My ever-growing collection of thrifted milk glass vases.
Though we got settled in our new house quickly, I’ve been putting off some pretty basic things for a while. One of the most obvious of those is window treatments. Except for the kitchen, most of the windows in the house already had blinds when we moved in, so privacy wasn’t really an issue since all we do in the kitchen is cook and eat. Because of this, I’ve really been dragging my feet regarding the kitchen window situation. See, window treatments (especially when you factor in curtain rods and other hardware) are pretty expensive, and I generally have a hard time finding something I can afford and won’t mind looking at for a while. Ideally I would custom-make something entirely dreamy, but for a long time I’ve neither the time nor the money to do even that. So our kitchen windows sat naked for months, and at night sometimes I was sure that my neighbors were watching me dance and sneak bites of dinner as I was cooking. Finally, Kirby emailed me a link to this pretty ingenious tutorial at Manhattan Nest. Though that project was for smaller panes of interior doors, the concept is still the same: a no-fuss way to let in light but increase privacy. The only supplies required are fabric, cornstarch, water, a paintbrush, and scissors–all things I have plenty of! So, I promptly cut up a thrifted king-sized sheet and used a mixture of cornstarch and water to “glue” it to the bottom half of each window in the kitchen. I left the top panes exposed since I don’t care who sees the tops of our cabinets, and it’s nice to see a little foliage peeking over the top. I didn’t do the doors either because I want to see who’s there before I open them.
Thrift store bottles used mostly for rooting plants.
I love how subtle the floral pattern looks, and, as you can see, the fabric still allows plenty of light to ender the kitchen during the day. There’s also enough room left in the windowsill for my various knickknacks and plants. Even better, I don’t feel exposed as soon as it’s dark outside. Another great thing about this project is how customizable it is. Dan from Manhattan Nest used a simple, textured white for his doors, and they turned out beautifully. I chose a subdued floral, and I think it gives the kitchen a really dreamy feeling–especially late in the afternoon when the light gets gold and shimmery. Someone more adventurous than I am might even choose a bolder pattern or brighter colors. The options are pretty endless! In short, I’m very happy with the way these windows turned out. I’ve always sort of thought curtains in the kitchen are gross because they inevitably get coated with sticky grease and dust anyway.
This is just the first tiny project of many I have planned for the kitchen. So far, I’ve kept everything pretty much like it was when we moved in. However, I just ordered new hardware for the cabinets yesterday, and I’m also toying with the idea of painting them. Any suggestions? I’m thinking of some combination of white and gray. Additionally, I have plans to rip out one of the more useless cabinets and its accompanying built-in desk, which will be replaced with open shelving for stuff like tea, cookware, etc. Exciting!
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