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Living room/dining room drapes - the same but different?

6 years ago

Throwing this out to the universe. My living room and dining room are essentially one long room, split by the front door and opposite a double doorway to kitchen. I’ve got two vertical windows on the front elevation, and another one in a box-out on the dining room end.


I have horizontal blinds that stay for now, for privacy. The drapes will be stationary.


Looking for pattern suggestions, but style (grommets, pinch pleat, rings?) too. Does the square window on the other wall have to match the style of the two front wall drapes, and if not, what would be an option (no valances please).


Walls are stonington grey from BM.


Living room rug doesnt have to stay.


Your feedback appreciated. Thank you in advance





Comments (25)

  • 6 years ago

    I would use the same off-white linen-material (something heavier, not light-weight) on all the windows which can have a self-pattern if desired. Just have them gathered on a nice curtain rod since they'll be stationary. I would suggest a more colorful rug and pillows in warm colors to liven up your scheme. Your doggie is adorable!





  • 6 years ago

    Thanks for your input. Coral, orange and pumpkin aren’t my thing, but I appreciate the feedback. I really am stuck with the curtains, hoping someone has some input for those.


  • 6 years ago

    https://www.houzz.com/user/missflomangan

    Flo might have some suggestions ........????

    Rebecca thanked Cheryl Hannebauer
  • PRO
    6 years ago
    The photos are dark so it’s kind of hard to see the colors in your room. Are you wanting to buy ready made draperies as opposed to going with custom? If ready made is the option, I’d treat all the windows the same and find a neutral fabric that works with the colors you love and plan to keep. Grommet drapes are more modern/transitional in style and in your case I’d go for pinch or euro pleat (or a tab back). Your furnishings look more traditional to me and i don’t think grommets fit that as well. There are tone on tone type fabrics that have pattern but still are neutral. I’m not sure what’s out there and available in ready made though! I just know about fabrics available to the trade. I hope this helps!
  • 6 years ago

    Hi Rebecca I would most definitely keep the window treatments all the same since they are essentially in the same room. I think the tricky part here is the furniture you have in front of the windows. It looks like your buffet is against the front window there which would make a full length drapery panels somewhat useless there. Have you considered roman shades on these windows? I know you said the blinds are staying for privacy and if you prefer blinds over shades the shades can be "faux" where they don't operate but are there for looks only. You mentioned no valances so I am not sure if you consider a roman shade a valance or not but it is a classic look that works well.

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    Are you wanting to replace the rug? Are you not happy with it? I don't think the rug is bad, I do think that it might be positioned poorly under your sofa. It sticks out behind the sofa too much. Can it be moved towards your built in wall more? I think its fine if the sofa sits on top of it however I think the edge of the rug should line up with the back of the sofa and not go significantly beyond it. This will also give you more space between the two area rugs and create a visual separation between the two spaces and a designated walking path from the front door. You mentioned reds and oranges aren't your thing. What colors are you wanting to bring in the room? It looks like you are going with blues and grays? Hard to tell everything going on in the room based off these few pictures but it looks like you have some beautiful pieces.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I agree pink_peony . Classic Roman shades would be delightful in your home.

    Personally, I think trimmed Romans are amazing. I mean, just look!

    Roman Shades · More Info


    Now just THINK of the possibilities when it comes to fabric selection.

    Check this out:

    Now depending on your personal style, the above is a relaxed Roman, not as structured as the first photo I shared.

    Can't wait to see what you do!

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Hi! Rebbeca! I found you. Cheryl asked me to check in for you. I'm running out right now, but later tonight I will take a look and see if I can contribute anything to your dilemma! Lovely home.

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you so much for responding to my pout. I will post lighter photos tomorrow.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    th.th.Pink_peony the rug behind the loveseat is a runner, and matches the one under the dining room table adjacent. It’s only there because that is a major traffic throughfare in and out of both rooms, and our large dog is scratching up that area pretty badly when she rounds the bend.. For now I’ve got it wedged under the back of the sofa to prevent it but from sliding. Considering using rug tape instead but worried about the damage to the floor from it.

    I was originally looking at faux Roman shades, but then got lured with the idea of draping fabric. I Intended just to pull the sideboard in the dining room out three or 4 inches to allow space for the drapes there (the table has a leaf in it right now that Doesn’t need to be there).

    I worry drapes might be too much given what I’m working with.


    Point taken about the shades added benefit of covering up the blinds.



    The living room rug is new but I think I ordered too large of a size. I can move it to another room and re-order a smaller size that doesn’t cover up the floor as much.

