If there’s one thing that we can count on like clockwork, it’s a flurry of curtain & blind-related questions in our inbox each and every day: where should I put curtains? where can I find good curtains? how do I hang curtains? So we’re here to answer a slew of them in one fell swoop. Hold onto your hats people, this could get crazy.
Q: What is your general philosophy on window treatments?
A: We believe that curtains and blinds can make for the biggest change in a room next to paint. They’re hugely important for a major makeover, and can add height, drama, breezy ambiance, softness, and even a punch of color to any space- and we definitely encourage everyone to give them a spin! We’re generally not big fans of valances, but we love the floor length curtain and blind combination and we always hang them “high and wide” as we say so often.
This means that we like hanging outside mounted bamboo blinds or roman shades a few inches below the ceiling to “cheat” a window up, and create the effect that it’s much taller and grander than it really is. Then hanging a curtain rod at the same level as the blinds, but extending the rod about 18″ wider than the window on both sides creates the look of a much wider window and allows the curtain panels to hang in front of the wall instead of encroaching on the window and blocking lots of much-needed light. When in doubt, go high and wide- it’ll make your ceilings feel taller, your room feel brighter, and your windows look HUGE!
Q: Where Do You Shop For Affordable Curtains?
A: Ikea, Target, Walmart, West Elm, JC Penney, and Bed Bath & Beyond are all great places to turn to when you’re hunting for curtains. Here are our ultimate favorites hanging on our living room window above (Ikea Vivan panels that are oh so cheap and classic- plus they come in two different lengths and have no-sew iron-on hem tape for easy installation that looks crisp and custom).
Q: How Do You Find Blinds Long Enough For Large Windows?
A: Here’s the secret: you can actually use two bamboo blinds hung next to each other to create the look of one for about a tenth of the price of a long custom blind! In fact, in our very own living room (pictured above) those are actually just two super cheap bamboo blinds snagged at Walmart and hung right next to each other (thanks to the textured bamboo material, no one’s the wiser). Beyond checking your local Walmart for a bunch of cheap bamboo blinds in many sizes, you can also try Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and even JC Penney for similar options.
Q: Where Can I Find Affordable Curtains For My Super Tall Ceilings (11 feet)?
A: For your curtain sitch in the room with the 11′ ceilings (what an awesome problem to have!) we’d suggest just hanging the longer Vivan curtains from Ikea (118′ long) since they’ll add a great amount of height and softness without needing to go all the way to the top of your 11′ walls (and they’re deliciously cheap to boot).
Q: How Should I Treat Curtains For 3 Windows Along One Wall With Space In Between?
A: Definitely go with one long rod. It will look seamless and less visually broken up… and it might even create the look of one big window instead of three smaller ones next to each other. We know that JC Penney sells curtain rods and extender pieces that can stretch those rods far beyond 12′ which should solve your problem on the double. For a visual, check out Blayne’s living room makeover that we helped her with a few month’s back. You can see how adding curtain panels where there are slivers of wall creates a breezy effect and makes smaller side-by-side windows look like one big wall of glass (and you can see how she cheated them about a foot and a half higher than the window and it looks great):
Q: What Window Treatments Should I Hang In My Bay Window?
A: Just do what we suggested for one our lovely readers (great job Nichole!). She removed her old swagged valance…
…and used a bay window curtain rod (available at Smith & Noble and JC Penney- or you can use three regular rods and remove the finials on the ends that meet to create the look of one seamless rod) to follow the contour of the bay window and hung some breezy curtains for softness along with inside mounted 2″ blinds for privacy.
Isn’t this window transformation astounding?! That’s the power of curtains, people!
Q: How Can I Use Curtains To Make A Curtain That’s Off Center Look More Symmetrical?
A: We’d totally vote for cheating the curtains over a bit for the appearance of a more balanced window. Once the panels are in place no one will know where the wall ends and the window begins! We actually cheated the heck out of our living room window and even the bedroom window with long floor length curtains (since they’re both not centered) and it adds a lot more balance and symmetry to each room.
Q: I already have inside mount blinds. Can I still hang curtains high & wide?
A: We definitely think the curtain panels would still look lovely hung high and wide with white wood blinds, but instead of hanging them right at the ceiling height, you’ll want to mount the rod about 6″ above the window so they’re cheated a bit higher but they still have a visual relationship with the blinds below. Almost everyone cheats their curtains at least 6″ above their windows these days, just because hanging the rod right at the top of the window can look oddly invasive and heavy… it needs a little air to breathe! And the bonus height and drama that it brings is the icing on the cake. Since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here’s another room makeover that we whipped up a while back to show just how lovely inside mount white wood blinds can look with curtains hung about 6″ above the top of the window:
Q: How Do You Keep Ikea White Curtains Clean?
A: With a dog and countless home improvement projects going on at all times, it’s safe to say that white curtains can be just as easy to maintain as any other color (our living room ones even survived a nearby kitchen remodel). We like to wash our Ikea curtains before we hang them so they’re pre-shrunk (in case we need to launder them to refresh them once a season, we don’t have to worry that they’ll shrink up and look like highwaters). Then it’s just about tossing them in the wash a few times a year to keep them looking bright. A lot of moms even tell us that white is their favorite upholstery color since it can be bleached or oxycleaned and always looks crisp and fresh.
Q: What Do You Do For Window Coverings In A Bathroom?
A: Both of our bathroom windows are blissfully bare. We’re lucky that they each overlook the backyard (so privacy isn’t an issue), but we like the look of shades, blinds, or even frosted window film or spray. There are lots of options for the bathroom, so as long as you don’t go with floor length curtains you’ll be a-ok. Sometimes the best idea is to peruse a shelter magazine or the internet for a bathroom you love and see how they addressed the windows and follow their lead. Inspiration is everywhere!
