Outdoor Courtyard Curtains

Here in the Palm Desert area of California 

we have a LOT of sun!

I would like to share how I solved the problem 

of too much sun on my outdoor furniture and cushions. 

It was jut too bright and HOT! 

 This is a view of my front door. 

It is in a little alcove and there is seating on the left. 

It makes for a nice place to greet visitors.

 In the winter months it gets the morning sun.

So much that it has begun to fade my

 cushions and pillows.

 This picture shows what a difference the outdoor curtains make.

That little white spot on the cement is the sunlight 
peeking through a little crack where the two curtains meet.

 This is the 'rod' we used. 

It is a metal pipe and fittings 

that The Mr. got at the hardware store. 

I sprayed it with Rustoleum's 

Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Then I made curtain out of painters drop cloth.

I also used some buckram on the curtain headers.

Buckram stiffens it and gives it structureand nice folds.

 This particular drop cloth had a looser weave than I usually get.

At first I didn't like it because it had a lot of movement when I was sewing it. And I did a lot of sewing.

 But now I LOVE it!

There were absolutely no wrinkles after washing. 

It is soft and drapes so nicely. 

 I made two curtains so that I could adjust it for different sun exposures. Sometimes it is pulled to one side like in this photo. Other times it is split in the middle.

 This is the view out into the courtyard.

The Casita's (small guest house) sliding door is to the left. 

Soon we will have tall decorative iron gate in the arched entryway.

This is the arched entry to the courtyard.

We have a view of the mountains off in the distance. 

There are more mountain views from the back patio.

I will try to get a few pictures of how I made the curtains. 

Just so you can see the buckram (stiffening  for curtain headers).

That stuff makes the world of difference when making curtains.

I will be sharing at these fun parties:

Thursday Transformation @ Shabby Creek Cottage

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

xoxo 

Bunny Jean