I think roman shades would look nicer than apron length curtains, but that may just be because I'm not a fan of them in general =P

What do you think of these? I'm considering them for my dining room and the colors in your room made me think they'd work for you as well. Click link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sage Roman Shades

I think A would be nice (it's my fave). Do you have privacy where you don't need to worry about covering the windows? If so, I'd choose the longer length drapes with the valance. Otherwise, an opaque sheer would be nice.

I think outside mount roller shades or roman blinds would look great without a valance (or more accurately, with a self-valance). However, if you prefer to use a valance, the last one would be my choice -- it's sort of kicky and less traditional.

C, then A. Not B. Your previous choices are soothing and along the same tone family. I'd stick with that...

Valances are always a classic look. Never out of style.

! would do valance A, over woven wood blinds. I think the warmth of the wood blinds would be nice and the valance would bring some color and pattern up onto the wall. I would mount the valances about 2 inches below the ceiling.

Apron length curtains say more casual to me, and perhaps more kitchen or bedroom or sunroom.

I love the first valance...can you get a matching pillow too??? :)

Thanks for weighing in everyone. I should clarify that the valances shown above are for patterns and I would be making them. I already bought fabric for a valance awhile ago, but I'm second guessing that too if I do go with a valance. Maybe it's too plain. The main fabric is a cream colored fabric with a diamond pattern stitched in and the contrast fabric is in the same blue-green-gray as the sofas with a rope trim with cream, pink, and blue-green-gray. I'm not opposed to getting new fabric though.
I would like some privacy, so some sort of shades is definitely needed.

For the shades, would you recommend 2 separate shades per window unit or one wide one for each? Do I use white to match the trim or a color on the valance?

Les917, you suggested a wood blind. Would it be a color similar to the sofa frame? Is it too much wood with the desk, sofa frames, bench frames, and tables?

If anyone has photoshop, I'd love to see what the room would look like with just the roman shades that come with the little flat valance on them.

For the shades, would you recommend 2 separate shades per window unit or one wide one for each? Do I use white to match the trim or a color on the valance?

Les917, you suggested a wood blind. Would it be a color similar to the sofa frame? Is it too much wood with the desk, sofa frames, bench frames, and tables?

If anyone has photoshop, I'd love to see what the room would look like with just the roman shades that come with the little flat valance on them.

I would use 2 roman shades with your valances, in a natural color....something like this:

Here is a link that might be useful: roman shade

Tam

Love your room!!

Too bad drapes won't work :( that room is just suited for them.

I like Les' idea - then again I always like her ideas

Can you post pic of your fabric?

I think you have several options that would work.
- Fabric valance with woven roller under
- Roman shade - perhaps a london one would give a dressier look
- Fabric valance with a fabric roller shade coordinating fabric under

Here's some links that may help
Overstock
http://www.overstock.com/search?taxonomy=&keywords=woven+shades&SearchType=Header

London shades
http://www.google.com/images?q=london+shades&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=836&bih=397

How to make flat roman shade -
I am in the middle of making romans for my home - made 4 recently. This is an excellent resource
http://www.terrelldesigns.com/

BTW - try switching the green pillows on the couch with the aqua pillows on the settee

Best to you

Forgot this link

How to make your own fabric roller shades

http://www.decorating4less.com/pages/fabricshade.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2074897_make-nosew-roller-shades.html

http://www.draperysewingsupplies.com/kb_results.asp?ID=2

Thanks loribee and jejvtr! I'll have to look at the links tonight when I have some free time after the kids are asleep.

In the meantime, here are the fabrics with the trim. Initially, I was considering valance C pictured above so the blue-green contrast fabric would be seen. As mentioned, I'm not opposed to starting with new fabric. What do you think?

{{!gwi}}

Thoughts on the fabric, anyone? Is it too bland? Should I start over and find something else to make a valance? I guess I picked plain fabrics since the sofa and loveseat already have different fabrics and I was going to reupholster the bench in a striped fabric with the same color scheme.

Tam

I'm confused -
The blue green would be valance w/cording? That looks like it could work - Can u take some fabric & just pin it above or place near window & take pic

What is the other fabric for? It doesn't really read window treatment fabric to me

The cream was the main fabric with the blue-green as the contrast fabric (in place of a liner since valance C makes the back side visible).

I'll take a photo and post later tonight.

OK, so here are the pictures of the fabric in the room. If people don't think the fabric choice will work, I'd rather look for something else than to spend time making valances that might not turn out nicely. So I would appreciate some honest feedback. Thanks!

{{!gwi}}

I was going to use cream as the front fabric and the blue-green kind of like a liner, which would show as a contrast fabric if I picked one of the valances shown above.
{{!gwi}}

DonâÂÂt care for the quilted fabric - the color is pinky, and it feels a bit like bedding to me.

I think the other fabric works, but isnâÂÂt what you need. You do have different prints on the two seating pieces, but they are both very small, and kind of end up looking more like solids. I think you should be looking for something with more pattern, larger pattern, that pulls in some of the colors from your rugs. Something more like the fabric in window treatment A that you posted.

Or perhaps something like this, with the warm woodtone woven wood blinds underneath:

valdosta cliffside mist

Thanks Les. After going through jejvtr's links, I'm thinking about making a stationary London Shade. It would drive me crazy to have a functionaly London Shade and always shaping it. I like the look of the London Shade with a contrast fabric used for the inverted pleats and have seen them done very nicely. What are your thoughts on that? How many scallops should I use? Two or three?

Well, maybe I'll go fabric shopping this weekend. Thanks for the suggestions for what to look for. I'll keep my eyes open. The fabric linked is beautiful, BTW, I'll see if I can find something similar. And I'll decide on the blinds underneath once I have the London shade fabric picked out.