Q: What Do You Do About Privacy With Your Blind / Curtain Combo?
A: We actually never lower the bamboo blinds or close the curtains for privacy (we have a good amount of space between the houses in our neighborhood and we hang out in the den at night, which isn’t visible from the street (it’s behind that front fireplace that you see in our header- so there’s no front window to watch The John & Sherry Show from the street).
That being said, we do have those cheap-o white inside-mount roller shades in the bedrooms to block the light at night. The great thing is that they tuck right under our higher-mounted roman shades so no one’s the wiser that they even exist when they’re up. Anything from an interior mounted hidden roller shade to some pull-up 2″ blinds are perfect to use for privacy (since you can pull them up and “hide them” behind your bamboo blinds or roman shades when they’re not in use).
Q: What Curtain Length Do I Use On 96″ French Doors?
A: Good news! The Ikea curtains are great because they come with iron-on hem tape (no sewing, just fold the curtains where you wish they’d stop and iron the hem tape onto the bottom for an instant no-sew hem). But even though they’re easy to hem, it’s even easier to just hang those 98″ panels above your transom (wash them before you hang ‘em to pre-shrink them to make sure they don’t look too short for your perfectly mounted rod!). It’ll look great. And if you just wanted to mess around with the hem tape for fun, you could always get the 118″ curtains and hang them about 6″ above your transom for a bit more breathing room and height (and then just break out that iron, baby!).
Q: What Color Or Finish Curtain Rod To You Prefer?
A: We usually like oil-rubbed bronze or black rods best for our home (they feel classic without drawing a lot of attention to themselves), but chrome rods can look amazing and become more of a modern touch in contemporary rooms (especially with grommeted curtains). White rods can definitely work in certain situations but we find that thin white metal rods can feel a bit too dainty (you want your rods to be understated but not to look too flimsy for the long floor-length curtains they’re supporting). There are tons of gorgeous options out there though (our den ones, pictured below, are from Target), so it’s really just a matter of personal preference!
Q: Would It Look Weird To Have Different Height Curtains On On Wall? We Have A Sliding Glass Door Next To Windows…
A: 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 curtains at the same level (cheat one set higher so they look more symmetrical and balanced). Voila: height, softness and elegance to spare.
Q: What would you guys suggest for windows that have vertical blinds that can’t be removed (we rent)? Also, in a room that has contemporary black furniture, would you suggest white panels or black panels on those windows? Do you match your curtains to the main color of the room decor? Thanks so much!
Q: What About Curtain With Veritcal Blinds? We Rent.
A: When it comes to your curtain debacle, I’d generally steer clear of solid black curtain panels (since they can seem pretty heavy and dark) but something with a pattern that includes some black to tie them into your furnishings would be great (we love these from Ikea with white, black and green stripes). You can also choose to tie your curtains in with the wall color for an expansive and layered look or even with the upholstery on your sofa (say it’s tan, a cream curtain would complement that beautifully without feeling matchy-matchy). And when it comes to you vertical blinds, drawing them to one side and hiding them behind your curtain panels will make them virtually invisible (but they can still be used by pulling them back out when you need them). Similarly, horizontal blinds can be pulled all the way up and obscured behind bamboo blinds or roman shades when they’re not in use. Oh happy day.
Q: I know you guys are crazy about using white curtains for that light and airy look, but can bright saturated curtains work too?
A: They sure can. Check out this kitchen makeover that we helped Carla out with a few weeks back. This is her space before our accessory intervention…
And this is the same space after some paint and a few new accessories (including the vibrant green curtains that really make the space).
Q: Can I Use Blinds Or Curtain On Sliding Glass Doors?
A: Beth actually took our white-curtains-with-bamboo-blinds suggestion to heart when it came to her sliders, and here’s the amazing transformation. This is her valanced sliding door before…
… and her light and airy after:
The best part is that if you still want privacy (or are a renter) you can keep your vertical blinds pulled to the side and tucked behind one of the curtain panels to hide them when they’re not in use.
So there you have it. About a million curtain related queries and some lovely eye candy to demonstrate the power of curtains and blinds. Happy hanging everyone. And for more curtain related tips, tutorials and photos, check out our living room’s curtain & blind combination, and our den’s not-naked-anymore windows.
Update – Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint colors we used? Just click on this button:
Beth says
Thanks so much! I feel more confident about shopping for them. I picked-up three sets of blinds today – all wood, all white, so that they’d blend in better with the white molding all around the windows. The owner just got in a big shipment and is going to keep an eye out on other blinds that fit my windows. I think when I go back, I’m going to go ahead and get some bamboo shades, too. There are a few rooms that I really think they’d look great in.
And yes, I plan to flank them with curtains. :)
Thanks again!!
