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dining room makeover | the new velvet curtains

Last week, I made a final push to get the dining room mural to a place I could call it “done for now” and put the room back together.  The best part was hanging up the new curtains custom-made for the room by Neutral Curtains.  (As a disclosure, I partnered with Neutral Curtains for an Instagram post and received these curtains as a part of that partnership.  This blog post is not a part of my obligation, though.  I wanted to share here because the curtains are gorgeous and my experience with them was excellent.)

The first thing I love about Neutral Curtains is you can order an entire sample book for $1.00, which includes free shipping.  That’s not $1.00 for one swatch.  It’s for an entire book.  I ordered all the books so I could feel the fabric options and see the colors in my own space.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

And my favorite ended up being a fabric I probably wouldn’t have even considered without being able to see it in person.  I selected Maillard, which is a rich, velvety fabric, in Teal.  It was the perfect complement to Oval Room Blue, which I was using for the trim and wainscoting.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

I measured the window and gave some thought to what I wanted.  All the curtains from Neutral Curtains are custom-made, so you select the fabric, length, width, header, lining, and other options.  This was my exact order

  • Fabric – Maillard Teal Style #MJ11-64
  • Color – Teal
  • Header Style – Pinch Pleat
  • Panel width – 72” (This measurement is after pleating, so the curtains are nice and full.)
  • Panel length – 90”
  • Liner – polyester white
  • Memory shape – yes (This helps the fabric hold its shape and hang nicer.)

With the 25% discount (use code MISSMUSTARDSEED), the total was $246 per panel, which is an excellent price for custom-made curtains.  I’m not sure if I could even make curtains of this quality and size for less than that.  When comparing these Neutral Curtains to stock curtains, I would probably have to buy four panels that wouldn’t be specifically sized for my windows and they wouldn’t have that gorgeous pleated top.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

As someone who has done a lot of sewing over the years, I can attest these curtains are gorgeous and are meticulously made.  There were no wonky seams or even stray threads.  And, I must say, it was so nice to hang a pair of curtains I didn’t have to make myself.  These are winners all around and I will be ordering more curtains from them for some of our bedroom windows.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

The curtain rods are the same ones I used in our bedroom and living room.  They look much more expensive than they are, which is another win.  All of my rods are in gold, but there are six different finish options.  You can find the rod HERE (I ordered the 96″ – 144″ in gold) and the rings HERE.  (The gold rings are currently out of stock, but hopefully, they’ll be available again soon.)

The curtains came with plastic clips that could be inserted into the pleats to hang on rings.  The hooks are adjustable as well, which is nice since floors are rarely level.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

You just slide a hook into each pleat and thread the hook through the hole on each ring.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

Once the curtains are hung, only the rings and rods are visible.  It looks so sharp and this method of hanging curtains makes them easy to slide open and close.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

Neutral Curtains is currently running Black Friday sales, but you can use code MISSMUSTARDSEED any time to get 25% off.

I still have a few adjustments to make to the mural.  The row of distant trees to the left of the painting, for example, doesn’t look quite right!  I needed to put the brushes down for a while, though, so I could get some organizing done in the basement and get ready for Thanksgiving.  I’ll probably do some more painting between decorating for Christmas and, once I have the design finished, I need to decide about putting a glaze on top to mute the colors.  A part of me likes it just as it is and a part of me feels like it would benefit from a glaze.  I’ll just live with it for a while before I make that decision.

neutral curtains review | miss mustard seed

One thing that is set in stone, though, is the curtains.  I couldn’t be more pleased.

You can find more posts about the dining room makeover HERE.

Marian Parsons 

Paint Enthusiast | Writer | Artist | Designer

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18 Responses

  1. My Mama made drapes, I made drapes, so I appreciate the quality with you and they are so beautiful. It is perfect and just the push you needed to get ‘done’
    You will really enjoy them with your holiday meals, and I am so happy for you. One more thing done.
    Thank you so much for the savings.

  2. The curtains are definitely a winner! Just beautiful.
    And the mural is a triple winner!!! Stunning. I’m sure we’ll see your room in a magazine when you’re all done.
    Now waiting for the whole room reveal….
    Thank you for making me smile today.

  3. Marian, those hooks are wonderful! I can’t tell you how many times as a child, I helped my mother take down or put up drapes after cleaning … and those metal pins were lethal! Also, totally different subject, flipping through the (November?) Southern Living magazine, did I spy a Marian print above the range in one of the featured houses? The photo is spread over two pages, and of course, the print in question is right in the magazine’s center, so it’s hard to tell, but it looked familiar.

  4. Perfection! Everything is coming together beautifully. Thank you for the information about the curtains. The prices are so reasonable for the quality. I have always sewn my own drapes and curtains but find it to be so labor intensive. Big box curtains are not appealing and custom are so expensive. You have found a wonderful solution to this thorny problem.

  5. So pretty~ the curtains are stunning. I, too have seen some “Marian” prints lately. I remember you saying, Marian that you don’t know where your work will show up. It’s fun to find something familiar and wonder 🙂

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
    Cynthia

  6. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous! I also notice the sweet coasters under the beautiful wood server piece — a detail that perfectly complements the piece and the room.

    1. Well, I’m glad they look good, but they are just temporary. 🙂 Once the room is finished, I’ll remove the sliders. For now, they help me scoot things around while I’m painting.

  7. Thank you so much for the detailed review of your experience with Neutral Curtains. I will be ordering sample books from them, as I need curtains for a few rooms. I have made curtains before and decided I am treating myself and NOT doing it this time.

  8. Your new drapes are beautiful. I love that the length is just to the floor. I’m not a fan of the “puddle” drapes as I call them. I guess I am just old school. My cats would love drapes on the floor though. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

  9. 😍! I tried to click on the link to the curtain rings, but it brought me to the rods. Could you please share that link again? Thank you!

  10. Initially the mural seemed “loud” in the room but now with all your other furnishings and frankly gorgeous drapes, it is quite lovely, and everything looks balanced. You have a gift for seeing what could be.

  11. Wow, I am excited to learn about a curtain company that can do the work FOR me and also ships worldwide! So many companies are “USA shipping only” so the rest of us who live elsewhere are out of luck. I think I will order some sample books and start thinking about saving myself some time and effort for a few of my rooms that need new drapes.

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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