Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Completion of Master Bedroom Curtains

My previous post about these curtains was at the end of October 2016 and titled Saga of Curtains for Master Bedroom. That post described an abandoned design plan, some back-to-the-drawing-board revisions, and a few angled pleat challenges, but I persevered. I am calling the curtains completed but not without a lot more drama. The curtains are stationary and hang by drapery hooks looped into eyelets screwed into a mounting board. The wood piece, outfitted with a row of eyelets, is then attached to an L-shaped bracket that is screwed onto the wall.


The curtains are now up, but the installation job started by my husband, Frank, had to be completed twelve days later by my son and son-in-law, when they were here visiting. We have a new interpretation of the twelve days of Christmas.


During the final stage of driving the screws through the bracket and into the wall, in order to reach high enough up into that vaulted ceiling, my husband set a step ladder within the window seat and stood on the lowest step. He pushed on the drill but the drill pushed back. Frank slipped off the ladder, fell to the hardwood floor below, and could not get up due to extreme pain. After a call to 911, an ambulance ride to the hospital emergency room, and an X-ray diagnosis of a fractured hip, he underwent surgery for an emergency complete hip replacement. I captured a photo of him on his way being rolled into the operating arena. His two thumbs up are somewhat half-hearted but he did joke with me, "For your blog, right?" Twenty three hours after he fell, Frank became a bionic man and would be laid up for weeks and position-constrained for months.


It is ironic. The bedroom redecorating has been in the works since September 2014 when Frank laid the hickory hardwood floor. We fussed over the plank arrangement enough that I dubbed a post about it a Wooden Quilt. Frank was dismayed that he'd fallen, yes but also somewhat annoyed. As the paramedics were scooping him onto a metal stretcher he directed them, "I installed this hardwood floor. Don't scratch it!" The curtains are finally up now but Frank cannot enjoy them since instead of sleeping in our second floor bedroom he is relegated to the hospital bed set up in our first floor living room. He will see the finished room eventually but for now, until he progresses to climbing stairs, he will only see the room in my blog pictures. I have not slept in our master bedroom either. Frank came home from the hospital December 3rd and I have been sleeping on the couch next to the hospital bed until I am certain he will not need my assistance during the night. Sleeping with the bathing beauty pillows on the bed (made at the end of June 2016) will need to wait, too. Although now that I think of it, I could bring them down to the hospital bed, but that is not quite the same thing.


The window on the side has only a valance. That was all there was wall space for with the metal sculpture off to the left. In the corner is a Funstripes Jeffan rattan chair and a rope floor lamp. 


Working the view counterclockwise around the room are the other theme pieces. There are beach umbrella pillows on each side in the corners of the window seat propped on striped seat cushions that match the drapes. I blogged about Velcro closing those striped seat cushions in my post for November 23, 2016.



Above the half circle shutter is a Beach House sign. Below the window in the center is a lumbar shaped accent pillow and beneath it a long framed poster showing a white adirondack beach chair with a coral scarf blowing in the breeze, an inspiration for the window seat color.



On top of our armoire is a funky painted metal art piece we bought just because it made us smile.


There are some small details for the drapes remaining that shall remain undone. For example, a small dowel wedged behind those drapery hooks and against the plank, underneath the eyelets, will push the pleated header more upright and vertical instead of leaning forward as it does now. I'd also intended to paint visible parts of the mounting board and glue a strip of sisal rope on the raw exposed edge end. For now I am calling it good though. Neither I nor my husband are getting up on a ladder anytime soon!

You become aware of all the friends you have when you get laid up. There have been numerous phone calls and visits from well-wishers. We even have a generous supply baby sitters, folks who gladly and willingly come and stay with Frank while I run errands since I do not want to leave him alone. I am happy to be social now as well, but in the online way. I am off to link up to Let's Bee Social #156.

8 comments:

  1. What a saga, indeed! Glad the curtains are up and that Dad is healing. It's probably time to research and get a good handyman on speed-dial so that neither one of you have to worry about these things anymore.

    Oh, and the curtains do look great!

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    1. The only people worthy of speed dial for me are my son and daughter and their spouses, especially those who read and faithfully comment on my blog! A handyman in my iPhone contacts though is a good idea.

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  2. girl! Merry flippin' Christmas, right?
    The room looks good enough for home beautiful to publish, in fact I'm sending a link to a beachy friend. So sorry about your husband, oy! Altho we'll all probably need new hips eventually and he's ahead of the curve. Bionic man! LeeAnna at not afraid of color

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    1. Thanks for the compliments and for encouraging me with this redecorating. And as for needing a hip replacement eventually? I sure hope it is not on the leg that pushes the pedal to my sewing machine!

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  3. Your window seat looks like a sweet oasis! So glad to hear that your hubby is on the mend. He's definitely a keeper! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Stitching!

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    1. Yes hubby is definitely a keeper. He also reads my blog and goes to quilt and draft shows with me. Thank you so much for your visit and creative compliment. Oasis... I like that image! Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  4. Speaking as someone who got to experience the full "beach house stay" this Christmas, I just love how this room came together... the art, the colors, very beachy B&B and so much fun! I think this is just as tasteful and well put together as the downstairs, but infinitely more "your" creative voice!

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  5. From Frank,
    Remember in the spring of 2014 AD I spent two full months removing the wallpaper from the entire room. It came off in two layers in pieces mostly about the size of a washcloth. Then I spent a month spackling and painting it. Also worked on the master bathroom including new light fixtures, your hanging jewelry super box, and several paintings (color changes) of the bathroom stall

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