Lots of us have a window above our beds – and lots of us hate it.
There are two basic ways to deal with the situation – embrace it and put up some pretty window treatment or just hide the window. A folding screen is an easy way to hide an awkward window.
I bought one large blue sheet of insulation board for $15 at Home Depot and asked the guy in the cutting department to cut the sheet in 16″ lengths (there ended up being six pieces).
Then I sketched a template for the shape I wanted at the top of each piece of the screen
And traced the shape on to each of my five folding screen pieces, but a different heights. The highest piece was cut to be three inches taller than the window.
After cutting out the top shape, I upholstered each folding screen piece with a layer of thin quilting batting and some fabric.
I ran out of staples halfway through the project and resorted to duct tape, which I thought worked even better than the staples!
After all the fabric and batting was attached to the insulation boards, my sweet husband put all the screens together for me while I made dinner. Team work!
We used a couple boxes of brass plated decorative hinges from Home Depot, extra long screws and some nuts to assemble it all together.
What with all the cheesy components – insulation board! duct tape! decorative hinges! – I thought the screen would be a little on the fragile side, but no. The screen is very sturdy and it folds well, for the record.
The final step was trimming out the front of the screens with some cream woven 1/4″ flat tape from the fabric store. Just used a bit of Fabritac here to glue on the trim.
The screen blocks out the light from the window, so it’s not obvious there is a window there. Which is the point.
note: while these pictures were taken in my bedroom, this screen is destined for another room. I just wanted to share the idea with you all, since I get many questions about how to address the “window-above-the-bed” issue. I threw together the styling here with basement stuff (lamps, tables, pillows, etc) just to give you a quick sense of what could be done with a folding screen in a bedroom. Pictures of my newly finished bedroom are on the way, complete with a different idea for addressing the same window issue.
I have a long, narrow home that goes from living room to dining room to kitchen. There is a wall dividing the kitchen from the dining room but nothing between the DR and LR. I wanted some sort of screen to indicate a division between the rooms. This idea is perfect! If I make the screen high enough, I can hide the back with my hutch. I am so excited! Thanks for the great idea!!
that is a brilliant idea! i actually moved our room all around because i hate the idea of the window behind me, now i could put it back the way i like it!
Brilliant – I love it! We had a window-above-bead situation in our first home, and it always creeped me out at night!
Love those nightstands – remind me of the bureau I painted in glossy "turq-WAZ!"
I wish I were as creative as you are. What a great idea and I love how you share the step by step of how to DIY.
You really should change the name of your blog to
DIY Dynamo! Love the look of that room, the screen, those nightstands….Brilliant!
pve
Great idea, but if I had a window above my bed I wouldn't be hiding it! Oh, how I would love to have some natural light :)
Love it and the whole room looks like something straight out of a magazine..can't believe it wasn't made for the room!!
Amazing! Fabulous post – I love it. I want to go shopping in your basement and I LOVE LOVE the fabric and nailhead on your bed!
You totally rock! Thanks so much for that one.
I adore your basement stuff. And of course the screen is fantastic.
This is great! We have a 4-poster and the same issue, so I've delt with it using a wall of curtain panels and blackout lining, but I love this look, too! Can't wait to see your room completed!
What a brill. idea! And you execution is ingenius. What a fantastic solution to not such a fantastic window!
Looks fabulous…what a great idea.
Great idea! You make it look so easy. I love the turquoise end tables too!
you are amazing!
This is brilliant!! The photo looks just like out a magazine – I first thought it was your inspiration photo. I never would have thought to use the insulation board and I love how you cut it at different heights.
I have an akward second window over the bureau in our bedroom but still wanted the light. I found a 5ft. high Pier 1 plantation shutter screen the same width as the bureau and mounted it behind it and off the floor to give the needed height. I'm able to open the shutters in the middle section to let in light during the day.
Who and what are you? A DIY GODDESS thats what!!!!
Brilliant! And lovely! Also can't wait for the tutorial of the upholstered bed… been hoping for that one for month snow. It turned out beautifully!
You TOTALLY need a Wonder Cutter. I get them at Dick Blick. Seriously, your jaw will drop the first time you use it.
I want to make this SO badly for a headboard in our guest room. GREAT tutorial!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Genius! I would never have thought of the insulation board!
awesome
I've been struggling with the same problem and couldn't find a headboard big enough to block out the light and air that escapes onto our heads!
I am so excited about this post! Our bedroom is on the first floor, in the front of the house (as in the sidewalk is right there) and I can't have the room how I want it because having those windows behind me at night totally freaks me out! I am definitely going to try to sell the husband on this idea and hopefully finally be able to use our room to full advantage.
What a great idea….I just thought of a curtain for our window yesterday but may have to change my mind bc this is a great solution also. Love it!
Wow! this is a great idea – thanks for the step by step too.
Can I have like, 3 oz of your creativity?
Ok, you are crazy talented! if only i could throw a room together like that w/stuff from the basement. can't wait to see how it looks in your room.
Great! Fantastically creative idea!
Brilliant! We're dealing with the same issue in our bedroom. But because our headboard is so tall this idea won't work for us, unfortunately. I can't wait to see what your next idea. Not to mention that your master bedroom reveal will have me checking my computer like an obsessed mad woman! I can't wait!
This is a great idea! I have one such oddly-placed, irritating windows above my bed. I have done the curtains the full width of the bed, but this is a very fun alternative. Looks great!
Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous!
This room is beautiful! I love that screen, I need a new headboard so maybe I'll do that! Thanks for the idea!!
gorgeous! so my question is when is your basement going to be holding a yard sale? i'm sooo there! :)
Jenny, you never cease to amaze me! I don't know how you find the time!
This is wonderful! I am a long-time reader, but I had to post here to let you know what an inspiration you are in the DIY arena!! You have so many amazing ideas, and your instructions are clear and make every project seem doable. Thanks so much for sharing with us. :)
for not being a "real" room it looks fabulous, Ha! love the screen idea and the easy step by step.
AH-MAY-ZING!! Your DIY projects are seriously setting new standards. Thanks for the inspiration!
Quick question: I'm not familiar with insulation board. Is it possible to substitute this for foam core for your easy pelmet boxes? My daughter's full size bed is in an alcove & I want to add fabric to create a half tester. Not sure about using foam core for the project & think this might do the trick?
This is beautiful! I need a screen to hid a treadmill…wondering if this would be sturdy enough to stand up. Thanks for the awesome step by step!
you are brilliant! what a phenominal idea….i would love to do it even without the window beind the bed!
i love it! a smaller one would be perfect in my daughter's new bedroom!!! yay!
your DIY stuff is the best… I love it!!!
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
Once again, you totally rock.
This is great – so genious! Thanks for the idea, now filed under "brilliant" :)
I would love to make a folding screen to serve as a headboard for my queen sized bed. I saw the picture in your post from a while back and can't get it out of my head! I'll have to check ad see how tall this insulation comes. :)
Awesome!! Great job! Love the room! Can't wait to see the screen in its rightful place
That is fabulous! I've got just the place in my house for that screen. Awkward windows are no good. This is brilliant!
brrrriliant! my oh my, am so making one rite now.. thanks a lot!!!
Great post… fabulous DIY
You are very talented!!
Love your bedroom now… can't wait to see the real deal :)
~Terri
I just got back from Home Depot…and I'm using the idea of the insulation board to make large boards for the kids to tack their art – in our still-evolving "studio" space. I found amazing linen-look curtains at Target for $20 each, so for less than $100, I am going to have an amazing art display space for the kids! Thanks for the inspiration! Are you still itching?