Blackout Wall Canopy: How To

For those of you who want to know how this idea came to be, feel free to read up on it at Blackout Wall Canopy: Background.

Now, let's get into how it is done!

Canopy Hardware:

This costs $49 from Restoration Hardware:

This costs $5.99 from Ikea:

You can't get this online from their website, but there is a picture from the store as proof that it exists! It is supposed to be used to help you organize pans such in your cupboards, but works great for canopies as well!

Blackout Canopy:
This costs around $100 for each panel from Pottery Barn Kids:

Because of the width of curtains, you would need 3 to cover the entire area I was looking for.  However, if you get ruffled shower curtains, you only need 2 and they are much cheaper.  The only issue with this is that you need blackout liner still.  However, as long as you have some pins, an iron and a sowing machine, you can add this yourself quite easily.  Again, I have no formal training in ANY of this stuff.  I literally saw a sowing machine on sale one day in college and thought, "that would be useful to have around."  So thanks to the kindness of people on YouTube and How To's, I was able to learn how to use that machine.
This costs $17.99 each from Walmart + $5.95 per yard of blackout liner for each panel:

+          

Total price for 2 Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn Blackout Canopies:  about $750.

Total price for 2 of my DIY versions (including gas for my SUV): about $150.


I followed the instructions on this fantastic blog on how to make the curtains myself, only using the above mentioned materials:  http://www.betterthanicouldhaveimagined.com/2012/05/diy-blackout-curtains-they-are-finally.html

Then we spray painted our Ikea buy to make it the beautiful white canopy hardware we wanted.  This dried outside in a couple hours, but we waited until the next day to hang the curtains on it.

We screwed it to the wall with anchors since the blackout canopies are heavy and they have stayed up perfectly since August!  We use them every day and my daughters naps have been luxurious and last usually about 2 hours!

Now my daughter has her toddler rail and the canopy still makes all the difference.  Here are some pictures of our set up:

Open and closed canopy with the toddler rail

  

Don't worry, we are still keeping our eye on her with the hidden baby monitor!

I really like how they turned out :)

Good luck in creating your canopies!!!