Everyone already knows that besides paint, we think curtains are the number one way to add polish and style to any space! It’s a super simple way to add height, drama, and billowy softness, so we finally got around to adding some long floor length $5 Ikea curtains on either side of our bamboo shades in the den- just like we did in our living room a while back.
Here are our boxy den windows before, just calling out for some soft and serene floor length beauties (don’t mind John in the corner taking some measurements). Sure the room looked clean and “craftsman” without them, but something was missing…
Just look at the difference a few inexpensive white panels can make (oh and check out our curtain-hanging tutorial for a few tips and tricks):
Of course we’re all about hanging them high and wide, to make the window appear even bigger than it is and ensure that they don’t block an inch of light (which always makes a room feel open and airy). Our white curtains of choice are always Ikea’s Vivan panels (at just $9.99 for two, it doesn’t get much better than that). We also love that they come in two lengths (98″ and 118″), so even those with taller ceilings can snag the longer versions (which will only run you $14.99 for two) and achieve the same breezy and inviting look on the cheap and in an afternoon. Look, even Burger’s a fan.
The bamboo roman shades are actually from Walmart since they always seem to have an affordably priced selection in a bunch of standard (and non-standard) sizes right in the store. We’ve even hung two of them next to each other in the living room to mimic the look of one long blind without spending a huge amount on a custom, oversized roman shade.
We also love to get our oil-rubbed-bronze-looking rods from Target. They’re understated and simple so the curtains get all the attention- just the way it should be. And the standard ceiling in the den feels so much taller thanks to our new additions, which introduce breezy vertical elements to add to the illusion of height.
I can’t believe it took us so long, especially since we’ve been so quick to suggest curtains to anyone who will listen! The lesson: convince your husband to take you to Ikea far more often. And even if he groans about hanging more curtain rods around the house, bribe him with a trip to Taco Bell and get on with it.
What about you guys? Do you have any rooms that could use the polish and added height that floor length curtains can bring? Any other totally overdue decorating tasks on your to-do list? Do tell.
Update: Check out the comments on this post by clicking the voice bubble next to the title to see a plethora of curtain related questions and a bevy of helpful hints and simple solutions.
Psst- Wanna know even more about finding the right window treatments for your home? Check out this exhaustive answer.
Krystal says
I know I’m way behind here, but I love what you’ve done with your windows. I love that they all tie in together and have made your rooms so much more open and airy.
We have a large window in our living room that I’d love to try this on, however, we have a sliding glass patio door on the same wall. Would it look weird to have curtains at different heights on the same wall? Would it be weird to use the roman blinds on the patio door? What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Krystal,
I’d use the blinds and the curtains on both the windows and the sliding glass door for instant cohesion and balance. I’d also go out of my way to hang them at the same level (cheat one set higher so they look more symmetrical and balanced). Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Jill says
I’m also at a loss on what window coverings to use. We have a guest room and computer room on the north side of the house each with only one window (makes the rooms dark). Our house is very contemporary in style and I found some two-inch white wood blinds on Overstock that I want to order. I’m not sure if I can use the wood blinds and curtains or should I go with something different? The blinds will be open most of the time unless we have guests. Each window is 37Wx57H.
We recently built our house and I have no window coverings yet because I don’t know where to start.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jill,
Hanging your curtains high and wide on each window will help to let in maximum light (instead of each panel blocking half of the window hang them wide enough so the panel is in front of the wall so the window appears to be much larger). As for what to choose, any sort of floor-length panel always looks crisp and clean with wood blinds, so you really can’t go wrong. If solid white doesn’t work for you, ivory or tan or even a golden wheat color is usually always current and lovely- and since your house is contemporary in style you might want to go with something with a grommet at the top instead of a tab. Ikea has some great affordable options. Hope it helps! Happy hanging…
xo,
Sherry
Jill says
I will be ordering the wood blinds from selectblinds.com. They custom make blinds to fit your unusual sized windows at a fraction of the cost from other retailers.
I also found the KAJSA curtains on IKEA’s website…love them but they can only be bought in the the store, not online. I live 4 hours from the nearest IKEA…bummer. Will keep looking.
Amy V says
Wow! Your den ceiling now looks 50% higher than before. That really made a big difference.
YoungHouseLove says
Totally! Floor length curtains hung high and wide are such an easy way to add height to any room!
xo,
s
Steph says
Hey YHLovers!
I’ve become totally obsessed with your website and design ideas – they are so fantastic and smart! I just had a quick question – is the expression oil rubbed bronze or oil rubber bronze… I typed it into google trying to find some cabinet hardware and it keeps asking me if “I mean ‘oil rubbed bronze’ instead”… just wanted to check!
