Curtain help - pics included!

[profmom]

I'm curtain-challenged -- and, okay, home-decor-challenged! I've been having a decorator help me with some curtains lately and would love your opinion! This is for our dining room, the tallest ceiling and window. The decorator and seamstress, especially the seamstress, say that we need to cover or distract from a couple of flaws: the top of the arched window slices into the molding, the blind hardware shows, and the beam that divides the top and bottom windows.

 

The seamstress wanted to do a bunch of elaborate stuff to cover these, such as a cornice over the beam. The decorator said we didn't need all that, but that we could use sheers inside curtains to soften the beam and blind hardware.

 

So, that's the background. :) Feel free to comment on any of that! :D I'm attaching the picture of the window and a picture of the main curtain fabric that we're considering. The idea is to hang sheers across the whole window at the very top and then add straight curtains on each side.

 

I do like the curtain fabric, but I'm not sure about the sheers. The decorator likes the darker shade of sheer, but it seems wrong to me for the color of the sheer to be darker than the background of the curtain fabric. I asked her to show me her favorite lighter sheer, and that one is pulled out too in the picture. Any comments are welcome, but I especially need advice on the sheers!

[Starr]

I'm confused. You aren't covering the arch are you? That's a beautiful window!

[Rebel Yell]

The arch is GORGEOUS! So what if it cuts into the whatever-you-call-it?

 

I like the beigier fabric, not the bluish-white one.

 

I'm not seeing the blind hardware.

 

If this was my window, i would remove the blinds, touch up the holes, and let the window go naked.

 

But if you have to have windows.... hmmmm.... sorry- I got nothing. It's so pretty! If you could see my hideous 30 year-old cracked and greyed vinyl windows you'd understand. And I don't even have the benefit of a nice view out of my ugly windows! :)

[justamouse]

I am not liking that purple sheer. I understand why she wants to do it, it would be a nice contrast, but no, no purple. Tell her to take some purple ribbon or fabric and either sew a 12 inch hem of a contrasting fabric on the bottom, or get an orchid color ribbon and sew it in a border around the panel.

 

 

And I'd take the blinds out, too. With the sheers down, you won't need them.

 

JMO

[Starr]

I think I'd put a new fabric shade in that only came down when you need it.

[justLisa]

I would not cover the arch. I like the lighter sheer.

 

You have a decorator AND a seamstress? Really all that matters is YOU like it. You don't have to be a decorator to know what you think looks good

[PeterPan]

Let the seamstress make you something that goes around the arch to cover where it cut into the molding, cuz that's, well that's just something I would do. I didn't cover our arched window but just put drapery panels flanking it. On yours, you need some kind of jabot or something kissing the top before it comes down the sides to smooth over that defect. As far as the beam, I'm really iffy. If the seamstress can see it and it fits with the room, fine. Could probably go either way. Put some flowers on it or a rod and it will disappear, or at least ours did. It's just one of those things that happens when you build. You only notice it now because it's open. Put a rod there and the eye doesn't notice it anymore.

 

As far as the blinds, well I'd take them down in a hot minute. Does sun come in that window? You have privacy concerns? Expensive art? I definitely would not do blinds and sheers, mercy, that's redundant. Only have what you need to control the light and be functional for what you plan to do in the room.

[KidsHappen]

I have a window exactly like that. We hung the curtains from the bar down and left the arch open. I like it. I think it looks good and it lets in a little more light which it good for us because that is a dark library with north facing windows. We also had window like this before that had paper fan shaped shade in them and that look alright as well.

[profmom]

I appreciate the help! The seamstress is making the curtains and working with the decorator. The other windows were more straightforward, and we settled on something fairly quickly. For some reason, I'm just not sure about this one.

 

When I look in magazines, it seems that most all the curtains are at the top of the windows, near the ceiling, and the decorator tells me that having a curtain start at the beam cuts the window instead of emphasizing the height.

 

I wondered about the blinds and sheers too. Actually, the windows in the magazines don't seem to have sheers inside curtains either. Since the window is on the front of the house, I would like to have some privacy, but I mostly leave the blinds open all the time. I could probably part with them and go with sheers instead.

 

As I look at pictures I've found online, I'm not sure I like the look of straight panels with a rod going across an arched window. Elizabeth, maybe you could post a picture of yours. :D What do you think of something curved? I don't have molding around my window like a couple of these do.

Edited August 31, 2012 by profmom

[profmom]

Maybe something like this?

[Unicorn.]

1. Don't cover the arch!

2. I don't think you need sheers at all, but if you do, go w/ the lighter color.

3. I think all of those pics w/ the arches covered look icky. Some ickier than others.

[profmom]

1. Don't cover the arch!

2. I don't think you need sheers at all, but if you do, go w/ the lighter color.

3. I think all of those pics w/ the arches covered look icky. Some ickier than others.

 

Unicorn, are you a fan of this look, with no sheers or blinds?

