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zach_silverfox

Drape Advice - Please Help!

12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Hello everyone,

So I paid (lots) to have custom blackout drapes installed in my (small) condo bedroom and was hoping to get some design advice as I'm not sure I like the layout. As of now, the drapes open one-way to the right, with the draw cord to the right of the window frame. I originally wanted a split draw, but according to my designer my room is too small for a split draw (it's 10x12 roughly). She says they would also have to add 4 inches of fabric on each side in order to pull it off, and too much of my window would be covered on each side when the curtains are drawn. Currently there are about 14 inches of window covered on the right side when the drape is fully drawn. I thought about possibly getting a new track that runs the full length of the wall so that the drapes draw all the way to the right corner and cover only wall space (would that be weird?) but I'm not sure how that would look behind the dresser/TV.
My questions:

1. Should I stick with the current layout, as it's best for the room size?
2. Switch to a split draw?
3. Switch to a left draw/ left cord so the drapes close one way to the left?
4. Consider extending the track so the drapes close all the way to the corner on the right?

*Many* thanks in advance.

Comments (32)

  • 12 years ago
    Nice picks. Really explain the situation well. Do you plan to open the shade frequently?
    Zach Silverfox thanked mfwolfe
  • 12 years ago
    Thanks! I would be opening the drapes daily. I will have a sheer roller shade installed as well (not the one pictured) since my building is directly across from another condo building.
  • 12 years ago
    Were you thinking to have all the stacked fabric be next to the "side" of the dresser? Are the drawers catching on the fabric at all. If not, I would say leave it as is. You could have everything pull back to not cover any of the window on the right side by extending it all by that 14". A lot of extra work though.
    Zach Silverfox thanked sunnydrew
  • 12 years ago
    @sunnydrew - thank you for your reply. Yes, as one option the stacked fabric would be tucked in the space between the side of the dresser and the wall. There are roughly 7" of space between the dresser side and the wall so the drawers would be clear of the fabric. That would leave the whole window unobstructed, but yes that would require a whole new track and an addition of 20" or so of fabric.
  • 12 years ago
    Wow, that is really odd. the designer should have considered that as an option. It would just be so much more fabric to completely re-do it. You can't just sewn on more to what is there already. I would just live with it a while and see. Is there anything else to do with the TV placement? I think that is throwing it off too.
    Zach Silverfox thanked sunnydrew
  • 12 years ago
    How about this, Can you have a stationary panel of drapes made to match to fit the small space to the left to give you the split look that you want with out having to undo what you have already created? I do think the split look would look best but sometimes we have to work with windows that are ill placed. Leaving the panels that you have already would maximize the natural light when you want it. I hope this helps.
    Zach Silverfox thanked betsyolp
  • 12 years ago
    I know it's odd to cut off that much light. That's also why she said not to go with split draw, but I don't understand that move since this is still cutting off 14" of window.

    @sunnydrew - yeah, I can move the TV to the center of the dresser.
    @kimedge - I know. Do you like the "draw all the way to the right corner" option then?
    @betsyolp - that's a thought, too. Thanks!
  • 12 years ago
    If you do the stationary one the size of the wall space +3inches you should be good.
  • 12 years ago
    the other thing is to have the drape rod go all the way across the entire wall. Have it split so that 1/4 draws to the left and 3/4 draws to the right. ( or thereabouts) When the curtains are open it will make the whole window look wider.
  • 12 years ago
    If light is at a premium, as it is in most houses, I would do whatever it takes to avoid blocking glass in the open state. I would even have considered options like a shaped ceiling track for the curtains, that can allow them to be 100% cleared onto an adjoining wall (even at 90 degrees) when open. Also....for you who appear to be a man not much more than 30-35 tops, furnishing a condo, I am stunned to see what appear to be pinch pleats, which even many older ladies such as myself consider passe.

    When ordering $$$ custom window treatments, it's good to have all your goals listed in priority order, as well as preferred tradeoffs ("clearing glass 100% is more important than a very conventional layout"). Otherwise the designer will make assumptions and they may surprise you.

    If you have to rework these, I would consider the option of simply adding fabric to what has already been created to save money. Yes, it is not considered best practice, but it will be virtually unnoticeable if done with even moderate skill (i.e. open up seams and linings first) and save a huge amount of money.
  • 12 years ago
    So my designer is saying that if I were to get a full-length track and move everything over to the right corner in order to get some more window space when the drapes are open that I would in fact *not* really be saving any window space, since they have to add fabric to cover the wall. According to her, the left end of the drapes would hang almost exactly where it is already hanging when open, maybe saving a couple of inches. I don't understand how that is mathematically possible. (There are currently about 20" of window being covered when the drapes are open now.)

