Check out Smith+Noble

I also got decent ones from JC Penney but that was some time ago.

Are you at all crafty? The attached link shows an inexpensive way to make some fabulous looking shades!

Here is a link that might be useful: Make Your Own Custom Shades

I don't know if you're totally against curtains, but you could buy pressure rods (they mount inside the frame) and curtains.

Will roller shades fit those brackets? Most likely. To make sure, buy the most inexpensive roller shade you can find and try it. If the new shade will fit the bracket, then you're good to go.

Thanks for the help! I'm a huge Smith & Noble fan--in fact, I just went on their website and ordered 10 free swatches. Unfortunately, other than plain solid navy, they don't have much for a little boy's room--but navy would work fine if the price isn't outrageous. They have TONS of different beige/tans etc. that might look great in our dining room and living areas--but I really wanted to start with our son's room. We always stick up mini-blinds until we can find shades we LOVE...and I know as soon as those mini-blinds go up, they will never come down. So poor buddy is stuck in a room with three big windows and no privacy--oh well--that's one of the benefits of being in a big two-story house on a street with ranches!!

I kind of want to let as much light in as I can during the day, so I'm trying to avoid curtains--but I did use that pressure-mounted rod trick in the nursery of our house--and it looks great!

I would even be willing to take out the brackets and just put in pretty Roman shades if I could find them...unfortunately, Pottery Barn seems to be the only place that has 26" shades instead of 27" as standard and not custom. Love it, but it's expensive. And I think it's ridiculous that you can't return anything that ends in .99 cents. For two "clearance" Roman shades for my daughter's room, it would have been $100 with shipping and tax. That's not really "clearance" to me--especially if they don't fit!

Sarah

I'm guessing since our guest room still has roller shades that fit these brackets that any roller shade should work? Right? One end of the roller is just round--like the end of a thick pen--and the other end is flat and maybe 1/3" wide.

Uggh...I hate window treatments! I wish I could snap my fingers and have all 38 of them done!! (am I allowed to say that on the decorating forum??)

Sarah

What if you were to get, I think they call them, cafe curtains and hung them with pressure rods half way down the window. You'd have your privacy below them and above them the window would be completely open. You'd basically never have to open and close them. And the price would be right!

West Elm and Overstock have 26" shades.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all the suggestions...looking into all avenues this afternoon. I'll keep you posted with what I finally choose.
:)
Sarah

We have Smith & Noble roller shades, in linen, and we ordered ring pulls for them. The shades come with cheap, metal bracket thingies but we have used the original brackets, as you want to do. The little bracket thingies lie very flat to the inside of the window frame. So, if you do order from S&N, let them know about your existing brackets, make any measuring adjustments necessary for the width of bracket and the nails holding yours in, and order away. Our windows are oddball sizes, too, but S&N was a joy to work with.

Wow, thanks kec01! That gives me hope! Ultimately, I would like to use S&N and get roller shades (rather than Romans) because I feel like they're less dangerous with little kids running around. Maybe more likely to break, but certainly less dangerous than cords laying around.

:)
Sarah

sarah
Have you tried country curtians

Roller in 27"
http://www.countrycurtains.com/shopping/product/detailmain.
jsp?itemID=3521&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=roller+shade

Cordless Roman in 27"
I saw these in person - very well made & well priced - Love the cordless & the ease of operation - now I'm on a search for the hardware - as i would like to make my own w/this mechanism

http://www.countrycurtains.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2899&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=roman+shade

good luck

We thought we might be able to get away with 27" shades so we ordered some last year from JCPenny's. Didn't fit. GRRR!! I feel like I can hear the architect of this old house laughing at me from his grave!!!

Sarah

J C Penny does roller shades that are cut to fit. Not custom, but customized to your window size. They should fit your brackets, but you can order just one to do a trial on if you want. I just bought some and the instructions on how to measure your windows are easy and straight-forward. My windows are a problem because they are all 29.5" wide--too narrow for 27" and too wide for 30".

Also check out Lowes and Home Depot. I know Lowes does roller shades that are cut to fit the width of your window and HD might as well.

It looks from the sets of concentric circles under the brackets that other people have used the tension rods with the roller shades. I have the shades for nighttime privacy and then sheers on a tension rod for a bit more privacy in the daytime, but that's because the next house is only 15' away.