Beverley says
Hi! Thanks to your inspiration, I am planning on putting dark jute shades under white panels (perhaps Vivan) on our sliding glass door in our living room. I have 2 questions: 1) The sliding glass door is standard height/length but it has a space above it and then another small window above it (same length as the sliding door). That small window currently has a paper shade mounted inside of it. So, I’m wondering whether I should forego the jute shade thing altogether and just hang 3 Vivan panels above that high window (it’s about 109′) or if I should ignore that upper window and just hang 3 panels over the jute shades on the sliding glass door. I’m also wondering why you said you don’t ever lower your bamboo blinds as I was planning on having the jute shades there for light control when we need it. Thanks a bunch as always!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beverly,
We don’t lower our shades because we like light streaming in and we don’t have a privacy issue since our lot is pretty big but we totally could so you can too! Of course you also could also get white venetian blinds for under your bamboo blinds which you can lower to control light and pull up and “hide” behind the bamboo blinds if you think they’re better at light reduction/easier to use. As for where to mount the curtains/rod we would go right above the sliding door and leave the small window above it as it is. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kathy says
I recently discovered your blog through a friend’s suggestion and I am HOOKED! My boyfriend and I love this bamboo/panel idea and have been shopping for the best deals. Just yesterday while we were cruising through Home Depot, we came upon tons of bamboo roman shades on super clearance with an additional 10% off. They were priced from $7 to $28 for 23″ to 46″!! We cleared out 2 different stores and now have enough to do our whole house in different textures, colors and sizes. Now we’re on the hunt for super deals on rods and panels to make each room have its own unique style. Thanks so much for the great and simple idea and keep them coming!!
Kathy
YoungHouseLove says
Nice score Kathy! Gotta love a deal like that…
xo,
s
Sara says
It’s been a long time so I don’t know if you’ll read this, but I have a question too. Our master bedroom is tiny, with the bed between two windows, and the headboard is wider than the wall space by a few inches, so it covers the trim on those windows. If I were to hang curtains high and wide (actually if I hang them at all), they would have to go behind the headboard. Would that look ok or weird? Similar problem in the living room, our TV and speakers are between two windows. Would it look okay to have curtains coming behind the TV or should I stay closer to the actual window? Thanks so much for your help! Your blog is awesome, I love it!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sara,
That would look awesome! Check out the curtains behind our very own bed in the master bedroom (click the House Tour tab below the blog header to go there). We also have curtains behind our desk and on either side of our TV in the den, and behind our sofa in the living room. Just move everything about 6″ in front of the curtains so they can hang freely and it’ll look great. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sara says
Yay, thanks so much for your super quick reply! Now I’m excited, gotta get some curtains going in there! I just found your blog about a week ago and I have fallen in love. :) Thanks for blogging about all you’ve done on your house and for answering questions!
Dana says
I love, love, love your blog, your decorating advice, and your style. I just wanted to leave another cheap curtain rod possibility. I use conduit (used by electricians) for my curtain rods. I just spray paint the rods to match my finials, and save so much money. (I can get a 10 ft piece for under $5.) I like to hang my curtains high and wide and finding rods long enough and strong enough was very pricey. My father-in-law suggested conduit, and I have been hooked ever since. IKEA sells finials and curtain rod hooks (to hold the rod) that fit the conduit perfectly. Also, I use tablecloths for curtain panels. I can find them for about $10 a piece, and they wash up very nicely (no shrinking!). And, they are long enough for my wide and high mounting.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Dana,
Wow! Now that’s an awesome DIY solution- especially for those who can’t find a long enough rod. Thanks so much for the tip!
xo,
s
MelissaG says
I LOVE the bay window suggestion above. We moved from a 1920’s upper flat (2 family, kept as as rental) to a 1960’s tri-level…what a difference. I’m struggling so much with the lack of “character” (wood work, ceiling height etc). So happy to be here but SO confused as to what to do and what will work. I’m so excited about the fact that I can use 2 bamboo shaded on my big window and then use the white sheer panels…I had NO idea bay window rods existed, I’ve been looking at the wrong resources. If you have any tips/suggestions/resources on how to make a multi-level home work let me know by e-mail if possible. Thanks so much!
MelissaG says
Also, for the bay window…are these ikea curtains? With the lack of space we have in that area I’m almost certain we will need to use drapery rings too…can the ikea curtains you use, be used with rings? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey MelissaG,
Those aren’t Ikea curtains that we know of, but certain types of Ikea curtains can be used with rings (they eve sell clip rings there) so just drop in and see what they have that tickles your fancy. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
courtney says
HI,
could you use sheer black and white curtains over wood blinds? I am worried about mixing black and brown and the rules on this.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes definitely! It’ll look great. Wood blinds are like a neutral and so are black and white. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
julie says
We have two windows in our bedroom. One window would allow for floor length panels. However, the second window is above a window seat surrounded by built-in cabinets. We would not be able to hang panels that would reach the floor here. Do we go ahead and hang panels on just one window or do we only use roman shades to keep it the same?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
It’s really personal preference and we’ve seen different solutions that work in a number of ways, but we would probably hang curtains that are hemmed to the tops of the built-ins and matching floor length ones on the other window (that actually go to the floor). Curtains really soften a space and add breezy style so skipping them for roman shades might take a bit of magic (and added height) away from the space. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lori says
Hi,
We just moved into an older home where all of the heating is done via baseboard heaters, all of which are directly below each and every window we have! I really love the look of long curtains, but don’t want to set the house on fire! Any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lori,
Others have actually written with this question and it seems that long curtains aren’t worth setting the house on fire so our solution is to end them a few inches below the window so they’re breezy but not anywhere near the heaters. Either that or forgo curtains and just go for soft roman shades or textured bamboo blinds. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Gisele says
Hi! I really enjoyed looking at your site. We are looking for blinds for 25 windows in our house. We live in a wooded area and want to see nature as we look outside from the inside. We decided to go with wooden 2″ blinds. I’ll need to find curtains. I like what you created in your home and it gave me a lot of good ideas. Very inspirational. Thank you so much.
