My parents had a similar window in their living room and they did a fan-pleated fixed shade in the top section, with a blind below, but theirs was easier because it opened up and down. Still, you could do a fixed shade with that kind of valance if you like it, easily, or just do curtains on the bottom section.

Thanks for your ideas! I never thought of privacy film; some of those are beautiful. Too bad they'd block my view of the outside, too. Wish there was some sort of a "one way mirror" type of effect where I could see out, but no one could see in. That'd be perfect!

The house came with a fan shaped pleated shade on the top part of the window, but it's dusty and dirty.... which is what tends to happen with shades and blinds, and they're impossible to clean adequately because you can't just put them in the wash like you can curtains. I may still have to go back to that though!

Thanks again! :)

If you keep up with vacuuming they don't get too bad, but I agree that privacy film is a good idea.

There is such a thing as one way window film. I believe it only is private in day time though.

We had a window like this, and we purchased a half-round white faux wood blind for the top that matched the window frame. You could actually open/close each louver separately, but we kept them mostly closed for privacy. On the lower part of the window, we had sheer curtains for light, plus a decorative valance and curtain panels on a traverse rod that we opened/closed as desired. It worked out really great, and it was a nice look.

Thanks so much! p k: Would you happen to have any photos of this setup? Sounds wonderful! :)

Unfortunately, we haven't lived there for years, and I have no idea where any photos of that room might be. BUT, I was able to find one small and not too clear pic of the room from an old realty shot. I hope you'll be able to get the idea. Please excuse the dated country decor! :-)

We bought the sunburst window insert @ Home Depot. Cost is about the same as we paid years ago!

Hope that helps.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/homeBASICS-Sunburst-Style-Faux-Wood-White-Arch-Price-Varies-by-Size-QSAW0002/203351205?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D59-WindowTreatments%7c&gclid=CjwKCAjw3rfOBRBJEiwAam-GsMWEV0vpUSqmyFwqohMBo6gAfb9Yr5iU6xfwXnVYOwGLej2rBEPOZxoCT8UQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CN2z5531y9YCFUWPaQodwcoAvg

leave the top open and do shutters on the bottom?

This might be a bit off-the-wall, but it might give you a direction to head. We are looking for a way to cover windows in our boat, both for privacy and for sun/heat. We were thinking along the lines of automotive tint. A friend suggested the perforated film like you see on vehicles for advertising. They install it on buses, and wrap cars in it, and you can see out just fine.

We haven't pursued it yet, but maybe you could find something that would work for your upper window. I have no idea if you can get colors, patterns, whatever, but it's worth a look.

I'd hang a piece of stained glass over the top part and then you could do whatever you want on the bottom. I had stained glass over the top of my bathroom window in New Orleans and you could get the light through it but couldn't see in. If you want to look out, you move your curtains or blinds or whatever from the bottom part. That arch part is too high to see out anyway.

It's not seeing out that the OP is concerned about -

"(1) don't know how I'd put curtains over that window (the top portion of
it needs privacy the most because that's where the neighbors up on a
hill are visible from the room".

Sincerely appreciate all of your thoughts, they're really helping me think of ideas I otherwise wouldn't. But yes, the top is where most privacy is needed... I should snap a pic standing directly in the center of the room, looking out; that will illustrate the issue. :)

Right now, I'm thinking of installing that sunburst shade (very cool looking) and possibly some sort of sheers over the top. I'd like a romantic look over that window, and I'm getting some ideas.

Will update this thread when it's all up, I think it'll turn out nice. Thanks again!

I would put a top down, bottom up opaque shade, mounted on the cross piece below the arched window. With a remote control, you could raise the shade when you need privacy and lower it when you don't. It would be almost invisible when open and folded down and looks like it could be raised almost to the upper corner of the wall. Then I'd have a romantic cornice board or valance made to hang just over the top of the arch, filling in the whole top of the wall, so that when the blind is closed it fits up under it to totally cover the window. It would also hide any blind hardware at the top of the arch. You might lose a tiny bit of the view from the very tippy-top of the arch window where the valance hangs down, but not much.

Kind of like this, but more in your romantic style - without the draperies:

Or look at this!

adjust a view!