Okay, here are pics of my kitchen. I didn't know how to rearrange them to show the pertinent ones. But, the bamboo blinds have two inch rings, so I was hoping for a smaller rod than 1-3/8 because they don't slide easily on one. But, you can see how close my other window is, which is why I don't want one sticking way out 7 inches out. That would be very noticeable. Is there any way to keep my rod and use something else underneath that won't look too awful since it will be seen when standing at the side. Anyone know of any golden oak double rods that don't stick out too far that have a small rod in back. I found a Martha Stewart one, but it has a pocket for two 1-3/8 rods and sticks out 7-1/2 inches! Any help at all would be appreciated. I know nothing about all this curtain rod stuff and it all confuses me! Thanks for any help you guys can give me. Oh, that one weird pic on Photo Bucket is the room I have under the valance. The bracket the valance is on now sticks out 4-1/2 inches. The bamboo blinds would only need to stick out about 3 inches. Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Valance Pictures

Are you talking about something that looks like the picture in the link below? If so, the curtain does not have to be attached to them. You just tuck them behind the large round part at the front and they should hold just fine. Here is a link that might be useful:

We lived in a 100+ yr old house with plaster walls. We always hung the rods from the wood trim on the Windows. We didn't have a problem hanging pictures or heavy mirrors. We usually just used large picture hangers, the kind with the nail already in them that go in at a slant. If you try to drill a screw straight into the wall I don't think you will get a good solid hold because the screw will go completely through the plaster and wood lath used to hold the plaster on it. You may be hitting a nail in the lath which is why the bit broke.. I would, go to the local hardware store and ask them what to use to hang curtain brackets on a plaster wall. They should be able to help, surely there is a fix for it.

I would put a top down, bottom up opaque shade, mounted on the cross piece below the arched window. With a remote control, you could raise the shade when you need privacy and lower it when you don't. It would be almost invisible when open and folded down and looks like it could be raised almost to the upper corner of the wall. Then I'd have a romantic cornice board or valance made to hang just over the top of the arch, filling in the whole top of the wall, so that when the blind is closed it fits up under it to totally cover the window. It would also hide any blind hardware at the top of the arch. You might lose a tiny bit of the view from the very tippy-top of the arch window where the valance hangs down, but not much. Kind of like this, but more in your romantic style - without the draperies: Or look at this! adjust a view!