Gisele
Kari says
I am getting ready to hang curtains in my living room, again… So, coming across your blog has answered a ton of my questions…but of course I have more.:) My living room has 8 windows (yikes!)- 4 that are tall and narrow and set only 4-6 inches from the corners of the room and 2 smaller windows set above 2 tall windows centered on another wall. Making any sense at all? Dealing with the windows being so close to the corners is an issue, any ideas? Also, I love the shades with curtains look but with so many tall, narrow windows is this the best way to go? My room has tan, chocolate brown and rust red, would white panels be too harsh? I’m not sure what colors to use, it will be ALOT of whatever color I choose because there are so many windows. Any help would be great!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kari,
As for the shades with curtains look, for your space with so many windows it might be a bit much. How about just going with long floor length curtains on either side of each window to soften things up and keep the room feeling cozy so it’s not cold and “all glass” looking. As for problems with windows near corners, Ikea sells these great wire systems that can fit right into corners to hang curtains seamlessly- they’re not a traditional rod but they might do the trick to help you hang long breezy curtains all around the room without worrying about fitting them into corners. You can also go somewhere like JC Penney or Macy’s (in person, no online) and talk to people in the curtain department for more ideas and some hands-on help. Good luck!
xo,
s
Ann says
I love this post. I keep coming back to it.
I was originally going to go with roman shades in the house, but after taking down the 3 layers of curtains the previous owners had put up (roller shade, sheers, valance swags) I now know why the sheers were up. To hide the hideousness of the side of the neighbors home. Out of one window I can see the laundry vent and the natural gas thing.
Here’s the dilemma. We have wood in the house that is not painted, nor will it ever be, it’s a 1920 craftman home with very nice woodwork. Now I’m thinking 2″ blinds, to at least mask some of view next door. I don’t know if I should put up wood blinds or white. I am honestly not crazy about wood, but then I don’t know about white with the wood trim. What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
Crisp white blinds can definitely work with wood trim if you have other splashes of white in the space so it doesn’t look stark and out of place (like in the accessories, wall art, or upholstery since it’s not on the trim). If the rest of your room is more rich and saturated (historic greens, rich reds, deep tans and browns) then wood blinds in a similar color to the trim would be a better bet for a polished and cohesive effect. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ann says
Thanks!
Lynnita says
I have one window in the living room…a fireplace in the middle and then a single door that leads to the patio. All on one wall. Would it look strange just to hang a curtain on the one window?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! If the door that leads to the patio is glass (either a slider or a french door) we’d suggest flanking both the window and the door with curtains hung at the same height (about 3″ below the ceiling) and set wide enough not to interfere with the door. If the door is a solid exterior door just hang curtains around the window and try to bring the color/texture of the curtains into the room in other ways (pillows, accessories, etc) so it appears a few times in the space and feels balanced (instead of sticking out like a sore thumb). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lynnita says
Thanks this helps out alot. It is a glass door. One more question…we have 9ft ceilings, so the curtains should be long enough to reach the floor is that correct?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, they definitely should be no shorter than a quarter of an inch off the floor (they can also skim the floor or even pool on the floor for extra drama). You’re lucky to have such high ceilings, so you can even get away with hanging your curtains about 6-8″ below the ceilings (instead of just a few inches below them in a standard height room). You’ll still achieve the same height and elegance but it might be cheaper/easier to find curtains that are hung a bit lower since 9′ curtains are hard to come by! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Hannah says
This article and subsequent posts have helped me so much! I recently moved into a house and was eager to have the kitchen windows covered. So I invested in what were probably too expensive, custom roller shades and a roman shade. I think I hurried because I was so confused as to how to cover the doors in the kitchen.
The doors are side-by-side. One opens to the deck and one doesn’t. They are glass and the one doors swings inside to open. Judging from the post I would be better off getting some bamboo shades and white panels to hang over the doors, right? I just don’t know how I would hang them the bamboo shades. Should they be above the doors completely?
This leades me to another question: If I do this for the doors, what about the kitchen window? It’s a small window right over the sink so I can’t hang panels. Would just another set of bamboo shades be enough to bring the doors and window together?
I hope my rambling has made sense. I really appreciate you taking time to give me some advice. Your website has been a HUGE help to me!
Thanks!
Hannah
YoungHouseLove says
Not only does it make sense you totally know what we’re gonna say already! We would definitely do bamboo shades hung over the doors with white panels and a bamboo shade over the kitchen sink to tie everything together. As for where the bamboo shades should hang, as long as they don’t obstruct the use of the doors they can hang as low as you’d like, and you can use this post (where the same technique was implemented) as a visual guide. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah says
Sherry,
Thanks for the quick reply!
The only thing is the white panels would have to be pushed to one side of the doors only. The other side is the door that actually opens and it’s only about 2 inches from the door’s end and the countertops beginning. Would this still look okay??
Thanks!
Hannah
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, just cheat things so they look as balanced as possible (the rod doesn’t have to technically be centered above the doors as long as the curtain panels seem to frame things as equally as possible). We cheat things all the time (sometimes hanging a rod over 12″ to the left or right of center just to make a window appear to be more balanced (like the one behind our bed for example). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah says
Sherry,
The problem is the panels will only be able to hang on one side since there is no room on the other side of the door for the panel to hang. I think I understand what you mean about “cheating” though. I can basically hang the rod as far to one side as I want to, right? It’s too bad the cabinets get in the way on the other side…
We use the door frequently to let our do in and out of the house so having the panels on the side closest to the doorknob and two inches from the countertop would be really impractical. But it sounds like you think it would look okay to have the panels on just one side, so we’ll give it a try!
Thanks!