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    Rebbeca-i think you have been given great input here. I agree it is best to do all the windows the same. Since the windows are all different sizes it will be hard to find just the right approach. One thing I wouldn’t do is any grommet type drapery panels. They stick out so far they would not work well in your rooms. I am thinking a potential idea. A silhouette type shade inside mount would still let light in or could be closed for more light control and privacy. As in most design decisions, budget is probably going to drive your decisions. Go to Hunter Douglas website and check them out.
  • 6 years ago



    Here are some better pictures. Again, one long room about 28x14 feet, divided in half by front door opposite entrance to kitchen.


    Drapes or Roman shades? And if drapes, should the horizontal blinds come down? I really like the idea of adding fabric drapes, but I wonder if they would look odd behind the blue sideboard in dining area, as someone has suggested.


    Ive got mostly shades of grey and light blue, but would love to add more jewel tones in navy or emeralds etc.






    Now, here’s my other dilemma- anyone have an idea on how to treat the walls around this cutout between the kitchen and living room above the sofa? Really struggling with it. Should the glass insert go? Is the art too large? A collage of smaller pieces, on both sides? One side?


    Help!


    also please note the fireplace and wall is not done; that’s a story for another day as I plan to have doors for the TV done, the surround tiled, and mouldings for around the bookcases etc.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    You don't really have space for drapes so I think you must do roman shades. You could do woven shades if you want to save some money, but the roman shades would be great and best look.

    Rebecca thanked Flo Mangan
  • 6 years ago

    What is on the opposite side of that pass through? Do you use the pass through for anything? Do you need it to be there? If it were me, and depending on the other side i would close it up and if i couldn’t do that then i would hang a large piece of art over it that completely hides it one on each side .

    Rebecca thanked pink_peony
  • 6 years ago

    Would you believe I debated doing exactly that when we put in the new cabinets (kitchen on the other side) A couple of years ago.


    In the end opted not to, in order for light to come through from living room into the kitchen.


    on the kitchen side, it’s cute, made a little coffee bar in there and set up the cabinentry around it. But the living room side always bugged me, but the cabinetmaker thought we should leave the ”quirkiness” of the house. Should have listened to my instinct.


    I could cover it easily easily on the living room side with a piece of art, but then my problem would be on the kitchen side.

  • 6 years ago

    You could wallpaper the back of the piece of art with some fun wallpaper so that the wallpaper shows behind the shelves on the kitchen side? Like in the depth of it add shelves then hang the art on the family room side and then it will look like the wallpaper is just the wall papered behind shelves. Does that make sense?

  • 6 years ago

    I was just thinking of that, setting in 5-inch shelves, tacking up a sheet of light wood covered with wallpaper on the living room side facing the kitchen side, and covering the whole thing with a large piece of art. Would sit awfully close to the top of the loveseat however.



  • 6 years ago

    You would need to make sure it had a narrow frame or no framed canvas art work. These are not for the art themselves just examples. This is a frameless canvas.

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    This has a thin frame

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  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I had a "cut out" like yours in a clients home and what we did was put plantation shutters in that spot. It calmed down the look and gave us more of a visual that worked so (in her case) we could do glass shelving on the living room side of her home. Worked really well. I would remove the leaded glass piece because it is very "busy" to the eye and will distract from any art.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    She had indented bookcases on the living room side for the glass shelving. I didn't make that very clear above. But I do think some type of wood shutter there would be nice.

    Rebecca thanked Flo Mangan
  • 6 years ago

    I like the shutter idea. Half way up? Or completed closed off? Then one larger piece of artwork on one side and maybe grouping on the other?

  • 6 years ago

    I guess if I was having shelves on the kitchen side the shutters would be fixed.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Full shutter over entire space. Louvered so you could let some light come through, when desired. Then you could put art on each side if you wished. If you wanted shelves on the kitchen side, the shutters could be designed to open into the living room, but I would see then as closed with a hook of hardware and not necessarily operational from an open and close point of view. Only the louvers would open and close.

    Rebecca thanked Flo Mangan
  • 6 years ago

    Flo, if I went that route, could you see the art on one side staying as is, then maybe a grouping of three smaller pieces on the other side?


    Or is the piece there now too large?

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I would move the piece you have to the other side of the "window" and then do a grouping of maybe 4 in a similar shape as the other art on the left side as you face the window wall. That could work. And those pieces should fit into the décor, something like soft pictures of plants or leafs of plants something like that.

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    Something like these only maybe with darker frames.