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wwyd with my lr windows?

Sueb20
13 years ago

I have asked for advice on this window in the past but maybe there are some new ideas! This window just drives me crazy. I have one window (well, a set of 3 windows) in the LR. There used to be the same window at the opposite end of the room, but then we opened it up to a family room addition. I just took the existing curtains down for window washing -- they are velvet floor-length panels that do not close, just hang on either edge of the window, and I also have a print valance that is basically there for color. I'd like something lighter for spring/summer. I can't use the valance only, because it is actually a bit too narrow for the window width -- the discrepancy is hidden under the drape. As you can see in the close-up, I also can't use the woven wood blinds only, because they came with a light wood header (great design, huh?) which looks ridiculous. And on the right-side small window, which you can't see on the close-up, the header bar has actually fallen off. When it fell off a year or so ago, I decided to try and stain it darker, and then... um... I lost it somehow.

Anyway. I could just get a valance for summer and use the blinds as needed (which we basically never use -- we're up on a slight hill and don't care that much about privacy in the LR, so we just leave them up). I could also do a sheer, I suppose, but of course my windows are not a standard length so it would involve at least hemming a longer sheer, or having something custom made, which I don't really feel like doing. Also, the room is casual and kinda masculine, so I'm not sure if a sheer is the answer. Also, there is no white or even off-white in the room, so I'm concerned that an off-white sheer is going to be "too white" if you know what I mean. (My ceilings aren't even white.)

So... any ideas for me? I suspect a new valance is the likely answer, but maybe there's something else I'm not thinking of. Also, I hesitate to buy the ready-made valances because I need to put 2-3 together for the width of this window, and they rarely tend to look good -- the length always seems to be slightly off, or whatever, so it ends up looking messy. I know the answer to that problem is to have something custom made, but I'm trying not to get that expensive or time-consuming (of course I want to re-dress this window Today!)

Comments (14)

  • bronwynsmom
    13 years ago

    I think your window(s) is/are lovely!

    The first thing I would do is paint the inside of your archway the same color as the room. Then I would take down the offending blind header and paint it to match the dark tone of the woodwork.

    I would run the curtain rod all the way across the wall, as high as I could hang it. Then I'd look for a heavy linen or linen/cotton fabric, with the ground color either a paler shade of the wall tone, a rich cream, or a very soft pale gray; and a simple geometric pattern (a large-scale, slim diagonal lattice pattern comes to mind), and make curtain panels that hang from the bottom of the crown molding to the floor, and fill the space between the inside edge of the outer window trim and the side corners.

    That treatment will serve to open up the windows all the way across, and furnish the whole wall as one unit, effectively widening the room and cooperating with its lovely proportions.

  • Sueb20
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sorry, just realized this is not obvious in the photo -- there is a sideboard-type piece of furniture on the right of the windows, and it goes right up to the wall. There's no leeway to move it over. So I can't put a panel all the way to the wall. I happen to like that piece of furniture a lot, and unfortunately there's nowhere else to put it, so it's staying there for now. I should have pointed that out, because it's one of the complicating factors! (In addition to the darn radiator under the window!)

  • camlan
    13 years ago

    Do you need to keep the existing blinds? If you don't, would inside mounted roman shades work? If you got them in a color to coordinate with the existing drapes, you could use just the shades in summer and add the drapes in the colder months. I know you want to avoid custom--J. C. Penny has shades as narrow as 23".

    I have basically the same window in both my living room and dining room, except that all three windows are the same width, and I only have a radiator under one set of windows. In the living room, there are wood blinds on all three windows and one long rod with panels that hang on either side of the entire stretch of windows. In the dining room, I have net curtains from Country Curtains on tension rods within each window casing. If I ever find drapes I like, I'll put up a long rod and hang panels at the side as in the living room. But I need privacy--the houses in my neighborhood are very close together.

