How to Make a No-Sew Fall Window Treatment

As you know by now – I LOVE FALL.  The first full AUTUMN day will soon be here - its official calendar start date – September 23 .  Today it is cool and I am loving it.  I wore a long sleeve shirt and jeans and was shivering in the crisp cool air.  I know it is a little tease and it is going to get HOT again but I tried to enjoy it all the same.

I went to my basement where I store all my decorative accessories not in use to see what I had to use to ”autumn-ize” my house.   I like my home clutter free and I don’t go crazy with fall decorations, but I do have a few things I like to add to make things a bit more cozy. One of them is to put colorful fall leaves in my big white Pottery Barn bowl.  I add acorns,  potpourri, and other tid bits of nature I find when I am out walking.    I placed a glass hurricane with a candle in the bowl first and then filled in the rest.  I like to light the candle in the early evening, it adds a certain elegance, an ambiance that says sit down, relax, have a glass of wine, toss a snugly throw over you kinda feeling.

I also thought I would share a few photos taken from my book, Instant Decorating.  They are from my old house in New Jersey.  The publisher wanted me to change my living room for the 4 seasons.  This was the fall room.  The fun part of decorating for fall is that the decorative accessories needed to autumn-ize your decor are literally right outside your door.  The best part is that they are free.   The burlap and tree branch window treatment is a simple and classic way to add a bit of “warm and cozy” to any room.   Since this was a double window I needed a long tree branch which I had to hunt in the woods for.  Adding a treatment on a smaller window, say in your mudroom would not require such a long branch and would be super easy.  It would warmly greet you when you walk in the door.  Instructions for making it are at the end of this post.

Here is another view of the room.  The candlesticks were from Pottery Barn and the rest of the accessories I made or found at flea markets.  The area rug under the upside down bottom section of a vintage chest are 3 small rag rugs sewn together to create a larger looking one at a fraction of the cost it would be to buy a large one.   The orange pillow is simply two cloth napkins tied over an existing pillow.  Wrap rubber bands to attach the two cloths on each corner of the pillow and then cover the rubber bands with raffia.   The floor lamp’s shade has what is basically a gathered waist skirt with a hem placed over an existing shade. It comes on and off very easily.

Next week I will show you how easy it is to make the no-sew slipcover and a lampshade skirt for a quick makeover, some more fall ideas, and a lamp re-do .  See you then.  Enjoy your weekend.  Tell me if you find any good natural accessories to use to autumn-ize your decor while you are out and about this weekend.  I love to hear of or about your finds and how you use them.

My best- Diane

Burlap and Tree Branch Window Treatment

Note:  Instead of using the large nails to hold up the tree branch, you could use wood curtain rod holders that hold two-inch diameter wood rods.  You can find them at Wal-Mart and anyplace that sells curtain hardware.  They usually come unfinished or white.

Tagged as: DIY Craft Ideas, DIY Craft Tutorial, DIY Fall Decorating Ideas, No-Sew Window, No-Sew Window Treatments, T