The panels appear to be WAY too jammed onto the swing arm rod. I have those on my dining room windows - can you extend the length of the rods a bit, to open the panels a bit and allow them to hang more elegantly? You may need to move the rods further out so that they are partially on the wall, not all jammed on such a small area of window.

I think a soft fabric shade, like a waterfall roman, in a pretty, subtle print (maybe even a tone on tone) would be lovely, and in keeping with the romantic, cottage feel of your decor.

If you are going to move the panels out a bit onto the wall, I would like to see a pair of pretty, brown and white (or cream) transferware plates hung on either side of the mirror to balance the visual weight of the brown panels on the outside sides of the windows.

Thanks les...the operative word here is "jammed". That's exactly how I feel they look! I can try a larger swing arm rod. These are only 12", I have a pair of 18".
Also, in my previous home, I had these curtains hanging with ring clips and I think that is what I need to do here. This LR is much more casual and yet the curtains look too dressy.

Easy fix....get a double rod and hang it so it's about 12" wider than the window on the outside. Put the long drape on the inside rod. This should now hang in such a way that it hangs over the wall, just skimming the edge of the window. Then get 2 matching valances or asymmetrical valances (I'd like to see it in a print that ties in the drape color with the wall color and the blue accent) and hang these on the outer rod over top of each window. This will help balance the arrangement. Then you can hide a duette shade or roller shade under the valance and use it for light control or privacy when necessary.

Here is a link that might be useful:

If it were my house, I would address the light control issue first, using either wood slat blinds or honeycomb shades. Then, if I wanted drapery panels, I would put them on rods as described above by justgotabme. There will not be room for the mirror.

This is just my opinion, but I'm not loving those brown drapes. (If you love them, that's fine, just ignore the rest of this paragraph. :) They contrast with the wall yet they are not attractive enough to hold my attention. Your wall color is coming up gray on my monitor. If it were my house, I would look for solid color drapes that were closer in color to the wall paint. Or I would make the windows the star of the room with some incredibly gorgeous print fabric that included a touch of that blue color seen in the foreground of the pic.

Also, I can't quite tell from the photo, but you want the drapes to come to within 1/4 inch of the floor.

I would address the light issue either with romans or slat blinds.

I usually prefer the look of two panels high and wide like the photo Justgotabeme shows but I understand it does take away wall space. In the end, I always feel it's worth it this way because it makes the window appear much larger. I'd decide how attached you are to your pretty mirror in that spot. If you have another location, I'd use the two panels. If not, I'd do as Les suggested and extend the swing arm out more. If you do that, I also like her idea of the brown transferware added beside the mirror.

I agree with justgotabme to try 4 panels placing each just at the edge of the window frame so the glass isn't obscured. Otherwise IMHO, it looks a bit unfinished as is, in addition to the "jammed" look. I'd also hang them up higher from ring clips. Then to address the sun issue, I'd look for either sun shades (that pull down and provide enough tint to block the glare, but allow the view) or a film that can be applied to the windows to do the same. That way you get to enjoy the view even when it's sunny, whereas duettes would block it.

Graywing's idea of the blinds would allow the view somewhat, so that's another option, but since we have them, I know it does also block a fair amount of the view also. I tend to think that once you put up 4 panels, that dark color may be a bit much, and her suggestion to go with a color closer to the wall might be a way to solve that. How wonderful that you have such a pretty view!

Another version of the above suggestions,,,

Four panels, of a lightweight fabric that will pleat without so much volume, hung all the way up to the ceiling, and positioned to the side so that the inner edge of each just covers the window trim.
Two bamboo Roman shades, long enough to be lowered when you need to shield the room from that sun, also hung at the ceiling, just behind the curtain rods, and pulled up so that they just cover the top piece of window trim.
This arrangement will make each window seem taller and wider, eliminate those shadows at the top of the panels you have now, and allow you to control the light without blocking those pretty windows and their view.
Here's how we did it in a small breakfast room in our previous house.
(The kitty-shredded chairs have since been reupholstered!)

Have you considered omitting the drapery panels and going with some sort of shade (honeycomb or other) only? Hunter Douglas's Silhouette shades provide shading while still allowing some view, and disappear into the headrail when raised.

WOW, thank you everyone! Great ideas.
My problem is that we have overspent our budget already, and I was trying to use things that I have rather than buying new.
I realized that the picture I posted seems bluish, however, my wall color is a tannish color (BM Pashmina). It looks gray at night, but during the day it is definitely in the tan family. Also, there is no blue in this room! The colors are tan, white, brown and lime green!
I don't mind spending some money on light filtering options, but I really don't want to buy new curtains.

I apologize for not answering the question you asked: whether to put a full rod over each window with 2 panels on each OR if leave it as is and possibly add some fabric shades (like woven wood).

I think you should do both, but definitely do the 2 panels on each window. One panel on each window looks strange to me. If you choose the other option (adding woven wood), remove the single panels.

