Curtain Call (5 of 30)

I never knew how difficult it is to buy curtains. In our new home we have a lot of windows and high ceilings. Some of the windows are standard, but because I like to hang my curtains somewhere between the middle of the top of the wall and the top of the window (this makes your ceilings look higher) I'm having a tough time finding what I need. Because of the length, I can't just pop into Linens and Things and buy standard curtains off the shelf. I can't even special order the "long lengths" version. Some of windows are huge. To get curtains that actually fit properly are running about $300 per PANEL or more! Um, yea, I don't think so. I want curtains like they have in hotels. They're the perfect height, when they're closed they're totally black out the room, but they are easy to pull back and let the light in.

I also had no idea how much it costs to buy curtains. I was so naive in thinking all I needed was a pole and a couple of panels. Oh no, it goes much deeper than that. First there is the pole that holds 2 panels of sheers. Then another pole to hold to panels of curtains. But the curtains have to be wide enough that they aren't stretched out. They have to be wide enough that when the curtains are drawn, they still look full and luscious. And the length is also very important. They should slightly puddle on the ground, not too much and definitely not too little.

We have lived in our new home for 2 1/2 months and all we have managed to find are the sheers. The house gets so hot, especially with this insane weather that we're having, so it just makes it a pressure cooker in there. I might have to bite the bullet and pick up curtains that are "standard" size.

I know this seems like a ridiculous entry but one day you will know my pain. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some curtain snob who has to have a certain kind or anything like that. I had the typical apartment blinds for my whole adult life, so I'm no stranger to diversity. But this is our first home, and we're really trying everything we can to make it "ours."

So for now, the curtain escapades continues....