By the Way: Retreat and Cover the Window

Since we moved to this house (October 2010), I've had my eye on the front bedroom for a retreat space. We unpacked the rest of the house and settled in. Then life happened. There have been chronic boxes, stacks, and piles of important stuff around the perimeter of that room for more than 18 months.

Book boxes have been used as display surfaces for too long now!

Orange Post-It on the door says
"Divine Intervention gratefully accepted."
True, that.

Closet--what's behind door #1? or #2?
Only the shadow knows.

Front room's window faces east and gets lots of sun/heat.
What to do with that arch?

All that important stuff found a home around the perimeter of the room.
(I'll talk about the fabric panel on the wall later.)

The floor of my retreat space is packed with sixteen containers: four plastic storage bins full of sewing and crafting supplies; two boxes of quilts (most are yet-to-be-finished tops); nine book boxes crammed with books, office supplies, and Bible study resources; and a large plastic box filled with cards, letters, notes, and memories. We won't even talk about the closet . . .

In spite of the mega-clutter, I've been using the room a lot over the past year and a half for quiet times and crafting. Sewing machine and a cutting table still find their place in the middle of the room. However, it's time! Now that it's too hot to do anything in the garden but feed the doves, fuss at foraging rabbits, or pull the occasional milkweed infestation, there's lots of time to feather this nest. With inspiration pulled from my trip to Brasil, the front bedroom is now officially under decoration.

First thing to do: cover the window. I asked Steve Jr. to hang a curtain rod so that I could measure for a custom, Sandy-made window covering. It would be my first attempt at a curtain with black-out liner; for this, the internet provided very clear instructions. It would also be my first shot at treating an arched window; for this, not a clue except an idea in my head.

Tall ladders are for bodies younger than mine.

Other supplies for hanging the curtain rod:
directions, clown pencil, and STUDSENSOR.
Screwdriver, drill, and level were also called into use.

Steve proved that the Studsensor 'worked.' It lit up while held to his chest!
Steve Jr. just chuckled while assembling the curtain rod.

Our Handy Man

My Guy--
according to the sensor, a real stud.

Steve Jr. checked out the installation.

Making quick work of it.

After the rod was installed, I made a pattern for the arch. The frame for this was Steve's idea. When I couldn't find foamcore board large enough, he suggested using a 4' x 8' sheet of rigid foam insulation. After making a paper pattern of the window arch, I was able to cut a semi-circular 'frame' from the insulation, cover it with a pillow case-like slipcover, and tack it in place. My idea was to make the arch look like it was filled with a wrought iron grill like the ones in Rio's National Library.

Filtered light comes through the arched window covering.
When the curtain is made and installed,
it will block all the light when necessary.

There was so much pretty old wrought iron in Niteroi.
This fabric reminds me of that.

At the National Library in Rio de Janeiro,
this wrought iron panel graces a foyer window.

Now that the curtain hardware was installed and the arch was covered, I could get busy on the curtain . . .. Did you know that when Amish women make quilts, they intentionally make at least one 'mistake' so that their handwork won't be perfect? They say that no one but God is perfect, and it keeps them humble. Well, this window will definitely keep me humble, and my mistakes were not intentional! BTW--it's true. No one but God is perfect.

The two panels actually turned out very well, but I thought they were a little plain. So after they were completed, I decided to add giant rick-rack trim. I should have done this before the fabric and blackout liner were joined. Note to self!