Make It Monday: Curtain Detail

Last Friday I posted about easy ways to liven up the current “extreme neutral” trend with green. One example showed a layered trim I added to some oatmeal-colored curtains. Now I will spill the beans about how I did it.

The curtains are Emery Linen/Cotton from Pottery Barn. I like the blend of fibers. The fabric has the texture of linen with a little less of the wrinkle that usually comes with 100% linen.

I had some trouble finding an affordable wide ribbon for what I had in mind, until I remembered M&J Trimming in New York City. I used to frequent the store when I worked in design development at Anne Klein. I was happy to find that they have an extensive selection of trims available to buy online and I purchased a 2 ¼” wide grosgrain ribbon.

To figure out the placement of the trim, I used the curtain’s construction as a guide and placed the top of the ribbon along the line of the curtain's top hem stitching. Hey, the designers at Pottery Barn already figured out the best proportions, why mess with it? But the grosgrain alone didn’t look right. It was too bold and looked like an afterthought. I needed to soften it up and find a way to visually tie it back to the curtain fabric.

When I found a 1 1/2" wide jute ribbon at Michael’s craft store I hit the jackpot. It is neutral and has texture like the curtain, but it doesn’t duplicate it. It’s also just narrow enough to leave some green grosgrain showing at the edges and has an added bonus of pick stitching for visual interest. Michael's currently has it online in a different color way.

I then attached the ribbons with a simple straight stitch. If you aren't handy with a sewing machine, you could check with your local cleaners about their in-house tailors. With the right trim and a sewing machine, it’s easy to create a look customized to your décor. I would love to hear about how you have used ribbon trim to liven up your home.