We recently moved into a new home and hanging curtains in every room has been on the long list of things we are working on. When thinking about window treatments, think of it as an extension of your rooms decor, not just a covering for your windows.

Starting with blinds, they can be an inexpensive way to create privacy in your windows yet can be kind of bland or boring. Below are some ideas of how to add oomph to those blinds.

Window blinds generally can be purchased pretty cheaply in standard shades of white to offwhite. You can purchase custom blinds in other colors or styles (metal or wood) at a higher price, as well.

1. You can add your own personal touch to these blinds with a little spray paint or acrylic paint and a sponge brush to add texture or color accent to your room.

• Lay your blinds out on a drop cloth or sheet
• Spray painting: Stand over your blinds and spray the paint from approximately 2' away. Depending on the look you want, the closer you get to the blinds, the fuller the coverage. So if you want a light accent of color, 2' or full color 6" to 8" away.
• Sponge painting: select one color or several shades of color, depending on the look you want, then lightly dip your sponge brush into the paint and take off the access on a paper towel, then sponge away till you get the required look. To insure the paint doesn't come off easily once dry, coat with a layer of clear polyurethane.

2. You can add a personal touch with contact paper, adhesive backed paper or patterned paper and a little spray adhesive. This project can be done after you hang your blinds for easier application.

• There are many different types of designs you can find in contact paper (even metal and wood). Measure out your contact paper strips and cut them to size (a yard stick and box knife come in handy for this). Then peel and stick each blind strip. (Yes this is a time consuming project, but the results are great).
• Wallpaper can be used for this same technique. Again precut your wallpaper strips, then wet them thoroughly before applying them to the blind strips. This project can be a little messy so you will want to lay a towel or drop cloth on the window sill and floor area.
• Many craft stores have a great selection of print papers usually used in scrapbooking. With a little spray adhesive and precut strips of this paper, you can apply it to the blinds with little trouble. Make sure to spray over a drop cloth and spray in a well ventilated room as the adhesive sprays have some fumes.

3. Roller blinds are another inexpensive type of blind you can buy. These are great because whatever personal touch you want to add to them, it's a lot easier a project than individual blind slats.

• Fabric is great for this project. All you need is a little spray adhesive and your fabric. Lay the roller blind out on the floor (on a drop cloth), pull it out to it's extent of the length of the window it covers and add another 4-5 inches. Spray your adhesive over the area and starting from the top (with a dry 4" paint brush) smooth the fabric down to the bottom edge of the roller shade and wrap around the edge. You can also add a little ribbon to the edge to finish it off.
• Spray paint, sponging, brushing on a paint color or several colors can also add a personal touch to these blinds.

If blinds are not your thing, or you are ready to add your curtains over your blinds, there are many different styles, colors, prints of curtains you can purchase. If you are on a budget, you can get creative with what you choose to make your curtains.

For example, I have found discount flat sheets that I liked the shade or pattern. Two twin sheets can cover a standard livingroom window. The finished top edge makes a nice prefinished edge to the bottom of a curtain. Fabric from your fabric store can be inexpensive as well but will require you to finish the edges (I hope your sewing skills are intact or you can use a little seam tape and an iron), watch for sales or discounted fabrics. Getting more creative, you can get ribbons of various widths and layer onto existing boring or old curtains to give new life.

A kitchen window or bathroom window can be finished off with a set of pillowcases attached to a rod with decorative clips (curtain clips with rings to strand onto a rod), with the decorative edge of the pillowcases hanging down.

An embossed tablecloth can make a beautiful curtain hung and tied back to one side as well. Using the same decorative clips as mentioned above and a rectangular table cloth, this can be very classy.

A valance is a top hat to your windows fashion. They can be made so many ways and with so many materials. Wood, fabric, curtain rods, etc. Here are a few simple ideas.

• Sew a valance and add decorations like buttons, ribbons or tassles.
• Create a wood valance with wood, (measure your window width and cut a 1"x4" board into width piece and two 3" side pieces, attach with wood screws, attach two L brackets), staple fabric around it and hang.
• Layer cloth napkins and some ribbons over a rod and hang as a valance.
• Use the same wood valance idea and stencil a design on it and paint.
• Again same wood valance idea and cut out shapes, then paint.

These are just a few ideas for creating your own custom window treatments for your home. I know there are many more ideas out there, but hopefully, this will help get your creative flow going!