Back in May, I added a platter above our arched kitchen window, where I can easily change out what’s written on it with a dry erase marker.  Read all about it here.

I finally finished my other planned project for that window – adding curtains!  We had 2″ blinds covering the rectangular part of the window.  They look fine, but I really wanted an unobstructed view out that window for all the time I stand there washing dishes every day.  Plus, the blinds can get dirty from the water that splashes out of the sink.  Here’s the original “before” photo.

I found the perfect fabric one day at Hancock Fabrics.  I was looking for something that would bring color to the kitchen, hide any splash marks, be machine washable, and coordinate with the colors in our living room.  This fabric fit the bill!  And not a bad deal for $26 at their store closeout sale.

When my mom came to visit last week, I took advantage of her sewing machine skills.  We sewed two panels, each one almost the width of the window to give them some volume.  We created a 1″ hem on the top and bottom of the panels, and a 2″ hem on the sides.  That way, if the curtain edge flips out a bit, it will still look nice.

I bought a basic tension rod at Lowe’s ($7), and I placed it between the cabinets.  Normally, you’d put a tension rod within the window frame itself, but since the cabinets are just a few inches farther out, it gives me a little more room to push back the curtains away from the window.  The curtain rings are also from Lowe’s – $7 for 14 rings.

I love how the curtains soften the kitchen up!  Next up…convincing the hubby that we should take down the blinds. 😉

Here’s the finished product with the platter and curtains.  I love projects on a budget, and this whole curtain project was only $40.

This part of the kitchen has really been a family project, with David replacing the faucet a year ago and my mom helping me with the curtain sewing.  We even planted a bougainvillea along the fence a couple of years ago to make the view prettier.  You can really see it in the shot above.  Next big kitchen project down the road will be painting the cabinets white…by professionals!

Anyway, I hope this inspires you to treat yourself to a little update around your kitchen sink to make washing dishes less of a chore. 🙂