Hannah
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, you got it! Good luck and happy hanging…
xo,
s
Kait says
Hi! I love your site and visit it often, though this is my first comment. I’m about to move into a new apartment that has a huge, two story bay window in the front. While the light is amazing, I would like the option of closing the windows off with curtains for a little more privacy. The apartment is on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building and the window is not part of a bedroom, so even a single story solution would be fine. The main thing is I don’t want to do anything that would block the window too much when the curtains were open. Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.
Kait
YoungHouseLove says
Just hang a curtain rod high and wide over the bay window and select any type of privacy curtains that tickle your fancy (nothing too gauzy and see through). That way they’ll still let the light through but will allow you some privacy. And since your rods will be mounted wide you can throw them open for even more light or keep them shut for privacy. JC Penney, Ikea, Bed Bath & Beyond and West Elm are some of our favorite curtain sources and we like Ikea’s Vivan curtains so that’s a good place to start. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Grace says
I recently found your website and love the look of bamboo roman shades with sheer white curtains. I decided to use this look for 3 of our windows. Can you let me know how to shorten the length of the bamboo shades? They are all 74″ long. The average length of our windows from the ceiling to the bottom of the window is about 63″. Do you think it would look funny to leave them alone so that they hang 12″ below our window? Of course our curtains would be floor length. Thank you for your help!
YoungHouseLove says
We just make a knot in the pull cords to keep the blinds from extending past the bottom of the windowsill. Does that make sense? Just lower them to the desired length and make a knot in the cord that hits the top of the shade at that point so it can’t extend any lower. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Krista says
Hi,
I have brown real-wood blinds in my bay window in my bedroom that are relatively new and I don’t want to replace. I have recently bought black bedroom furniture and a grey duvet cover with merlot accents in it to match my pale purple walls (paler than lilac). I don’t know what to do with the brown blinds. I am thinking of getting a bay window rod and hanging panels that would pick up on the purple and the grey duvet.
What would you suggest?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds perfect! The wood blinds are a “neutral” in the room, so adding floor length curtains to pick up on the colors in the duvet should work beautifully. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kara says
This post has been super helpful! Can I ask what you would do about these kind of windows? Half round arch style window above a rectangle about 72″ tall window. Then to the outside of that are on each side a narrow 14″ wide window which at the top is quarter round. The ceiling is at 108″, but the top of the arch is at about 90″, top of the rectangle and quarter round windows is about 72″. I have the most beautiful silk dupioni panel in a steely blue color, which matches my wall color. I was thinking a double rod that allowed some kind of sheer or privacy curtain. I can’t decide if I should do blinds (custom and pricey) on all the windows. The arch already has a custom blind in it. If I hung panels to the outside of the quarter round windows and below the arch, the windows are so low to the ground already that I think I’d be emphasizing that. My bed is a pencil bed/canopy style. I could hang the panels and sheers all the way to the ceiling but if I do that I’m afraid all that wall space to the side of the arch (about 14″ and above the arch, about 18″) will look odd. The window either needs blinds or functional curtain, b/c we have to block light and gain privacy. It’s a master on the front of the house, facing street.
Thank you thank you thank you if you can help me! I am happy to email a photo of the window if you tell me where to send it. Kara
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kara,
We would definitely hang one long curtain rod under the arch (so it goes across the top of all three windows below) and hang four curtain panels on that rod. Two of them will flank the big window in the middle and one of each will flank the outside of the whole wall of windows. Then you can add blinds to block the light and add privacy (also hung at the same height as the curtain rod). Of course solutions like this are subjective and it’s all about what you like- but that’s what we would do! The curtain panels between the windows will make them look like one big wall of glass (since they’ll cover the sliver of wall between them) and although you think it might emphasize the shortness of the windows, the arched pane above them will still draw the eye up, and floor length curtains always add a nice vertical element to a room that creates height and rarely diminishes it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alicia says
Hello! I just found your blog recently and I love your ideas. I have found the curtain hanging tutorials and tips to be the most useful so far. I have a question I am hoping you can help me with. We have a large open great room that makes up the dining area as well as the living area. We have 5 various sizes of windows in the room and one large slider. We have white faux-wood blinds in all windows and the slider has the vertical blinds with a valance that sticks out several inches at the top. We have 9-foot ceilings and just hung burgundy sheers high and wide (almost to ceiling) for all the windows. I am lost as to what to do with the slider though. We need privacy, but I think the burgundy sheers might look strange with the vertical blinds showing underneath. Also, we’d have to remove the valance to hang any type of curtains/sheers, and this would expose the top of the vertical blinds. Also, the top of the slider is several inches higher than all the windows. Could I use a coordinating curtain, that is heavier material for privacy, or would this look off? Or, I thought about removing the vertical blinds and using the sheers with a bamboo blind combo, but we’d have to pull the bamboo blinds up and down, and I’m not sure how durable these are and if they come in that wide of a width. Sorry to ramble on, but any suggestions at all you might have would be very useful!! This stuff just doesn’t come natural to me! :)
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alicia,
Since the vertical blinds can be puled to the side and obscured by the burgundy sheers we would say go for it! Of course when you need privacy you’ll see the blinds and the sheers, but when you’re entertaining or want light streaming into the room you can tuck the verticals away and enjoy the look of the long floor-length curtains. Of course you can also bring in more heavy fabric to create a coordinating curtain set for those sliders so that’s also a great option (and you could remove the vertical blinds and pull the heavy curtains closed for privacy). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alicia says
Thank you so very much, Sherry! You guys are great and I really appreciate the quick reply!
