Sunday, September 24, 2006

Another Fine Mess: IKEA

Dave needed window treatments in his room and I have been longing to have a place to put these interestingly designed sliding panels SOMEWHERE, so I talked him into a trip to IKEA.

We hung them all day Saturday. First you have to fit the fabric into the clamping rails for the top and the bottom. Everything slips in so easily, and slips out even easier. Then one tightens the miniscule screws with an Allen wrench. We have such a collection of Allen wrenches from the many items we have assembled over the years.

Here is the semi-closed version. Looks simple and elegant doesn't it? If you should ever decide to buy these, let me know so I can dissuade you of the notion. What I liked was that the wands will slide all three panels on the one side over together, and back again. Getting them to do that was maddening. The instructions are pictorial, and of absolutely no help.

Finally fiddling with it all for an hour or so, I did the manly thing and forced things into place. That worked! I was up and down ladders and sweating like a pig, which BTW don't sweat, but really this was miserable work. Now I see that they are too long and I will eventually have to cut them shorter so the propped up pillows don't interfere.

What I liked about this idea, is that you can use your own fabric. We just bought this sheer stuff because it was made for the gliders. But if I were designing this room with coordinating fabrics, I would use my own fabric for the panels. Doesn't that appeal to the fabric person in you?

It was three o'clock by the time we had put away all the step stools and tools, so I went to the library and got 5 dvds for the weekend. Sigh, a day of rest follows.

We watched Kevin Kline in My Life as a House, and it was a good tearjerker, with lots of house construction involved. Musta been the theme of the day.

6 comments:

  1. I recently spent some time with a hammer and an IKEA product. I'll spare you the details. I loved My Life as a House. I can hardly wait for The Lake House to come out of DVD for more tear-jerking.

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  2. Anonymous12:47 PM

    I guess I've been in Europe too long because I can assemble most IKEA products practically blindfolded. Those shades are trés European though and veddy veddy elegant! I have a friend who had a simmilar version professionally installed in her house (sparing herself the IKEA frustration, I imagine). She did chose her own fabric and has lovely sheers in alternating orange and yellow panels (also very German) which complement her sunny room.

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  3. Must have been the IKEA day yesterday! I got myself a little new chest with 6 drawers to hold some of my sewing stuff. A clean out is needed! Luky me, I had not to put it together myself. My boyfriend did it with skill and patience. But out of experience I know IKEA things can be so tricky.

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  4. I like the purple walls and the TATW. The curtains look nice too, well worth the effort, since I didn't have to do it. I agree that making your own panels would be divine.

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  5. Don't you remember that you need your goofy sister to help you assemble Ikea products? Didn't you see the little icon on the instructions? The white-robed woman with a lamp on her head?
    I know Dave loves how much light those let in. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

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  6. Anonymous1:09 PM

    I have been looking at these blinds now for the past year and everytime I am about to bring them home I realise that I still have not figured out how to clean them. I guess you just toss them and get more, this is where making your own seems to make more sense.

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