mixing different types of window treatments

last year

I just purchased this house last week. The front door faces west. Even with a porch overhang, the sun is brutally hot coming this the arched window over the front door. Think Illinois summers. This needs something to cut down the sun and heat that is being generated. The circle top is about 5 feet wide and three feet high. As you can see from the photos, all windows in the house have wooden blinds. My daughter insists that we can not put a cellular shade above the door and “mix” window treatments. I feel that we could do a white cellular shade on the circle top (May- October) as well as cordless white cellular shades on the sidelights. All treatments on the door would match but be a contrast to the rest of the house. Opinions?

You can also see the photos of the living room with a long window on the SOUTH side with no window treatment. I plan on getting wooden blinds to be able to close this in the summer as well. Also in the upper bay (west) window. Levelor blinds so I should be able to match those.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I use soalr shades to control heat and UV you can have them made to fit that arched window I would suggest those for all the windows that allow heat and UV in then you still keep the view and have daytime privacy then I mix those with drapes if I need night time privacy . I find cellular shades get dirty and are really hard to clean and IMO your space needs drapes with your decor.
Kendrah
last year
"I find cellular shades get dirty and are really hard to clean"

I'm about to purchase room darkening cellular shades for a guest studio and am wondering about how fast they are going to get stained and dirty. Ugh. Such an investment for a material that cannot be cleaned.
Related Professionals
New Providence Interior Designers & Decorators · South Sioux City Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Del Aire General Contractors · Seabrook General Contractors · Sheboygan General Contractors · Tamarac General Contractors · Kearns Window Contractors · Port Chester Window Contractors · Brighton Window Contractors · Snoqualmie Window Contractors · Wanaque Interior Designers & Decorators · Channelview General Contractors · Florida City General Contractors · Port Washington General Contractors · North Las Vegas Carpenters
PRO
Flo Mangan
last year
I would avoid cellular shades. I have similar window in our family room and I am considering UV/sun film for that window. Hard to find good installer though. You can mix window treatments but keep neutral tones. Add drapery panels for sides if you want softer look.
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
last year
What does the exterior of the house look like? I find that exterior awnings are great at blocking sun when you don't want it. The back of our vacation home faces west, and there were no trees when we first moved in. The sun was brutal in the afternoon, rendering the interior rooms as well as the deck unusable. We installed retractable motorized awnings and it solved the problem--blocks the sun but preserves the view outside the windows. They are also very attractive from the outside.
Barb Wise
Original Author
last year
Retractable exterior awnings not really an option for this house.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
last modified: last year
A tree should have been planted in the front yard the year the home was built. Something with small leaves that blow away easily in the fall. That would have provided protection from the sun for the home.

You can check into having your windows coated with a UV film to cut the harsh sun rays, but make sure the film doesn't void the window warranty.
Barb Wise
Original Author
last year
Yes, a tree there would be nice, but not all homes are perfect when you buy them. Trying to make things better before we move in..
Kendrah
last year
They make wooden arched blinds. Find out who manufactured the blinds and see if they can make an arched one.
la_la Girl
last year
i would probably do some sort of wood composite arch, easier to clean and seems more tailored
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
All the window treatments will look equally white from ten feet away. My last house was a townhouse with white Venetian blinds on the bottom and top floor, color shades on the first floor, and cellular on the second. No one noticed and the new owners have kept them. Plant trees out by the street as soon as you can- cheapest investment you can make.