Joe says
We are in the process of decorating our future son’s nursery. The room is toward the front of the house and has a large three panel casement window on the main wall. The window is goes from the ceiling 3/4 of the way down. It currently has wood blinds on it that we like a lot. We are planning to put a rod across the top and add navy blue drapes. The side wall has a double hung window that is obviously smaller and not at the same height as the main window. It is about 10 inches from the ceiling. So, my question, do we hang the rod for that window the same height as the other rod that is almost against the ceiling? Not sure if this made sense- but any thoughts would be appreciate. We are not good decorators and basically go by what the Pottery Barn kids catalog recommends.
Thanks again,
Joe
YoungHouseLove says
Yup! Hang them both at the same (higher) height. It’ll add balance and look great. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah says
We are at a complete loss regarding curtains in our new Tudor style home. There is literally a radiator beneath the window in almost every room in our house. Our dining room has 2 windows on each side of the fireplace with a radiator beneath each, 2 windows with radiators in the living room and master bedroom and a radiator beneath the windows in the nursrey and guest bedroom. Luckily there are covers on the ones in the bedrooms but not in the dining room or living room. Any suggestions?
Oh and the living and dining room have the original wood stained trim and my husband refuses to paint it white :(
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sarah,
Just scroll up to read our last explanation about dealing with radiators. You basically can choose between heat resistant curtains if you can find them or just use blinds and valances instead. Of course for windows you can used hemmed curtains that fall just below the window as well. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
joanna says
I have a window in my bedroom that looks very similar to the one you have in your master bedroom above the bed. It is a wide, short window. What did you use to cover that window? Right now I don’t have anything on the window but I need to block some of the light. Privacy isn’t an issue since the window is up high. I have roman blinds on the other 2 windows in the room but this window is too wide to fit a standard size. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
We have curtains hung on either side of the window that could be drawn for privacy but we actually leave it open to let the light in (we don’t mind it at night since our neighborhood is pretty dark once the sun sets). You could use anything from bamboo blinds and roman shades to faux wood blinds (like the ones we recently picked up for our nursery at Home Depot- they cut them for free so even if your window isn’t a standard size it should be no problem). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shubhangi says
I have two windows in my drawing room. One is from floor to 7′ height & other just opposite that with 3′ sill & 7′ top (i.e. 4′ ht. of window).I’m confuse about lenght of curtain in small window.Is it should be same as in main window that is 7′ ht. or it sould be upto sill level.Plz help..
YoungHouseLove says
We think all curtain rods in a room should be hung at the same height and all curtain panels should be the same length if at all possible (to add balance) so mount each rod at the same height (a few inches above 7″) and allow each curtain panel to be floor length- even with the sill. It will look breezy and balanced. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shubhangi says
Thanks a lot for helping me. I have another problem in room of my house. In m.bedroom I have a window with fixed a window A.C. on it.I have to cover this window but its difficult to decide about curtain pattern.Though A.c. is fixed on right upper portion of window.so what i should do to cover the window in the same time when A.C. is on.Window size is 6’x4′.
YoungHouseLove says
We would do the bamboo blind and floor length curtain combination recommended in this very post. The bamboo blind can be lowered to hide the AC when it’s not on and raised when it is- and the curtain panels will make the window feel bigger and the ceilings feel higher. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Miranda says
My bedroom has cathedral ceilings which are nice but it is creating a window treatment problem for me! I have a sliding glass door and a single window on one wall. My problem is this: I can hang my curtains higher over the sliding glass doors than the single window due to the location of the window. I can only hang a curtain right above the height of the window due to the ceiling being at its lowest point. Since they are on the same wall and the same height, do I just hang all my curtains lower in the room so they are uniform? Or do I hang my curtains higher over the slider because I can? OR do I just do a blind over the single window and “high and wide” curtains and blinds over the slider? Help! What would YHL do?
I hope this made sense :) And thank you for all your fabulous advice! You have made a loyal YHL follower of me!
YoungHouseLove says
Without standing in your space (and possibly even experimenting with a few options) we can’t say what we’d do for sure, but we’re inclined to suggest hanging everything at the same (lower) height so there’s balance and some nice eye-pleasing symmetry. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sabrina says
I can’t believe you actually answer all these questions! You guys are awesome. I just googled my problem and of course this old post from you guys popped up!
Problem: 18 ft (not REALLY a problem) bay window! It is actually a set of 8 windows, four on top, four on bottom inside the bay. The bottom for have inside mount wood blinds but the top to not. We love the light but I really think it would soften and pull the room together if I could do window treatments but have no idea what to do. 18 ft panels? Is that too much? Happy to see the bay window solution and image here because I have the same (lower height) in my bedroom too.
Thanks!! Sabrina
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we would definitely do long curtain panels at full height of the entire bank of windows hung a bit wide if there’s room, just for proportion (so they don’t look too skinny and dinky). It’ll really soften things up and add breezy ambiance. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Wendy says
Hello :) and thanks for sharing your *wonderful* experiences with home decor/renovation!
I have a very similar layout/window(s) to your living room and love the way you’ve dressed the windows. I’m wondering – do you have enough panels to fill the width of the window when drawn out? Or, are they a single set on each side more for show.
I’m going to be mimicking your LR window treatment and would love to know how many panels I should buy!
Thanks so much!!
W
YoungHouseLove says
In our case the breezy white panels are just for show (to add height and softness) but you can hang more panels for a fuller look and then you can draw them for privacy if you’d like.
xo,
s
Wendy says
Yippee! SO nice of you to answer my question so quickly. I actually prefer the lighter look of the panels. I can just hear my mother saying “You have to get twice the the width!!” Now, I feel like I have permission to go forward my (I mean, your:) way. Thanks so much!
