Granom--What about fabric in addition to those? I feel the windows look so bare with just the blinds.

normally i love fabric up/downs, but since you never have a good view, you could put privacy film up. or below- run the curtains up to where noone can see in, then run sheers up above. you might wish to run a darker or patterned fabric at the bottom.

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Havingfun Those are lovely! The bare windows above the cafe look like black holes at night--the sheers would solve that.

Window film.

Sorry I don't have a picture, but I'll describe the solution that my mother has found for her large window in the eating area of her kitchen. She previously had valances but found it a dated look. Like you, she wanted light during the day but to cover it at night. She used the same words "black hole" to describe it at night.

She removed the valances and added a wrought iron rod, a little below the ceiling. and extending about 7" on either side. The rod has a fancy basket finial. She already had white lace curtains from a previous window treatment where the lace was shirred on a rod. This time, she used 1" clip-on rings and clipped them across the top of the lace instead. The lace ends just below the lower window molding. She split the lace curtains in the middle so she can draw them if she likes. It a bit like your cafe curtains except longer, lace, and (importantly) about 2.5X the fullness. I think your cafe curtains fail because they are not full enough. Sheerer fabrics need to be even more full than other fabrics.

Hers look great. The clip rings give it a fresh look that prevents the lace from looking fussy. I found some pictures on the internet that give you an idea. Especially with the wrought iron you have in your room, I think it would look good.

Or maybe you would prefer the look in the first picture below, with panels on each side and sheers in the middle. But the key to the look is the position of the rod high up, and the clip on rings giving it an informal look. It doesn't need to be an old-fashioned lace, you may prefer a more modern sheer as in the last picture and article.

http://www.danslelakehouse.com/2012/02/diy-sheer-sandwich-curtains.html

Consider decorative window film! There are all manner of traditional designs, and it would solve every issue you listed in your question. It would also add a minute amount of insulation.

Artscape makes some really good ones.

Cafe curtains would work out great.....but yours are not nearly full enough!

Plantation shutters on the lower half and nothing more.

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Except for a pretty sun catcher hanging in the window to distract from the house next door.

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Yes, Tedbixby......the shutters are perfect! If you want softness....add a white swag!

If you do stay with sheers, they need to be at least 4 times the width of the window to add the correct amount of fullness (I'm a professional seamstress). If you do not have that fullness, they just do not look as good and it does let more light in along with what is outside.

Thank you all for such great ideas. I've thought about cellular shades or shutters, but they leave the room too stark. I feel the room needs some color/pattern to warm it up. I was trying to go for a tailored look with the current curtains, but maybe they'd look better fuller.

The windows on that side of the house face a neighbors house--it's too narrow a walkway for a planter and HOA prevents me from growing something tall enough to block it out anyway. Luckily, there is a sliding door in that room that has a nicer view.

Partim--Thank you for your detailed explanation. Your mother's solution sounds lovely. I would probably need to do panels on the side to add some color. The one concern about panels is that on one window there is only one inch between the window frame and the mantle, so there's not place for the curtains to stack. If I hang all the rods the same, then the panels will block a lot of light.

Is there a way to do cafe curtains and sheers on top?

Don't try to add color with panels on the side. That's too many "problems" to solve at once, and I think it will look fussy. Just use a sheers (plain or patterned) on the windows, and add color elsewhere in the room. The punch of the dark metal rods against the soft sheers will add enough interest at the window.

Hi Barbara,

A Flat Roman Shade would be perfect for your application. They have a traditional look and feel (of course this depends on your fabric choice as well) and a Roman Shade with privacy lining would provide privacy and also allow for lightflow into the room.

You can also choose top down bottom up functionality to customize where you will have more lightflow and privacy.

Flat Roman Shade shown in Linen Sheers material

Please feel free to contact us at design@theshadestore.com for more design assistance or product information - we are happy to help!

THE SHADE STORE

t: 800.754.1455

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Beautiful and amazing blinds.

Hey There: You need blinds/shades that can adjust to privacy and light requirements - a translucent fabric choice for sure. If you can also incorporate a bottom up - top down operation for example with roman shades, venetian blinds or pleated blinds, than you are off to a great start. Use the casing of your windows and install the blinds right between it - a very minimalistic and chique way to dress your windows.

Granom-There is minimal clearance between one window and the fireplace mantle, so if I do drapes there isn't room to stack off the window. I was thinking of a valance, but that's not a popular solution.

You have several windows that don't have side clearance for properly hanging drapes. Your cafe curtains look awful because you've hung a single panel across each window when the minimum you need would be two that total no less that 2.5 to 3 times the window's width. Consider 3/4 length semi-sheer cafe curtains and a fabric faux roman up top (just covering the top of the window frame) to add some of the pattern and/or color you desire.