 

I'm so indecisive and I especially get stuck in decision when I don't know enough about the subject, such as home decor. I'm not sure I want much of the window covered either. Elizabeth, how bad to you think the window being cut into the molding looks? What about the beam -- or even the tops of the blinds? I would have never noticed these things if they hadn't been pointed out to me. The seamstress (owner of a custom curtain business) acted like it was really bad for the top of the blinds to show on any of our windows -- same with the molding issue and beam.

 

After looking at a bunch of pictures online, I like the idea of a curved rod to emphasize the arch of the window, but the straight rod with curtains on each side covers the window less, which is great, unless the window has so many flaws that it needs covered!

[jenL]

I am in complete agreement to NOT cover the arch, and I personally do not like the arched curtain look either. I'm more of a naturalist though, so I would do the minimal possible because it's such a gorgeous window. I'd just do the panel with no sheers with a rod straight across between the arch and the bottom window, so the curtains only affect the bottom. It looks like your view out the window is nice so I would not hinder that which is why I would avoid the sheers. I like to try to let as much of the outside in if possible - for me, it brings a sense of peace.

 

However, do what YOU like since this is your house and you will be passing by that window often.

[Unicorn.]

I don't hate it, but I'm an outdoorsy person, and like the "always open, bringing the outside in," look and feel that you get by not covering the arch. I think it's too formal for my taste. I would however, change my opinion if it's on a west facing wall! If that's the case, I like it!

[bobbeym]

Jumping in here to voice MO.

 

I don't think the window cutting into the molding is that noticeable or matters that much unless it bugs you. Had I seen the picture without comments about it, I doubt I would have noticed it.

 

I love natural light, so it if was my decision to make, I would leave the arch uncovered, remove the blinds, hang the darker sheers from the beam to cover the lower window, and skip the curtains completely.

[PeterPan]

You want to notice the difference in scale with the windows in the pics you posted. The one you repeated (#3 with tall panels) is quite wide, probably twice the width of your window. The rod done that way on yours wouldn't hide the trim issue. My room looks similar to that pic and is similar in scale. I ended up running the rod at the middle beam (10' in our house), not up to the top, partly because I didn't have enough FABRIC to do that (oy) and partly because I wanted to bring down the scale of things. 16' of curtain is just too much and not cozy, kwim?

 

So anyways, something like that #1 pick, where you just *kiss* the top of the arched part and flank the sides with jabots, not really covering anything, that's what I was suggesting to you. It could cover the issues without really covering a lot of the window. The formality of the style would fit the formality of the room

 

But you know, do what you want. You're the one who will live with it. You could do something totally different like stained glass overlays and fake flowers around it, whatever. It's just all your taste and the mood you want. As far as the lady wanting to cover the tops of the blinds, well mercy. It's always soemthing you could add later. Sounds like a money-maker. Sure it's a look that would be fine, but the world wouldn't end without. Did you do it elsewhere?

[Ellie]

I have a window exactly like that. We hung the curtains from the bar down and left the arch open. I like it. I think it looks good and it lets in a little more light which it good for us because that is a dark library with north facing windows. We also had window like this before that had paper fan shaped shade in them and that look alright as well.

See, we have an *east-facing* arched window, and we covered it with a pleated shade, because in the morning the sunlight is like a laser beam shooting into the house. Here in central Texas, we need to cut down on solar heat in the summer. :)

[KidsHappen]

See, we have an *east-facing* arched window, and we covered it with a pleated shade, because in the morning the sunlight is like a laser beam shooting into the house. Here in central Texas, we need to cut down on solar heat in the summer. :)

 

TX was the other place we had an arch window, the one with the paper fan shade.

[plansrme]

Embrace the arch. No way would I try to cover the arch or the beam. If you must have someting there for privacy or softening, and I personally do not believe windows ever need to be softened--they're windows, not pillows, People--I would (1) do sheers or some other curtain only on the bottom, (2) place a freestanding screen or shutter in front of the window, or (3) hang something in front of the lower part of the windowo--of stained glass, art, etc.

 

Years ago, we nearly broke the contract on our current house when another in the same neighborhood went on the market. It was beautifully decorated (ours was ugly), so beautifully decorated that I walked in and said, "Gay men live here." I was right, by the way, but they had salvaged (chippy paint) hinged sets of exterior shutters standing in front of their otherwise bare dining room windows. They looked fabulous. It has been 12 years since I saw that house, and I still remember those window treatments.

 

Terri

[Harriet Vane]

I think the decorator and the seamstress are nuts. The window is gorgeous, and the molding doesn't look bad. Rather, the window and the pretty view make it just beautiful. I wouldn't cover it at all.