Christi says
We are in the process of purchasing our first home and I have the awesome task of deciding how I want to design it. :) I think we have finally decided to paint the kitchen walls a tan color, paint the cabinets black and use red as an accent color. The main thing that I can’t figure out is what kind of curtain to get. It is an eat in kitchen and there is only one window, but there is a door that leads to the deck that also has a window. What kind of curtain should I use? Does it need to be short or long? I found some really pretty red sheer 84″ curtains at Target, but I didn’t know if those would be too long for the window? Any advice? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely go for those pretty red sheer curtains. They sound great and you can always return them if you hang them up and they don’t work for you. As for the window in the door, you can buy a second set of the red sheers and hang them on that if you’d like- it’s really all about what looks good to you when you’re standing there in your space. Good luck!
xo,
s
Becki says
I have a curtain dilemma! We have a chocolate brown sofa and almost white walls (painting them isn’t an option as we have 25 ft ceilings and would have to hire it out). There are also three huge windows…one a sliding glass door, a huge windown about 3 ft to the right of that (on the same wall) and then a window on adajecent wall.
Should I pick the same curtain/color for all three windows? Would white be “too white” in a room with a very light tan? I’m thinking tan curtains would be to monochromatic. We have 2 inch white wood blinds on the windows right now.
This has been bugging me for MONTHS…I can’t wait to hear if you have any suggestions!!! Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, definitely hang all the same curtains to keep things feeling balanced and cohesive. We love white curtains (even in a white-walled room) because they feel really breezy and fresh, so we say go for it. Ikea has some great panels if you’d like to check those out. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meryl says
Hello Sherry,
Your site is so full of great info! I’m looking for ideas and need some suggestions for curtains and furniture too.
The interior paint color for the house is light brown and very similar to your living room walls. The flooring is white tiles with a greyish pattern.
1) We have a formal dining, formal living, family, breakfast area. Would you recommend sticking with the same color/theme for window treatment?
2) The kitchen is open to the family room. Kitchen cabinets are a onyx/expresso color with light brown countertop. The window in the family room is about 8 ft wide. Window in breakfast is about 6 ft wide with smaller window on either side. All these overlook a manmade lake. We’re not into bamboo and we’re gearing towards blinds coz of privacy but still want something to soften the look.
Do you think having vertical blinds on the larger windows but horizontal blinds on the smaller ones will look ok?
What colors do you think would look good?
3) What color furniture would fit in with the whole look?
Thanks much for your tips.
-Meryl
YoungHouseLove says
It’s really all about personal preference so there’s no right answer to any of your questions. Since you don’t like bamboo you might want to check out white or naturally toned wood or faux wood blinds for all the windows in your house (we like when they’re all kept consistent but again that’s up to you). Then you can use white or cream or linen or sand colored curtain panels throughout your house to complete the breezy and cohesive effect (any of these neutral tones will easily work in all of your spaces). Those neutral colors also work for furnishings (along with mocha and rich chocolate wood tones) so stay classic with those items and add in color with accessories and art. Plus you can always tear out rooms from magazines that you like to use as inspiration. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meryl says
Oh yes – blinds and curtains on the windows:-)
Meryl says
Oh yes that helps a ton! Thank you so very very much:-)
– Meryl
tammie says
I have a wide window in my bedroom that was replaced with 2 side by side smaller windows. The opening is 96Wx26H. It’s a very small bedroom 10×8. The windows are 12inches from the 8ft ceiling. Should I treat it as 1 window or 2, and should I use blinds or not? This is the only natural light in this north facing room. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
There’s no right answer here, so you could treat it as one big window or as two smaller ones. But for the expansive effect of one larger window (which will make a small room feel larger) we would suggest treating it as one. Just hang one curtain rod high and wide (at least 18″ wide on each side) and use two long floor length curtain panels to soften things up and create the illusion of added height. Then grab one long bamboo blind or roman shade to put across the top of both windows to further tie them together and continue the illusion that they’re one window. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
RebeccaMay says
Hi YoungHouseLove!
You guys are so window covering savvy- I love it! I’m stuck with what to do for my basement windows. Our basement is halfway underground, with the bottom of the windows starting 3 1/2 to 4 feet from the floor. The problem is that we have a ledge which runs the entire length of the wall and sticks out 4 inches (it can’t be removed). Do you have any ideas of what to do for a practical and stylish window treatment? I’d LOVE to do floorlength curtains, but think they might look weird sticking out so far from the wall. (Also, we’ve got a sectional right in front of the window, which would get in the way). Currently, we’ve got bamboo blinds. They’re okay, but I’m hoping to bring in some fabric. Any suggestions?
Muddled in Minnesota,
Rebecca
YoungHouseLove says
They’ll actually look great! Check out this basement makeover we did with floor length curtains and a 4″ window ledge. Thanks to rods (which always set curtains out a bit from the wall) the ledge is hardly noticable and the floor to ceiling curtains add so much height to a room like a basement that they’re priceless.
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/07/corinnes-design-dilemma-solved/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
NingMommy says
I absolutely adore the way you dress your windows. I’m about to close escrow this week so everything is so exciting for me. I have a sliding door in my family room and I wanted to do something similar to the pictures you have from Beth. My question is we have these old mocha micro-suede couches that will go in the family room, which has a light yellowish wall color. Would the white curtains fit this scheme? Or should I go with another color?
Another question regarding window treatment styles: I wanted to do a classic look for our living room with stone flooring and shutters for the windows. However, would it be too abrupt to enter family room/bedroom, where I try to copy your bamboo/white panel window treatments?