Keep up the amazing ideas! Can’t wait to see how the basement turns out!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Steph,
It’s oil rubbed bronze. The term is actually based on how brassy bronze hardware looks when it’s covered in oil (a deeelicious deep bronzy brown tone so the brass is gone for a totally current effect). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erin says
I love your bamboo style shades, but where do you find ones that mount outside/above the window? What’s proper way to measure for this type of mount (vs. inside the window). Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
These are from Walmart but we’ve also seen them at Lowe’s, Target, etc. They’re actually quite easy to track down. Although sometimes there are recalls because the cords have some issue when it comes to child safety, so if you don’t see them try waiting a few weeks and checking back. As for how to measure, we just go with whatever is the closest to the window measurement but not smaller than it (ex: if our window is 35″ and they sell 39″ blinds, we’ll grab those and just center them over the window for a nice framed out look). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kelly says
Hi!
I love your blog! The ideas are fantastic, I’m going to try to apply them to my home. ;)
Do you have any ideas for a small paladian window that is in a bathroom? Because of the semicircle shape at the top, hanging a curtain rod or drapes seem to completely cover the style of the window. I’d like to still be able to see the shape of the window but I still need some type of cover for privacy. I’d love to hear your ideas.
thx!
K
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kelly,
We love leaving those undressed so the light streams through and you get to enjoy the shape without covering it. If you need privacy we would recommend frosting it (either with frosting spray or removable window film from somewhere like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Hi! I love what you have done with all of your windows :)
What do you think about the bamboo shade/white panel look in an otherwise dark kitchen and small dining area? I have cherry cabinets, which are beautiful, but do add darkness to the room.
I am trying to brighten it up a bit and make it more airy, but I’m having a hard time picturing how the contrast will look. Would you take the plunge and give it a shot if you were in my shoes?
Thanks so much for your help!
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely! It’ll lighten things up! And adding a white table runner or big white fruit bowl will introduce even more balance so the white curtains aren’t the only white item in the space. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Heather S says
It was a search for bamboo shades that brought me to your blog, so I’m finally asking my big question…
I have an open kitchen/eating nook/family room space and want to bring in the bamboo shade/panel look, but I’m not sure how. The window in the family room currently has curtain panels & white faux wood blinds. The next window is our slider, with a DORKY white tab valance (from previous owners.) The next is the nook window, w/tab valance and faux wood blinds. And the last small window is above the sink, w/the same valance and blinds. The great part is they’re all the same height up top. The hard part is they’re all on different walls (our nook pops out at an angle) and they’re only a few feet away from each other… so I think they should be consistent. The tab valances are currently hung high (for that big window illusion) and if I take them away, the windows look bare, even with the wood blinds. They need SOMETHING above them.
So…
* Would it look ok to just do the bamboo/white panel combo on the family room wall and just bamboo shades over the rest? Or should I try to put panels around the slider?
* Do outside mount shades look silly from the sides (don’t they stick out kind of far?)
* Would it look weird to put bamboo shades up if I already have white blinds? I saw you suggested to someone else to just put panels up 6″ above the wood blinds, but I can’t really put panels above my sink!
Sorry for the plethora of questions. I’m planning an Ikea trip for this weekend and need an expert opinion! : )
p.s. I finally looked back in your blog and saw that you’ve been Photoshopping the weekly onesie pics. Genius! Seriously. My babe is 2 months old and I’m gonna see if I can retro-photoshop a few pics. haha
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heather S,
We would definitely agree that you can do the bamboo/white panel combo on the family room and go with just the bamboo shades for the rest. It’ll all still be visually linked thanks to the texture of the bamboo shades throughout the space. And as for whether outside mounted shades look odd, I guess that’s a personal preference thing but we love them – they don’t look weird to us at all. And nope, blinds won’t look weird with bamboo shades since when you pull them up into the open position they’ll “hide” behind the bamboo blinds and let the light stream in. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
I have a bedroom window to get treatments for and I LOVE this look because the window is small (57.5″ by 27″) and I know the bamboo shades will let the light shine in. However, I’m wondering if it will give me enough privacy for a bedroom window. I looked into ordering custom bamboo shades with a privacy liner, but as a student, I’m not willing to fork out the hundreds of dollars they cost.
The woman at the store suggested wood blinds instead for more privacy, but I’m sure that won’t let in as much light! HELP!
Also, with this look is it better to get shades that are similar to the wall paint colour and use the side panels as contrast? Or should the shades contrast the walls?
Thank so much, I’m still young and learning :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Stephanie,
You can either get those wood blinds (we like the white ones, they still feel airy) and keep them open when you don’t need privacy (so the light shines in) and then lower them when you need privacy or you can go with the bamboo blinds (which we definitely think will provide enough privacy even if they’re not lined. Good luck!
xo,
s
jenn says
Two of the BRs in our house have two windows like your den. However, they are on kitty-corner walls. To complicate things, each window is on the EXTREME far left and right of each wall, almost right next to the adjoining wall. The windows are so close to the wall that I don’t think I can hang them wide (only high.) I’m not sure what to do…hang two panels up high for each window, without going wide? I’m a little concerned that two panels gets a little crowded and not a lot of light can come in. Should I do one panel instead, and use a tie back (like Clara’s closet?) If I go with the tie back, do I still hang ’em high?
I have spent an obscene amount of time debating this issue.
