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Home Decorating

Window Treatments and Transoms

15 years ago

I am building a new house and most of the first floor windowns are 5 ft tall with 18" transoms above. I have never treated windows like this before and was wondering what is typically done in this set up.

- Curtains over only bottom window, tansom exposed

- Long curtain covering all windows (in this case would I use extra long curtains to hang to floor or just cover windows?)

- 2 seperate curtains for window and transom.

Thanks

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Comments (4)

ttodd
15 years ago
I have very similar sounding windows downstairs:

I hung 1 large matchstick blind below the transom to cover the 3 lower windows and then panels on both sides on a rod hung 1/2 way between the top og the transom trim and ceiling.
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Window Accents by Vanessa Downs
15 years ago
It really depends on what you want to do. Usually people don't want to cover up the transoms after they've spent alot of money for them!

I generally see blinds in the lower windows leaving the transoms open because of the trim that separates the 2.

When I do drapery treatments for windows with transoms, I personally like to treat the entire window going above the transom; otherwise the window tends to look squatty and cut off. But, sometimes people want to treat the lower window only.

Why don't you live in your home for a bit and see what kind of glare/sunlight you'll get and then decide what to do.
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Your place is more MCM than you let on! I have seen photos somewhere of a solution to this. But for the life of me, I can't remember where. What the person had done was: make a cutout the shape of the window out of something substantial but not too heavy -- maybe a piece of lauan wood or oysterboard/foamcore? Then it was hung in front of the window on hook eyes or something. Then a string was attached to it, and run up to the ceiling through an eye and then down to where it could be secured on one of those little cleats on the wall. That way the string could be pulled and it would pull the cover "up" to allow the light in. But most of the time it just hung in front of the window. It could be painted the color of the blinds below, or you could take the opportunity to put a graphic on it that the kids might like.
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i get privacy-neurotic spouses... are there neighbors windows that can look down through the transom, or is this 'there might be a drone' kind of issue? and its one issue in a bedroom and another in a dining room. i went with curtains below and drapes full height but pretty much never close the drapes unless its reallly reallly cold and blowy outside then it makes the room snug. you wont have that issue in florida tho. but he might learn to not need the drapes closed after dark and meanwhile in day time it would look much much better. its a southern exposure so i do like the filmy curtains closed on sunday mornings when we are reading the papers in our jammies, and at night so its not big black holes of windows.
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Beautiful transom window! Do you open those windows for ventilation? If so, mounting either a single wide or three smaller shades to drop below the transom might work out better, so you can raise them for the air to pass through. Have you considered window film? I used it once many years ago with acceptable results in a laundry room. If you have a really steady hand it might work out in plain view. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/home-window-solutions-us/?utm_term=tebg-csd-winhome-en_us-lead-us_windowfilm-cpc-google-residential-wtb-na-aug19-na&ef_id=CjwKCAiAirb_BRBNEiwALHlnD3axx4GTV5Y9mqreIeyYe3WwUCTWLZbPSs502B5MJSPzWhTO08xJ9RoCQ_MQAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!5261!3!286843020223!e!!g!!window%2520film&WT.source=google&WT.medium=cpc&WT.term=window%2520film&WT.campaign=&WT.adgroup=&WT.creative=&WT.content=text&WT.srch=1&utm_medium=redirect&utm_source=vanity-url&utm_campaign=17_Adb_3MWindowFilms_Paid_Search
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Unless the builder screwed up, this would be very cost prohibitive at this point as others have alluded to. I like the idea of using window treatments to correct the lines visually at this point from the interior, not sure how this all lays out on the exterior and if anything is needed there. Be careful about the tempered glass thing as well, that will vary by location, your situation doesn't require it everywhere. Ultimately your builder is on the hook for making sure that this is code compliant.
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patricianat
15 years ago
Transoms are the window treatment. Architects and contractors went to great lengths to bring these beauties into our homes. Let's not cover them up with dusty fabric or plastic blinds.
oceanna
15 years ago
How about using Gallery Glass on plexiglas to make your own stained glass inserts for your transoms? Or, make it right on the window panes. Michael's Arts & Crafts can help you.

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