I’ve Made My Window Treatment Decision (and I’ve Made One Window Treatment)

Last Updated on December 24, 2015 by Kristi Linauer

Well, y’all.  I finally did it.  I finally made a decision on my living room window treatments.

For the longest time, the “all draperies” option was holding strong as the winner in my mind.  Here’s a idea of what that would have looked like…

Of course, I was just using cut lengths of fabric that hadn’t been sewn, scraps from drapery poles, and cheap and awful sheers from Target.  But it’s an idea.

In the end, I decided to go with the Roman shade option on the two small windows.  Here’s the mock up I did of that option.

The deciding factor for me came down to drapery hardware.

I purchased some really beautiful finials to use on the drapery rod on the big window.  And if I dressed all of the windows the same, I’d want to use beautiful finials on all the windows.  Makes sense, right?

The problem is that the two smaller windows are so close to the corners of the room that there’s no room for finials.

Also, it looked funny to have that small sliver of wall showing between where the draperies on the big window ended and the drapery on the small window started.  So the natural solution would be to make that drapery rod an “L” in the corner.  But then how would I make the other small window look cohesive?

Anyway, I simply couldn’t work out those problems in a way that was acceptable to me (meaning, I thought of a few different solutions, but I didn’t like any of them), so I decided to go with option 2 — Roman shades on the two small windows.

The mock up I did in the picture above was an awful Photoshop version of what Roman shades would look like.  In reality, I decided to do an outside mount Roman shade, hung high above the window (at the same height as the draperies on the big window), and I made them relaxed so that they’re not quite so boxy.

I lined them with blackout lining so that the pretty fabric would be clearly visible, and these shades are fully functional (or at least they will be as soon as my cord pulleys and cord locks get here), so they can be raised and lowered as needed.

I only had time to make one.  I’m so out of practice on making these that it took me all day yesterday just to make the one!  It’s been probably four years since I’ve made one, so I was having to remember the process as I went along.  So I’m hoping that the second one will go much faster.

But since I only have one of them made and installed, I can show you the huge difference that the outside mount (hung high on the wall!) makes.  Here’s the new Roman shade compared to the old inside mount Roman shade.

Isn’t the difference amazing?  The outside mount installed high looks so custom, and really gives the window a presence in the room.  It’s definitely worthy of a focal wall, in my opinion.  The inside mount Roman shade on the right just looks so small, and really does nothing for the windows.

I’m still a huge fan of natural woven Roman shades, but I definitely prefer them used with another window treatment like drapery panels.

I did take pictures of all of the steps so that I can share a tutorial on how to make a lined, fully functional relaxed fabric Roman shade.  I’ll try to have that in the next couple of days for you.

Then I need to get started on my draperies.  (Did you notice I still just have the lengths of fabric pinned up? 😀 )

It’s such a relief to have finally made a decision.  I have no idea why I made this so difficult on myself, but I’m really pleased with my decision, and I’m anxious to get the second one made and installed so I can get a complete picture of what this wall will look like.

Now I just need to replace that ugly aluminum window with a beautiful wood window to match all of my others.  I see a trip to ReStore in my future.  🙂