What length drapes? Can't decide!

15 years ago

I have made some progress on my living room window. Someone is making me a valance and panels. The valance will be slightly curved, with no gathers, and will be layered UNDER the panels. The panels will be basic straight panels, hanging on each side of the window. Valance is a gold color w/ small multi-colored diamonds. The panel fabric is a stripe in the same colors. Anyway, my only question is whether to make the panels floor length or sill length. If I make them sill length I could close them if I needed to, although that is not my intention. I'm just not sure what I want to do, and I'm looking for votes! The LR is not a formal room.

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Comments (13)

artlover13060
15 years ago
I think the proportions would be better with full length. I'm not sure what you mean by the valance will be under the panels. Can you elaborate?
Sueb20
Original Author
15 years ago
Sorry, I knew that would be confusing. I have a picture from a magazine; wish I had a scanner! The valance will be hung on a small, flat, rod (which you won't see) behind the curtain rod that you can see in the photo. It will run the horizontal length of the window. It will look kind of like the valance pictured in the link below. (Without the sheer!)

Here is a link that might be useful: valance
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squirell - Thank you! Thank You! I really appreciate it, sorry I wasn't able to come back to it until now. To answer your question on sitting in the bed. No we don't. I can't even think of one instance when we have. I really like a few of them. We'll never have pillows on the bed though like that although it looks nice they'd never be on the bed, but always on the floor (speaking from experience), however if we have a headboard I could plop up the current pillows. I like this one as the height seems right for those and I like the panel height in this one (but not sure about the shades or a valance with it as I lean towards simpler and non-formal looks) Would this as shown be too much with a headboard? The wall height is 9' and I'm looking at 95-96" drapes if I go that route. It would leave a 1' gap which I think will be perfect once we finally add trim to windows and crown molding. No shutters as I only like them with trim. Though everything looks odd to me on windows without trim. We choose between those and the 2" wood blinds initially and decided we wanted to be able to fully open without having shutters that swung out over the bed or in the traffic path on the other window. We are getting a bed eventually just on a budget at the moment. The one I managed to fit in there is the current choice, though I think my scale is off when I did it. The inspiration pics also have pics with just the flat part on top of the windows. In the ones I posted the dining area has that. JCPenney has some tab tops on sale now so I guess I could get those and return if I don't like it in person when hung. However if I then needed to go the shade route - will that mean I need to move the rod down as they will be slightly higher than the one shown above. I'd like to try to avoid too much stuff. Does the shades work with a headboard?
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pam14
15 years ago
I vote for full length. If you wanted to close them, how much clearance do you have between the wall and the radiator?
cooperbailey
15 years ago
I get the layering. nice. I have radiators too, and I have totally given up on full length curtains because when you close them they bunch up and don't hang right behind the radiators. Maybe you have more room behind radiators.Just a reality of of mine with radiators and my old house.
Sueb20
Original Author
15 years ago
There is zero clearance between the wall and the radiator. The radiator itself is probably 3" from the wall and the wood cover butts right up against the wall. If any curtain were to be closed, it would have to be sill length. Since we have the wood blinds for privacy, I don't intend to close the drapes, but if I ever wanted to for some reason, I wouldn't be able to close them if they were floor-length.
bonnieann925
15 years ago
Full length for sure. I'd put the valance over the panels, not under.
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
15 years ago
I grew up in a house with beautiful windows & woodwork just like yours. My mom had some full length curtains, but no radiators. In her bedroom she had them just at the sill & they looked really nice too.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
15 years ago
Another vote for floor length. I think it makes a huge difference to the look of a room. Just think of them as side panels instead of curtains.
theroselvr
15 years ago
Full length and I'm not getting putting the valance under the panels. Perhaps you mean that the panels will not move and sit on each side, but usually the valance hides the rod.

If you want to close full length you could do some sort of arm on each side then drape them so they don't touch the radiator.
Sueb20
Original Author
15 years ago
Here is a picture of the valance layered under panels. Not a great pic, but it's the best I could do!
pharaoh
15 years ago
Ceiling to floor
totallyblessed
15 years ago
I vote all the way to the floor.
And I LOVE seeing valances UNDER the panels. Sounds wierd until you see them.
A few of my favorite decorators on this forum have various "valances" under their panels, (some more like roman blinds, but don't function, so I guess those are still considered a valance??). I like the look, as Sueb posted above. I guess I look at a valance in that application as being sortof like seeing a peek of underclothing or something. Sexy, but subtle. That probably sounds weird. LOL!
Anyway, I like your ideas. And if you are having blinds that function, I don't see the need for the sill length. Go for the elegance of the floor to ceiling!!!
Sueb20
Original Author
15 years ago
Finally, it's all done. Sorry, for some reason this pics are showing up sideways!

What length drapes? Can't decide!

Comments (13)

artlover13060

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