I considered banning my husband from the den as a long term solution, but instead I put my interior designer tricks to good use. I took down the draperies and installed bamboo shades that go up and down. Surrounded by leather and bamboo (neither of which has any absorptive properties), he now uses napkins! He spends his time finding ways to ruin our furnishings, and I spend just as much time finding ways to outsmart him. We’re quite a match!
I learned through my interior designer and mom experiences that in a house full of slobs, window coverings that go up and down fare much better than those that hang on the sides. They’re less likely to get dirty. Curtains that hang to the floor and open and close to the side should be used carefully– in rooms that don’t get a lot of use or traffic, like a formal dining room. To open and close full draperies, your slobs will touch and pull on the fabric. Even worse, they could inadvertently step on the hanging drapery, pulling it down from the wall!
You wouldn’t want these window treatments in the family room or a kids’ bedroom unless they’re insured. Instead, wait until the kids (or your husband) grows up and then get the draperies you’ve always dreamed of!