If it helps to know this when you think about cost...in the red breakfast room in the photo, the rod (and you could use just one across the span of both your windows) was an inexpensive one from, I think, B B & Beyond; the bamboo blinds were about $60 each on line; and the curtains were yard goods that I intended for another use down the line, so I just cut the lengths with the necessary extra for top and bottom, tucked the ends up on the floor, and pinned the tops over the rods (artfully, of course!). No one was the wiser. At least, no one whose opinion I cared about...

Just for kickd I did this mockup

However, using some wood roman shades (can get those ar lowes or hd for great prices) would look great. Keep us posted.

{{!gwi}}

Btw I love your style and that room is gorgeous!!!

Here is a photo of my bedroom with a similiar window set up.

{{!gwi}}

Another view
{{!gwi}}

Thank you, Graywings for answering my question. That is why I come to this forum....everyone has different ideas.
I know that the picture looks like gray walls, but in reality, they are a tannish color, and the brown curtains look great next to them. With that in mind, do you still think the curtains do not look good? I wanted to use what I had instead of buying new curtains, and I seriously love those brown silk drapes.
Wow, bronwynsmom, those windows look amazing! Thank you so much for the info on the rod and the blinds. I will definitely take a look at HD and Lowes.
Artkillery....thank you, thank you for doing that mock up. I am such a visual person and that completely convinced me to do the double panels on each window. I have to ask... in your room, did you install the wood roman shades over the moulding on your windows for that look? I think your room looks beautiful. As a side note, I was JUST looking at a bench for the bottom of my bed that looks almost exactly like the one you have!!!!! Thank you for your kind comments.

Funny, I just started a thread on a very similar problem!!

I agree with the idea of using 2 panels per window for your room, in the mock-up posted above it looks so much more balanced! The way you have the drapes now looks incomplete and overbunched. Did you ever think about putting up a double rod and using semi-sheers layered underneath your existing drapes? Everything could be in clip rings so that when you need to shield from the bright sun, you can pull the sheers closed to filter the light, but leave the outer brown drapes open. You have a gorgeous room by the way!

Aktillery has done exactly what I was thinking of in her pretty bedroom - do you see how taking the whole arrangement up to the ceiling and covering the wall above the window and the top of the window trim with the shade makes the windows look so much larger, and creates a serene, coherent look?
I think your living room would benefit from exactly that treatment, but with shades that are closer to the color of your wall.

What about a rod all the way across and then tying the panel to one side?

Would that block too much of the view?

aktillery, can I come live at your house? I love your bedroom!!

Yes I did cover the top of the window molding. I hung the curtains almost to the ceiling and installed the roman shades just below where i hung the curtains.

Thanks Jessica!!

this is rough but gives you an idea.

{{!gwi}}

Looking at the photos, two panels on each window is definitely the way to go. I would also like to see them mounted up higher almost to the ceiling. I understand not wanting to block your view. I feel the same way and used pleated shades that when drawn completely up disappear into the top of the window. I only need them in the late afternoon as we have a west facing living room and it gets full on sun. The rest of the time I just leave them up and no one even knows they are there. They match the white woodwork. It's the most minimal thing I could think of to do. In the summer when the trees are in I never use them.

You have all been so helpful. I think that I have decided to go with the two panels on each window. I still have the sun issue, so I will have to decide something for that. The woven blinds might be the answer.
nutmegxo....I don't want to use a double rod because this house is more beachy and a double rod (to me) is more formal. I live in Cape Cod right near the ocean and I have a pond outside my front door.
bronwynsmom....I think this is the way I am going to go. I will mount the rod up to the ceiling, but now I just have to decide if I want different curtains.
jessicaml....Although I think your idea is beautiful, I think it would block too much of the view. As it is, my windows are 12 over 12, so adding too much more to the window might not work.
Artkillery, thank you again for that mockup. I was wondering if you could PS one more thing for me. I realized that I also have some white drapery panels and in the adjoining kitchen, I have dark brown woven shades. What if I put the dark woven shades on the windows and used the white curtains?
SaraKat...If I decide to keep the brown curtains, I might consider getting white shades also that will disappear when they are not in use.

Hi declansmom,

Wow, do I ever know exactly what you are talking about re: view/sun/CapeCod/yikes!

One item that I have just found that could help with your afternoon sun issue is the solar shade from Country Curtins. You can see through them during the day but they block out up to 90+ of UV rays. I just got a sample of the fabric last week and was impressed. I have looked and looked for a product like this so I am very happy to have found them. The fabric is non-plastic to the touch and the price is the best I have found. Plus, CC is almost a local company...at least that is what I tell myself.

As for the rest of your window question goes, I like what you have but I also think that two panels per window would look nice.

Gooc luck, I am sure that what ever you come up with will look nice.

sooey

Here is a link that might be useful: Country Curtins solar shade

I like the idea of using the brown blinds and the white curtains you already have in your room...but only if they fit properly. Budgets are so annoying, aren't they!

I like your room.

I think your SILs sugggestrion could work as is, iif the rod went all the way across the window, and then the curtain was tied back halfway down. It would occlude some window, though