking about window treatments again. I thought about going back to balloon shades to the tops, but in a neutral palette, and keeping the shutters on the bottom. I’ve always loved the way balloon shades look from the street, to me they just pump up the curb appeal. And then there’s lace. A beautiful soft vintage lace that gently floats in with the breeze is calling my name for some shabby vintage style. And so begins the curtain dellima!
The lighting in our cottage is so different from season to season. It’s surrounded by trees so in the summer it’s kind of dark, but as the leaves fall it begins to brighten up. By midwinter, the sunlight is streaming in and I’m dancin’ the happy lady jig. The trees give us the feeling of privacy and I think they add a little mystery to the outside. Not the creepy haunted kind of mystery, at least I hope that’s not the vibe we give off. It’s more like a cottage in the woods, when we’re actually right here in a city neighborhood. And we all love watching the many birds and listening to their bird songs. So the trees are staying!
The shutters aren’t going anywhere either. So the question I’m stuck on is, does the breezy lace look goofy with the shutters or is it okay to have both? I’m planning on trying a set of neutral balloon shades upstairs so when I’ve got them in my hands I’ll give them a go in here to see how they look. I found some that I like, but when I add up how many I need, they start to get pricey. So I’m reluctant to order them. I guess if you’ve made it this far you’ve found me out, nope it’s not that exciting around here. I think about colors, and fabrics, and curtains and what sort of bits are at the top of my decorating wishlist. I’m going on a big treasure hunting adventure tomorrow with the girls, and I’m happy to say that’s about as exciting as it gets! Wish us luck and a big pile of shabby vintage goodness!
xoxo Sally
PS I picked these lace lovelies up at the thrift store for $.99 each so there’s no commitment!
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The lace panels are lovely. I would live with them for a while and continue to look for something that really makes your heart skip a beat. (Personally, I would keep them right where they are.)
That’s the beauty of shopping thrift stores, minimal investments and no commitments.
Much luck in finding many wonderful treasures that you will “share” with us.
Vanessa
Thanks Vanessa! I’ve gotten so used to shopping at consignment and thrift stores it’s sometimes hard for me to shop retail. I always get sticker shock! lol
I actually really like the pretty lace panels. They give a casual yet delicate and dreamy feel to your darling cottage. The photo of your sunroom with the sun streaming in is so lovely!
Mary Alice
Thanks so much Mary Alice! The lace really is making the living room feel kinda cozy. Have a great weekend!
I really love the lace curtains in there, and they aren’t goofy with the shutters at all! To me, this look is more in keeping with a cottage feel than balloon shades would be. And what a steal at .99 each!
I agree with everyone. The lace curtains are pretty with the shutters right now. They look pretty blowing in the wind. I hope you find yourself a big pile of vintage shabby goodness! 🙂
I like the lace panels, but if I had shutters on the lower half like that, I would probably not put anything else with them. That way, you can just open and close the shutters as you want without the lace panels getting in the way.