  • jleek
    13 years ago

    My in laws had this same window and wall. Here is what she did. She used sheers to the bottom of the apron. Standard purchase no hemming. She also had a table in front of the radiator with a lamp on it. Table came as tall as the sill,it also had a shelf on the bottom and she had a ladies wing chair to the left, by the door opening. Yes, you did turn a little to go through the opening to the sun porch but for the 40+ years they were in the house it never seemed to bother anyone, and she raised her children in that house, before playrooms. Her sheers were off white and her dining room was off this living room and she had the same bank of windows there and the flow was good. Sheers come in all colors now, I just bought some rose ones from J.C.Penny's which I found to be very nice. Length is 70" and I think that is what you probably need.

  • work_in_progress_08
    13 years ago

    Love your windows and the feel of your room. My suggestion, which is what you have already been doing would be to just do a panel on either end of the decorative rod. Sounds like you do not have privacy issues, so you don't need to close the drapery or sheers. I love the way the windows look when they are just "framed" by a drapery material.

    I have done the same in our home as we have double 84"x36" Marvins in my foyer and adjoining LR. I treat each "set" as one window. I didn't want to cover up the windows as we have no privacy issues. I found sheers (JCP soft gold) that match my wall color which makes the sheers practically disappear. I found decorative rods that I really liked (also JCP) and let the sheers frame the window. They can be closed, but we've never done it. Worked well as DH hates drapery - says they remind him of a funeral parlor. LOL His uncle is a funeral director/med examiner and the family lived over the funeral home for years.

    I am not really a fan of valances, but it's your room to do what you like. However, my vote is for framing not covering those windows.

    Please post a pic of what you decide to do! Again, love your room!

  • Sueb20
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    If I do only panels, then that would leave those mismatched headers exposed. Blah. See, I told you guys this was tricky. Maybe I should just take the blinds down.

    By the way, DH is gonna kill me no matter what because I seem to change these WTs about once a year.

  • work_in_progress_08
    13 years ago

    Are the headers attached to the blinds? Can you remove the headers and blinds?

  • Sueb20
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Well as I said, the front piece of one header fell off, but there is still a wood piece to which the blind is attached, and that piece is basically unfinished pale wood. I might just get one of those stain touch-up pens and color it in!

    Anyway, I just did this. Since all my curtains were off, I took one of the sheers from the other room and popped it onto this rod to see how it would look and I'm thinking, for a seasonal thing, maybe not too bad! I wish they were maybe an inch longer, but I might be able to deal with it.

    Sorry these pics are bad. It's pretty sunny out now.

    Thoughts? I think this is a 62" or 63" length.

  • 2ajsmama
    13 years ago

    If you're not using the sheers in the other room, you could use them here for the summer - just get clip rings and voila! you're covering the sill. If you *are* using the sheers in the other room, just buy longer sheers and hem them?

    I'd try the stain marker or paint for the headers.

  • work_in_progress_08
    13 years ago

    Yeah, now that I re-read, gotcha. I like the 63 or 64". Will you keep them closed, and are you planning to keep the blinds. I guess the only thing I don't like is when the sheer is closed you can really see the blinds, headers and such unlike if you just framed the window.

    I do like that length sheer on the window. I just don't like that you can see what's going on at the top under the rod.

  • teacats
    13 years ago

    A vote to just remove the blinds -- and put up white sheers for the summer months -- and look for winter-weight curtains -- like velvet ones that may be on sale now that the winter is past ....

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

  • graywings123
    13 years ago

    I also can't use the woven wood blinds only, because they came with a light wood header (great design, huh?) which looks ridiculous.

    Paint or apply coats of Minwax Polyshades to the header to make them the color of the blinds. If you were careful and not a sloppy painter, you could do them in place.

  • Sueb20
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    ajsmama, brilliant idea on the rings. Why didn't I think of that?

    teacats, I do already have velvet panels that I was using all fall and winter.

    work in progress, I completely agree with you. I'm taking the blinds down tomorrow. Especially with the sheers there now, we won't use the blinds. I put up the other sheer and I really like the way it looks. I may just keep the sheers up in winter and just layer them under my velvet panels.

  • loribee
    13 years ago

    Another vote for the sheers as well. :)