I recently moved into a new place and the window shades are just plain white and super boring. Decided to spice things up a bit myself. First, I got some fabric paint and stencils and added a subtle pattern—nothing too crazy, just enough to catch the eye. Then I attached a thin strip of decorative trim along the bottom edge with fabric glue. Looks pretty decent now, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried other methods or has tips to make it look even better?
Your stencil idea sounds pretty cool—I did something similar a while back, but instead of paint, I used fabric markers. Honestly, it was mostly because I'm clumsy and paint tends to end up everywhere except where I want it. The markers gave me a bit more control, and I could add finer details without worrying about drips or smudges.
Another thing I tried once was iron-on fabric transfers. You can print out your own designs or patterns on transfer paper, then iron them directly onto the shades. It worked surprisingly well, especially for smaller designs or accents. Just make sure your iron isn't too hot... learned that the hard way when I nearly melted a corner of my shade. Oops.
If you're feeling extra crafty, you could also try sewing on some lightweight fabric panels or lace overlays. I did that for my kitchen shades, and it added a nice texture without blocking too much light. Just be careful with the glue if you go that route—fabric glue and I have a complicated relationship, let's just say.
Fabric markers sound like a lifesaver—I wish I'd thought of that before my paint disaster last weekend. I ended up with more paint on my floor than the shades, haha. The iron-on transfers are intriguing too, might give those a shot next. Have you ever tried washi tape? I used it to add some simple geometric patterns to my office shades, and it turned out pretty neat. Plus, it's easy to remove if you change your mind later...which I usually do.