Ideas for Decorating Old Window Shades

Many people have switched to Venetian blinds but some people prefer the old-fashioned type of blinds that are pulled down from a self-retracting roll. These types of blinds hold up for years if you have no pets or small children, but after awhile, they can look yellowed and old.

Give your blinds a quick pick-me-up by using one of several decorating techniques. Bleach is one way to get rid of the yellowing. Another way is to change the color of the blinds. A quick and easy way to do this is to wet paper towels and squirt several drops of food coloring, here and there, on the damp paper towels. The food coloring will spread through the water giving the paper towel a marbelized look. Lay the paper towels on the shades for a couple of hours and the color will transfer to the shades. Water colors have the same effect.

Start with clean blinds and use vinyl cutouts to decorate. Thin vinyl can be found at some fabric stores or you can check with local upholsterers for scraps. Cut out shapes of stars, moons, flowers, mammals – whatever you want – then use fabric glue to affix them in random places on the blinds. Make sure the glue does not seep out from behind the cutouts or you could have trouble manipulating the blinds. Also, make sure the glue has dried for at least 8 hours before rolling it back up again.

Stamping has become very popular in the crafting world because it’s so easy and works on most surfaces. You can purchase stamps with just about any image, like shells, hearts, bows, flowers, butterflies, and so many more. Just dip the stamp in ink and press the image onto the blinds. Or, use fabric paint instead of ink for a different look. Ink comes in colors like red, blue or green, but fabric paints come in different types, like metallic, pearl-look, or glitter.

Foam paint brushes make it easy to use stencils for decorating the blinds. Tape the stencil to the blind and use paint sparingly so that the image is barely visible. Too much paint will cause a stickiness that will prevent blinds from rolling correctly. Another way to use paint for blinds is to make a monogram on each blind, using a stencil. Choose a large stencil but go easy on the amount of paint you use.

Today’s stickers aren’t bulky and made from paper. They have ones that are printed on transparent paper, making them look much nicer. The stickers come in all sizes, too. Choose small ones to use as a border for the sides of the blinds, or choose large ones and make a particular pattern down the front of the blind.

You don’t have to do a complete make-over on the blinds. Just use fabric glue to line the bottom edge with lace or ribbon. Braid ribbon pieces together and attach it, or just add bows, here and there, along the bottom edge.

You might still have old-fashioned blinds on your windows, but what does that matter when they look so impressive, after touching them up a little? You’ll have Venetian blind converts going back to the old blinds – just so they can copy your decorating ideas!