Here’s a beautiful, unusual and inexpensive way to create a window treatment that lets you have privacy while allowing in all the light you want at the same time. With a little bit of lace (it’s easy to find lace curtains at thrift shops for next to nothing), a pair of sharp scissors and a simple blend of cornstarch and water you can turn your windowpanes from plain to magical in under an hour. And whether it’s for a nursery, a romantic boudoir or a luxurious powder room, this lacy patterned windowpane treatment will give the room a light and airy feeling while still maintaining a sense of seclusion.
First, measure your window panes and then cut your lace into the size and shape of the ones to be covered. Make sure you have enough fabric for complete coverage or you may find you have gaps that have to be filled in with small pieces that break the pattern. At the same time, keep in mind that these kinds of “mistakes” in regularity can actually add to the individuality and interest of the project. Don’t worry if there’s a little overage, since you can always trim off any extra fabric with a utility knife. Use an iron if necessary to press the lace pieces beforehand so that they will be smooth and unwrinkled when you mount them.
Next, put your lace pieces aside where they will remain smooth and and conjure up the magic “starch jelly” by mixing two tablespoons of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water. When the cornstarch and cold water are completely blended, add in 1 ½ cups of boiling water and mix well. Paint one window pane with this jelly, making sure to cover it completely, and then carefully position and place one of the lace pieces you have prepared on the pane, smoothing it as you go. If you have something with a hard edge like a ruler, you can use this to smooth the lace from the top down with ease; an old-fashioned rolling pin also works if the panes are larger.
After you are sure there are no wrinkles or creases in the lace, apply another thick layer of the jelly over the fabric using a medium sized paintbrush in random strokes; make sure to get the corners of the panes so you won’t have annoying little curling corners! After the jelly has dried, you can use your exacto knife to trim off any leftover or messy edges. If you happen to have left a gap anywhere, you can remedy it easily by simply cutting a small piece of lace and using the jelly to attach and cover it. And if you are a perfectionist who can’t stand the idea of an interrupted pattern, all you have to do to remove the original lace is wash the window pane with warm water – it really is that simple!
When you are finished “lacing” the panes, your windows will be transformed. Instead of ignoring a view you aren’t particularly fond of or worrying if neighbors can see into your bedroom, you will have a window with a delicate, lacy appearance that lets the natural light in but also obscures enough details to ensure privacy. Dreamy and magical meet cost-effective and practical in this easy, beautiful transformation.
