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Two things had to happen in order for today’s post to come together: the bamboo shades I ordered two weeks ago had to be delivered; and I had to figure out a way to install them myself, with only an antique drill and a puny screwdriver as helpers. But the stars aligned, the shades arrived, and I found my inner Bob Vila just in time so I can share my latest decorating tweaks with you. If you’re on the market for some new window treatments for a room in your home, and are considering bamboo shades, I highly recommend them. There are many different sources and price points available, and you’ll probably want to do your own research, but I’ve had the same shades in our family room and have been very pleased with them so far so I ordered a couple more for the living room. These bamboo shades are beautifully made, the width and length of the shade can be customized to fit any window and, more importantly, you can install them yourself, like I did 🙂
Despite my initial hesitation, the installation was pretty straightforward – here’s a quick overview of the process, in case you’ve never done this before and are interested. You can start by measuring the distance between the middle points of the holed out parts of the shade top. This will allow some wiggle room in case you need to reposition the shade later on.
Next, you transfer the marks from the mounting brackets onto the trim and drill the corresponding holes. For some reason I had a hard time drilling the first two holes, so I decided to make life easier for myself and drill just two holes instead. Since the shades are quite small and not that heavy, I’m thinking two screws per bracket should provide enough hold. But if your window is wider, your shade will be heavier, and you might want to install all four screws, just to be safe.
Once the brackets are up, you then position the shade in the center of your window, as best as you can. When you’re happy with the placement, these little bits (I found out they’re called wing nuts) can be screwed tightly onto the mounting brackets to hold the shade in place. And that’s pretty much it, you’re done!
A small valance hides all the mounting hardware so none of it will show once the shade is up. From a distance the valance blends in and looks like one of the many folds of the shade, which I found lovely. The pretty dahlias are from a neighbor’s garden.
For those of you who’ve asked about the sconces: they were purchased four years ago but are still available (and on sale!) HERE.
Thanks for stopping by! If you’d like to read more about our cottage renovation, please make sure to check out the following Café Design stories:
Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing weekend.
Thank you for sharing and showing exactly how you were able to install the shades yourself. Doesn’t it feel wonderful to know that you could do it yourself!!!! They look beautiful and you should feel very proud of yourself! Job well done!!
Author
Thanks Sylvie! I appreciate it!
Those are my favorite bamboo shades–I have them in my living room and dining area. I’ve also ordered them for a client. You did a great job installing them–I always have my husband install for me!
What brand did you get? Did they offer “returns” for the sides? You might want to inquire, since returns give a finished look
Author
Thanks Diana! The ones I got are from Amazon – super easy to order, well made and fast to ship compared to other sellers. The shades did not come with returns but that doesn’t really bother me as the sides are only visible at odd angles in the room. If visibility were an issue, I would recommend finding a stain that is close to the color of the slats.
Wishing you a great weekend!
Eva
I understand, Eva.
I get mine from a company called “Horizons.” As a designer, you can set up an account and have access to all their high-quality products, which range from wood to bamboo to grasses to reeds. They also offer fabric shades and panels, and their prices are very good compared to other national brands. They don’t sell to the public, so you have a unique product to offer your clients at a very decent profit margin. Also, their customer service and shipping are top-notch. Just a thought if you are considering this type of product for a client.
Love seeing all your renovation progress on your beautiful home!
Author
Thanks so much for sharing your source, Diana! I have a couple of trade-only sources for roman, matchstick and bamboo shades that I use for client work but I’m always looking for new vendors and quality products to add to my list!
What attracted me to these Amazon shades is their color, custom sizes, quality, and the fact that they ship within two weeks, which was super convenient during the times when trade-only items took forever to ship. And once I’d used them and loved them in one room, I wanted a consistent look throughout the house. I’m going room by room, so fingers crossed they won’t discontinue them before I’m done :)))
Have a lovely week!
Eva