YoungHouseLove says
We find that white curtains go with nearly everything because they’re so crisp (something creamy might not go with the yellowish wall, but white would look nice and clean against the yellow wall and with the mocha couches). Especially if you have other white elements in a room (like white trim, white lamp shades, white accessories like a tray on the coffee table, etc). If you have another dominant accent color (like pale blue) that would also be a nice curtain color possibility as well. And you can always get a few different colored panels from a place like Bed Bath & Beyond and hang them up and see which ones you like best (and return all the rest). Oh and as for the bamboo & white window treatment idea for your living room with the stone flooring, it sounds like a really nice balance so it should look great! But again, you can always buy a few options and see what you like best. Good luck!
xo,
s
Mel says
Hello again,
I’m still at a loss. The big window in the family is 107″ wide by 95″ tall. We want something like blinds – so we can see thro’ but also close completely. However, there’s nothing that wide in one piece. And putting three pieces together would leave a lot of wands and cables hanging. Would you have any suggestions? Thanks, Mel
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a toughie since if you don’t want cords hanging down from combining multiple treatments the only other option is to find something that’s custom made to be that big. Oh and you can look into cordless blinds (which you can pull up and down without using cords at all). Otherwise you can always hang a bunch of curtains that can be drawn to offer privacy and forget blinds completely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
NingMommy says
First of all, you’re so awesome for maintaining your site and answering all of our questions in a timely manner. Thanks so much!!! I just realized that I have a little arch window in the kitchen near the sliding door to the backyard. The it’s a semi-circle arch directly above a rectangle about 24″ by 36″. I do plan to use your bamboo/white panel idea on the sliding door, now what should I do with this tiny window so it still maintains a simple, modern look? I was thinking of covering the whole thing with a white fabric roman shade, pretending that it’s a rectangular window or something…
YoungHouseLove says
We actually like to leave those arch windows undressed so light can pour through them. With curtains and blinds on the larger window beneath it it’ll still look nice and balanced and polished. Hope it helps.
Mark says
We built an energy efficient house with a Victorian look. Our floors are Brazilian rosewood and all our doors and window trim is fir with a darker cherry stain. Need help deciding what to do for window coverings as far as colors and style. We do not want to cover the window trim work so we were thinking vertical blinds so people are not able to see in for privacy. Are there any other options? , and what color blinds would you recommend? Wood or Faux wood? Our house is Benjamin Moore Hawthorne yellow with darker cherry windows outside with white trim. Inside is mainly light yellow and off white. Your input would be appreciated.
Regards Mark
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mark,
It’s all about personal preference and if you visit a place like Home Depot’s window treatment area you’ll see that you have tons of options. Vertical blinds have been called “dated” lately but anything that’s inside mounted (which means it’s hung inside the trim of the window) will offer you privacy. We especially love the inside mounted bamboo shades from our bathroom (see those here) or the white faux wood shades that we hung in our nursery (see those here). Just check out a place like Home Depot or Lowe’s and ask what they have that can be inside mounted and pick what looks best to you. It’s totally a personal choice, so anything from white to off white and even a shade of tan or darker cherry would look lovely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mary says
I have a patio door in a bay area that has a window on each side of it. I want to get rid of the horizontal blinds in the windows and the vertical blinds on the patio (slider)door. What kind of treatments would look good on both the windows and the door? I need privacy at times and light at other times. Please help.
YoungHouseLove says
Hang one long rod all the way across the patio door and the two windows that flank it. Then add four curtain panels to that single rod (one for each side of the door and one for the outer sides of each window). Next bring in roman shades or bamboo blinds if you’d like (scroll back though this article for a visual of a sliding door with curtains and bamboo blinds). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tricia says
I have a question about a large bedroom with 2 windows on one long wall at (different widths and heights – one at 102″ from floor and the other at 89″ from floor) and another large window on adjoining wall that is much taller (115″ from floor) because of a vaulted ceiling. I want to hang matching panels to add color and warmth to the room. Will it look odd to hang the same length panels on the 2 windows on the same wall at the same height, and then hang longer panels from the larger window? Thanks for your thoughts!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, that’ll look great and it’s actually what we would recommend. Good luck!
xo,
s
aleda lella says
My walls are entirely white throughout the house. Is it OK to have matching white horizontal blinds on every window? I thought about a light tan [flooring is a similar, matching shade] but can’t make up my mind. The tan may be more interesting for it’s contrast to the walls but I feel white is more versatile in case I later paint a wall in a color, or want to put up colored curtains. Thank you! Aleda
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Aleda,
Oh yeah, the white blinds and the white walls will feel airy and seamless, and you can always add color with art, bedding, upholstered and stained or painted furnishings, curtains, pillows and more. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Valerie says
I’m sorry if this is a repeated q. I have a 1930’s house with tiled fireplaces and a bay window downstairs with stained glass on top, leaded light underneath and a sill, under the sill a radiator. The room is north facing so tends to be dark. I don’t need to have curtains that close as the house isn’t really overlooked. What suggestions can you give me for window dressing. I’m at a loss. I don’t like the look that has four curtains spaced across. I don’t like short curtains either.
I hope you can help
Regards
Valerie
YoungHouseLove says
Well, our suggestion would be to do two floor length curtains (just for looks since they don’t have to function) which flank the bay window and add height (hung above or below the stained glass top window- your call). But since you have a radiator maybe hanging them extra wide would allow the panels to fall all the way to the floor without being a fire hazard. Hope it helps!
xo,
s