YoungHouseLove says
This is one of those cases where you’ll end up with the best result if you just try a variety of things and see what you like best. We would suggest picking up some curtain panels (which you can return if they don’t work) and some rods (which you can also return) and recruiting a friend or relative to hold the rods up with the panels on them and shift them around and add or remove panels until you like the look. Good luck!
xo,
s
stacy says
I know this is an old post…but had a question. We have two similar sized as you did in the old den plus a huge window about 2 ft down on the same wall…it’s a long living/dining room. We already have white panels hung high on the dining windows but were thinking of adding bamboo blinds as well. Right now the windows all have faux white blinds that we’re thinking of replacing with another option since plantation shutters are SO pricey. How would we make all these windows look cohesive and still add some texture and style?
YoungHouseLove says
It sounds lovely to hang more white curtains high and wide and add bamboo blinds so they have layered texture and feel cohesive. For drama you could swap out the white panels for a bold color or print. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
stacy says
Thank you…one follow up question…so you don’t think it would be overload to have three windows in a row with the white panels, and bamboo blinds? Or would it pull things together?
YoungHouseLove says
It would tie things together I think! And add balance. Good luck!
xo,
s
Camille says
Okay, so I’m totally sure that ceiling to floor white curtrains are what I want in my living room. But as one of the other readers has commented, I have baseboard heaters that present a problem for me. I have four windows in the room, two of which have baseboard heaters beneath them. The two that have the heaters beneath them are on the same wall as my fireplace, one on each side of the fireplace. And the the two without are at opposite ends of the room.
Do you think it would look okay if I only had 2 windows with floor length curtains, and 2 with no curtains at all (I’m thinking just white wooden blinds)?
YoungHouseLove says
Sure, we’d give it a try and see how it looks for sure. Sounds like it might be perfect!
xo,
s
Erika says
Hi guys! I was browsing some archives from your old place INC. this Easy Breezy Beautiful article. We have a super similar lay out, front LR window etc. You guys are so awesome about answering questions that I’d thought I would ask….imagine your large old LR window, with one window (like your master bedroom window-high and rectangular) on the wall where your floating IKEA shelves were. Id like to do similar to your old LR window in terms of window treatments, but I am at a loss of how to treat that other window (in our makeshift diningroom/LR-again exactly the same as your old place w/out a fireplace). We have those windows in our other bedrooms as well, should I do a blind and panel combo on all these high rectangle windows? THANK YOU SO MUCH!
YoungHouseLove says
We always try to keep window treatments the same in a room, so if there’s any way to treat that window the same way (with bamboo blinds and long curtains) and then put something under the window to fill up all that negative wall space since it’s a high window (like a console table or something to add balance) that would be our recommendation! Good luck.
xo,
s
Monica says
Hi you two! My windows in the living room need some definite help! My living room is “matchy matchy” to say the least, so I’m slowly breaking away!
I wanted to get some bright, white curtains to brighten up the room! On one side of my living room, I have three one and a half foot windows with white wooden blinds, about five inches apart from each other, so I’ve decided to use the white Ikea curtains to cover the walls in between the windows! Give that illusion of one big window! :) On the other hand- same wall- three feet away- a large patio window with no blinds. Would it look bizarre to add bamboo to that patio window? Or should I stick with just the white curtains? And should I keep the height of all the rods on this wall the same? I know with wooden blinds, it’s a good idea to go only six inches above, and I know the bamboo adds a lot more height, but I should probably keep them the same!
Part of me wants to ditch the white wooden blinds all together! What to do…
If either of you have any advice, I would love to hear it! Know you’re busy during your anniversary week! Whoooop whooop!!!! Congrats :)
YoungHouseLove says
I would do high and wide rods on all of them (do the one long rod effect for that expanse and just hang another rod at the same height for the patio window). After the blinds and curtains are hung you can see if you want to add blinds to layer them in. If you do, just decide the type you like and hang them at rod height like in our first home’s living room. It might make sense to add them to all the windows or none of them for balance though. Sometimes window consistency is just really calming and nice in a space.
xo,
s
Monica says
Thanks Sherry! Making the trip to Ikea TODAY!:)
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck!
xo,
s
Lisa T says
I totally love this approach but where I live, Perth, Western Australia, we have long hot Summers with the temp often reaching 45C (~113F) and therefore the bamboo blinds wouldn’t be practical. Because I don’t have double glazed windows I need my window treatments to have insulating properties, so what are some of the other alternatives I have to achieve this look?
Kindly
Lisa :-)
YoungHouseLove says
I would look for insulated curtains or blinds (you might even be able to search by that term or google around for “lined curtains” or “lined roman blinds” to see what you can find! Good luck!
xo,
s
Andrea says
Hello. I love the look of the bamboo blinds with the vivan sheeers from Ikea. I’m going to do that for my 12 ft. picture window in my livingroom. I have another approx. 12 ft. french door sliding window in my kitchen that is directly across the room from the picture window in my livingroom. I love the look of lace and was curious if you think the sheer/bamboo blind combo would look right with lace curtains on the french doors in the adjoining room ? Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, they all sound pretty together!
xo,
s