Decorate Roll Up Shades to Add Beauty to Rooms

Homeowners often install roll up shades when they first move in because they're an easy, affordable way to cover windows. However, just because they're inexpensive and convenient does not mean that roll up shades have to be dull.

Since most roll up shades are made of vinyl or cloth, they can be easily decorated using fabric markers, acrylic craft paint, ribbons, stencils or fabric cut-outs. Most roll up shades are white or some light neutral such as ivory, cream or beige. Think of this kind of shade as a blank canvas for your creativity. Even if you've installed colored shades, there's still plenty of opportunity to turn that open space into a work of art.

When choosing paint, spend some time planning the look you want. Whatever colors you might choose, it's important to complement the room's décor – unless you've given your teen-ager free rein to decorate his or her roll up shades as desired. Then be ready for some glaring colors and outlandish effects. (You might even want to set some ground rules about potentially offensive designs before your start).

For decorating purposes, the shade should be unrolled and held down using some type of clean, heavy weights. Without you plan to work in abstract, it's a good idea to pencil in the design before using paint or markers. The choice of design is up to you, so do not be shy; let your imagination roam freely.

Stencils can be a big help if you're not good at drawing. You could try a plant motif for a living room, fish or seashells for the bathroom, or blocks and teddy bears for a baby's room. Children especially like the chance to choose stencils for the shades in their rooms.

Put a finishing touch on your decorated roll up shade by attaching ribbons or fabric to the edges using fabric glue on cloth or spray adhesive on vinyl. Once the design is dry, you can hang your new creation with pride.