Penny Pinching Drop Cloth Curtains For A Tiny House
Hi!
Decorating the inside of Tiffany wasn't really a thought for us. We have one or two photos that moved with us but for the most part, wall decorations are just unnecessary fluff. There's nothing wrong with customizing your space with things you truly enjoy, but when you downsize your life the name of the game is simplicity.
That being said, one decor item was non-negotiable for me: curtains. Tiffany has 17 windows. Yup. 17. My bank account was nervous just thinking about window treatments for all those windows. But friends, in an RV park, privacy is a must! It's not that I think there are peeping Toms or treachery afoot. I just know that, intentional or not, it's easy to see all of our home with just a glance. Of course, lots of windows are lovely to have in such a small space. The natural light in our small home really opens up the space.
Since Tim is notoriously creative with his money (aka frugal), I've picked up some money-saving tips from him. We considered a frosted screen for the bathroom, but I knew I wanted something I could choose to use as I pleased. I looked into it wondering if my beginner skills would serve me, and ultimately decided to sew my own curtains. It's relatively simple, even for a novice like me. The ultimate deciding factor was that it was a much cheaper option than purchasing custom window treatments.
Because we didn't want to drill into Tiffany for our window treatments, we decided to use these tension rods to hang our curtains. The wooden sills were wide enough that this was an option. Since we love the effect of the linen curtains in Tim's previous home, we opted for a similar, less costly look. I found these canvas drop cloths that gave the same soft, ambient light that linen curtains give. I also chose to line them because it didn't block the much needed natural light but offered extra privacy. They are light and inexpensive.
I won't go into a how-to because I really didn't follow a guide of any sort. I measured the width of the sills and gave the width and extra 50% length for fullness and pleating, and did exact height because we were using tension rods. I wanted to do some sort of fancy loop but eventually decided that privacy won out and just attached inch wide loops to the liner side of the curtains. I also made two separate panels for each window, so that they could open and close more easily depending on the time of day.
I'll be completely honest, near the end of this process, I was over it. I told Tim I wanted to sell my sewing machine once I finished these suckers. Or throw it off a bridge. Whatever. It was a long process and I spent a lot of hours measuring and re-measuring, pinning, ironing, re-measuring, and finally, sewing. I definitely underestimated the time and labor this project would entail. I, however, now that it's done and I see how nicely my efforts paid off, I'm singing a different tune. I'm currently deciding what my next sewing project will be. The creative process makes me fickle.
In total, I've spent $134.08 on Amazon and at Jo-Ann Fabrics (they always have awesome coupons). That breaks down to about $7 per window. Considering all of our windows are custom sizes, this feels like a win for me. Not only did I get the style I wanted, I created something with my own two hands and it's actually functional!
I've included some photos of the process and the end result for your viewing pleasure!