My Window Treatment Conundrum (and I Could Sure Use Your Help!!)
I have a little window treatment conundrum, so I need some input. Here’s the situation:
This is Margaret’s family room…
They’ve only been in this house for a very short time, so nevermind the furniture and rug. It’s all being replaced with new, gorgeous furniture.
But the problem is the windows. As you can see, right now the two big windows on either side of the door have two-inch white wood blinds. Well, as I’m sure you’ve realized, I’m on a one-woman mission to rid my city of these blinds, and replace them with warm, beautiful, natural-woven shades.
Better already, right? I just love how these shades add warmth and texture to a room.
And then, of course, I want to add some sort of tall, flowy linen drapery panels on the windows.
You see where I’m going with this. Of course, the current furniture is distracting (the new furniture will be in reds, browns, greens–really warm and homey), and the color of the draperies will probably be different. But still, you see the vision.
So what’s the problem?
Well, it’s those doors in the middle. They are the kind of doors that have the little built-in 1/2-inch blinds enclosed in glass. I don’t think they can be changed, so they will be white.
So what would you do here? Would you just ignore the doors, and dress the windows? Would you somehow add the natural woven shades to the doors anyway, even though they wont be used? They always keep the blinds on the doors closed, so it appears as just a solid white. But as you can tell from the picture above, when the sun is bright, even though the blinds are closed, light still comes in so you can definitely tell it’s a window.
I really am stumped on this one. Any great ideas out there?
Edit: Here is a suggestion from Laurie Moss. I like it!
Any other ideas?
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
How about…..mount a third warm shade over the set of doors…but instead of mounting all the warm shades where you have it in the pics, put them up above the smaller windows on top, so it looks more cohesive and not so choppy; then maybe have one long curtain rod going all the way across with the drapes only on either side of the 2 windows. Can't wait to see it WITHOUT that furniture!!! lol
Laurie Moss
Hope I understood you right, Laurie! Of course, the shades on the sides would probably stay opened more during the day to reveal more of the windows. But it's the best I could do in a few short minutes. 🙂
I would mount the shades on the door, ignore the built in ones. I also agree with Laurie and mount the woven blinds to cover the smaller windows as well so the walls seem taller and as she said less choppy.
I was thinking the same as Laurie. I like the bit of warmth that the shade over the door adds. It also makes it look like one large treatment by bringing them together. And by bringing them up over the small top window it really makes it grand.
Oooooooo, I like it!!!!! Awesome!!! This is so fun!!!!!
Laurie Moss
How would it look without the 2 middle curtain panels and just have the outer ones?????
Laurie Moss
Laurie, the only problem with that is that the edges of the roman shade in the middle would then be exposed, since they have to be outside-mounted. I almost think it need the drapery panels to hide the edges, don't you?
Kristi-I definitely like using the woven shades clear up to the top of the transom windows. By ignoring the top windows it really looks like it cuts up that wall too much….the suggestion by Laurie is a great start. Are the panels meant to be working panels or just dead hangs? If working draperies I would love to also see the rod go all the way across to have the whole wall of draperies when closed… very lush and more high end to fit the look of the room.
I think the above idea, with the rod all the way across, looks just right.
Just a thought, and it might not work, but you can get top-down/bottom up woven woods. That way you can let light in and still have the privacy. I like the look of everything going up the the ceiling, but I also hate loosing the light from the transoms. As far as the doors are concerned, I think I'd ignore them.
Ok Kristi, but can you use my favorite color aqua curtain panels instead? That would make me happy!!! Oh wait, that might not match the rest of the room's furnishings.
Laurie Moss
Love it as is! Leave it!
I love Laurie Moss' idea! As I was looking at the first pictures I kept wondering why you didn't put any shade/covering over the little windows above the large windows.
That suggestion you added is wonderful! But I would just do drapes, no wooden blinds at all. Would be too much of a hassle to keep lowering, raising and moving curtains at the same time, no?
The drapes add another layer of texture and warmth tho!!! I love the look of the layers. you see?
Laurie Moss
I'm pretty set on woven blinds. 🙂 I just love the warmth they add to a room. And the draperies will just be stationary panels. I really don't think it'll be that bog of a deal to reach an inch or so behind a panel and grab the cords to raise/lower the blinds. In fact, I'm looking at mine right now, and the cord is set far enough over that I don't even think a drapery panel would cover it, so it would be very accessible.
What about a valance at the top of the windows and door? It would unify the three spaces while the shades on the windows distinguish them.
Katherine, that's an interesting idea. Hmmmm…I just don't know. I'm really not the hugest "valance" kind of person. Which, I know, I know…seems pretty strange considering I have a valance in my breakfast area, and I'm planning on making a matching one for my living room.
I'm just pretty finicky when it comes to valances. I'm not sure how I'd like one stretching all the way across that long wall. It's an interesting idea, though. I'm going to think about it.
I love your blog and your advice. I have always had troubles with window coverings. What about stained glass panels in the transoms then treating the windows with panel drapes? I just think it is a shame to cover all the beautiful windows with blinds. Would that be design no no, or is there a better way to keep them more open? I look forward to your advice.
I like Laurie's idea but how about dropping the blinds and the rods to just below the transoms, leaving them open. It just seems like it is too much, between the blinds and the curtains.
Cathy from Trim the Home
In my old house we had a double glassed door like this that was hinged in the center. Such a pain in the rear.
We did floor to ceiling curtains in a red and white stripe and pulled then back so the doors looked like a giant window.
We did not use this door an awful lot and would pull the curtain back all the way for a "deck party" or when this door would get used a lot.
I like Laurie's idea but how about dropping the blinds and the rods to just below the transoms, leaving them open. It just seems like it is too much, between the blinds and the curtains.
Cathy from Trim the Home
What about a valance at the top of the windows and door? It would unify the three spaces while the shades on the windows distinguish them.
Just a thought, and it might not work, but you can get top-down/bottom up woven woods. That way you can let light in and still have the privacy. I like the look of everything going up the the ceiling, but I also hate loosing the light from the transoms. As far as the doors are concerned, I think I'd ignore them.
I would mount the shades on the door, ignore the built in ones. I also agree with Laurie and mount the woven blinds to cover the smaller windows as well so the walls seem taller and as she said less choppy.