    Does this make sense to anyone?

    thx much
  • 12 years ago
    She might be making the space between the hooks wider which would take up the same space. My guess is she is not happy that you are now questioning her design. Don't give in till you get the look you want. Did you ask about a stationary panel? You would still leave what she has done but might give you the look you are after. You can hang a solid sheet in the dead space between the wall and the window, gathering it at the top to get the fullness to see what it would look like before you consider that route.
    Zach Silverfox thanked betsyolp
  • 12 years ago
    ^^ Thank you again. My ideal goal is to get as much window space as possible so I am probably going to pass on the stationary panel. I thought for sure the solution would be to shift everything to the right (while adding fabric of course) but I'm shocked that it could end up covering just as much window. That's my lack of knowledge on the subject though.
  • 12 years ago
    you should be able to calculate the formula to see where it will be.. The pulled back, stacked width of the fabric is now XXXX inches. The space it will cover, the window, is XXXX inches. Divide the figures to know stacked fabric = how much wall/window?
    So based on that, how much fabric stacked XX will be on the plain wall. XX. then you will see what happens. It may end up doing just exactly what you want. I would think that all of the stacked fabric would end up to the right of the window completely, just by looking at your pictures. I think you should try.
    Zach Silverfox thanked sunnydrew
  • 12 years ago
    @sunnydrew Thank you. That's exactly what I did, and I was told that "it doesn't work like that." (?) She says I would end up in the same spot I'm already in, only minus an inch or two!

    The drape currently measures about 32" open/ 113" closed. So to cover an additional 20" of space (the wall space) it would equal about 5.5" of curtain when it is all the way open. That would be roughly 37.5" of stacked fabric on the right, which is saving a lot more than 1 or two inches of window space.

    I'm just not following her logic, which is why I was wondering if I was missing something here.
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    ^^Not all designers are equal. Frankly it sounds like your designer may be out of her depth or there is a miscommunication somewhere. Sunnydrew is right about the formula. I am not a designer, but would also stack the drapery on the wall and have full clearance of the window.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Hi Zach. Can you tell me how wide the glass opening is, and then how wide the window plus the wall to the right is? I don't want to second guess what your designer did without knowing your dimensions.
    The euro pleat is still plenty popular, but with your limited space, ripplefold might have been a better choice. This fabrication allows for less fabric needed for coverage-especially in tight places.
    Zach Silverfox thanked JMittman Designs
  • 12 years ago
    Hi Janet - the glass opening is about 94", and the glass + wall to the right is 125". The entire length of the wall is 135".

    Thank you!
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    So you have about 10 inches on the left side of the glass? You have exactly enough room for a track to run the entire wall and the panels clear the glass when open.
    If I had spec'd this job, I would have run the track the entire length and used a ripplefold treatment for the drapery. It uses about 20-25% less fabric, and would have been a "neater" fit for your place.
    Many times it is just easier to start over on a window treatment. However the tracks can be spliced to make them longer. It would have to be a very good splice--it can be rough where the connection is otherwise. A good workroom would be able to configure adding new fabric to get the panel the right width.

    Good luck, I hope you and your designer are able to work this out!
    Zach Silverfox thanked JMittman Designs
  • 12 years ago
    Thanks so much, Janet. So if I have the option to pay another $700 to add more fabric, switch to a baton (since the far right corner will be difficult to access) and get a new track, do you think that is worth it? I'll have a tough time starting from scratch since I've already invested so much money into the current setup. But ultimately if I just leave this as-is and go with a new designer/setup I just may be better off.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Looking at this again, you will need `30-35 inches of room for the curtains to stack back if the track goes all the way across. So some will still cover the glass--that 10 inches on the left hurts you. You can rough out your stack back by measuring the width of your panels fully opened now, and add roughly 10-15 inches--the width the new fabric would add (opened). This would be how much room you need to stack back the curtains if you had a full width rod. I assume you have about 4 widths of fabric currently, and would need almost two more for a rod all the way across. **The current width of the curtains opened could be more than the numbers I gave you--different fabrics stack differently. You might be better off just keeping what you have now.
    Is the current track just the width of the window?
    Zach Silverfox thanked JMittman Designs
  • 12 years ago
    Hi, had the same problem with my daughters curtains, I solved the problem bij getting a longer rail, and not using the stop at the right end of the rail for a curtain hook. I fastened a piece of fishing line (seethru) between the last runner on the right side of the curtain and the stop on the right side. When the curtain is open you can slide it all the way to the right when its closed its in front of the glass. Idea?
    Zach Silverfox thanked cohoek
  • 12 years ago
    Hi Janet - The current stack is about 30" opened (113" closed). She said they would have to add 43" of fabric but we don't know yet what that would equate to opened/closed because of the pleats/fabric. Adding 10-15" would indeed put me very close to where I already am. Bummer.

