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laura_grosmaire

Hanging dining room drapes in a restricted space

2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

I got a terrific deal on some high end drapes that will be modified to fit our dining room/sliding glass door. First of all, we NEVER use the door, no one walks directly from outside (rural property) into carpeted house. We have tiled entries for that. As you face the door from inside the house, there are floor to ceiling built in cabinetry (and kitchen "pass through") which creates a lot of visual weight to the left. You can see the "squeeze" on the left. Besides not using the door, we do not use that light switch (don't know what it is), or the outlet (there are 2 others in the space). My first question is about the pleat style across the top of the curtains - I've attached pics of some ideas. I prefer less "busyness" in the look. I'm also not sure how pleating style (amount of material contained within pleat) translates too how wide curtains are when fully opened (main concern). The question being how much of window will be blocked due to limited space on left for curtain rod. The tape represents where I "think" drapes need to end (4 inches beyond frame). I'm also debating what type of rod to put up. I think that ceiling mold needs to come down as the visual busyness will be bothersome with drapery hardware. The built-in cabinets are oak (mid-tone brown, not yellowish or reddish). I wondered about an off white (match walls) rod with rings in the same color (?) with very simple finials (or caps) which don't add much length to rods. In other words, as invisible as possible. Or a wooden traverse rod in same. Or just a plain off white (if available) metal traverse rod and the next people (in ~2 years) can work it out. The drapes would be opened and closed daily in winter (~4 months), in summer, they would stay open. I considered the one way shades off to the right solution, not sure I'm particularly attracted to that look. Here's some pics of room. The shades are heavy lineny (slightly textured/double lined) in a greenish-blue tone. I've learned more about drapes in the past month than I knew there was to know. Once I knew nothing about them. Now it's next to nothing. Thoughts, ideas, experiences are most welcome! There is no issue with the drapes covering the outer portions of window space to some degree, but exactly what that degree is?

The space (room is 9 ft wide/13 feet deep):



Here are measurements for siding door space - tape "corner" 6 inches above molding and 4 inches to side of molding/12 inches to ceiling/7 inches from molding to cabinet:



Here are a couple of drape pleats I "think" would work (french pinch pleat or box pleat):





I also considered a valance over a metal traverse rod. There's lots of material to match curtains, or do one in wall matched (off white) wood. I do wonder if a valance makes for a more formal look, which our home is definitely not but it might simplify the rod issue and is certainly a "tidy" look.


This is the drapery material:



Comments (3)

  • 2 years ago

    Regardless of whether or not you use that sliding door to go in /out or just to open for air ventilation, the correct treatment using any kind of hanging panels or drapery for that slider is to have the panels / draperies stack off to right when open & I’d stack them back to corner to be able to clear as much of window as possible when open. Anything else would look funny. There is a formula for amount of fabric needed to cover windows with proper fullness & yes, the type of pleat factors in to amount needed. Plan on at least 3 X’s the width of wall span plus window width for fabric width needed. If there’s a pattern to be matched on fabric length wise in drape, that has to be calculated according to repeat measurement but your fabric doesn’t have pattern. If a drapery / panel were to split in middle & stack evenly to each side, on the left side the light switch is blocked as well as door handle. Also, drapes would be bunched up against cabinets on left & ruin the look of them. Doesn’t matter if you don’t use light switch (for outdoor light my guess) or door handle. As for the pleats, either is good but I like the box pleat as a cleaner look. Hardware wise, I’d go with whatever color the chandelier is & it would also go with dark window trim. I’d hang drapes close to ceiling.

  • 2 years ago

    Agree that the right stack is your only option. It would look terrible to have them stack against the cabinet. I’d take them up close to the ceiling if not to the ceiling, especially with a cornice/valance. If you have a cornice you won’t see the pleats anyway, will you? Maybe a ripplefold would be better for that purpose. Definitely a simple look, too.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    Drapes and panels are different animals

    Don't mess with the header you aren't showing- There's nothing fussy about a pleat,

    Buy a "return" rod, no finial. Buy rings...and plan to put two yes two pleats on a ring with a curtain pin. Go just enough past the door casings to clear by a couple inches, and hang at a length that grazes the carpet.

    You aren't yanking them closed, they aren't privacy "drapes". Don't ruin the look,, of the high end you bought.