    The current track goes from the right edge of the window all the way to the left corner (past the window). (Side note: She is also installing a sheer roller shade underneath and insists on having the pull cord on the right - which could only be accessed behind the 19" of drape fabric covering the window. That makes no sense to me.)
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    It is easy for me to second guess what your designer did without knowing all the details. You must have some really thick fabric? Or did she do more than 2.5x fullness--sorry, I am on my phone and it is difficult to see the detail. Did the two of you discuss the importance of clearing the glass ahead of time?
    I would stick with this look for now--it looks good, a split draw would not have looked as nice. Make the bed, add some accent pieces and reassess.
    Also, I don't know of a roller shade that can't be order with a left cord...not sure the thinking there.
    Get the communication going with this lady. It sounds like she is not listening to you?
    Zach Silverfox thanked JMittman Designs
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I like the idea of the Center open....I think that would look better....If you go with the Full Track.....I think it will look more like a Hotel Room...
    Zach Silverfox thanked Patrick Mills
  • 12 years ago
    Thanks again. Here is her response:

    "I have talked at great length to window installer and WC company.

    1. A tie back will help a great deal and can clear halfway of the window view. We can do tie back slightly higher than the mid level.

    2. By extending the rod all the way and covering 19" of wall with fabric you are not necessarily saving a substantial amount of view. (We multiply width by 2 for a standard look and 3 for a full or formal look. For example, if you want a full look and your window/ or place to cover is 19" wide, you'll need roughly 57" of drapery fabric (19"x3) plus a maximum of 8" to cover any light gaps= 65". IN YOUR CASE WE WILL DO approx: 19X2 +6= 42" or 44").

    3. SO: You MAY save about 4" of view, if lucky 6"... IF that. We cannot guarantee.

    4. We can also do a split and divide the curtain and add about 8" to overlap. But again you will cover a little of the view on the sides."
  • 12 years ago
    cohoek has the answer. Use the current drapery, no additional fabric. Extend the rail all the way to the right so you can stack them over the wall. Secure the right end of the drape with fishing line cut to the appropriate length so when you close them they cover the window completely.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Zach, so what fullness did she use on the current panels? 2x or 3x?

    I disagree with the 2x and 3x fullness statement. Standard pinch pleat drapery fullness is 2.5 times the width of the window/rod placement--this is industry standard for custom drapery, and 3x fullness is used for sheers. Two times fullness is used for treatments like grommet panels, and some ripplefold panels as their fabrication does not require the fullness of pinch pleats.
    Zach Silverfox thanked JMittman Designs
  • 12 years ago
    ^^ It looks like according to her message she used 2x (the line that says "in your case we would multiply x2..."). I spoke with another installer and he is also confused as to why adding fabric and moving everything down to the right corner would not free up more than 4"-6" of view.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I don't know Zach, the curtains look pretty full and have a lot of stackback to be only 2x fullness.
    The first mistake was having the track only the width of the window; there was no where for the stack to go but on the glass. :(
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I went dancing. Here's what came to mind:*

    New wall-to-wall track so the existing curtain can "park" in the corner. Paint the entire window wall, window sill, & possibly window frame the same color/finish/sheen as the curtain. This takes the emphasis off the curtain (and looks awesome~). Bonus if you can get the shade to match the curtain color.

    If the curtain alone can block all light when needed, then I'd opt for a solar shade rather than blackout shade. Check out the lattice/jali-like shades at http://www.deliashades.com They do custom colors, too. The soften the contrast beautifully during the day and when privacy is desired at night, pull the curtain.

    Then, assuming there isn't a tall centerpiece elsewhere in the room, hang dimmable, long sculptural lighting in that TV corner.

    *Thank Stimming.