I'd probably use one pole and have three sections covering the middle. How many panels do you have?

I love the new pillow covers, I didn't realize you just bought the covers I thought you went with the whole pillow. Their covers are the best!

What kind of drapes did you buy? They look lovely and I love the color. I too am in the middle of a living room redo project but have gotten stuck on the drapes. I found two sets at Ikea that are surprisingly nice. One set are grommet drapes made out of a soft cotton fabric and the other is a linen looking fabric that uses back tabs, both in a soft ivory. I don't usually care for Ikea and was really surprised at how much I liked these.

I think your room is coming together very nicely. Love your couches. You had better luck than we did, we're on our third attempt to get undamaged sofas in the fabric we ordered. :c( I can't wait to see your finished room!

I decided to go with some panels I found at Bed,Bath and Beyond. The 84" is $24.99 and the 95" is $34.99, so I couldn't beat that. I've only bought one panel so far because I'm cheap and I've been waiting for some more of their 20% off coupons. I have two coupons right now, so I need to try and get over there this weekend. Even though they're not linen, the curtains have a similar texture to linen which I like. Another thing I like is the color of the curtains is similar to the background color in the Bosporous curtains in my bedroom which you can see from the family room, so everything seems to flow. I'll post a link to the curtains in case it's anything you could use. You can see the texture in the detail zoom.

Did your furniture come from Bassett also or somewhere else? I had heard about problems with Bassett, so I used my credit card just in case I had any trouble.

I forgot to mention my other small project...my new doorknobs. These look so much better than what I had.

Here is a link that might be useful: Barbados curtains

I was at BB&B just the other day looking at Sheers, they have some nice draperies right now. And the price for yours was wonderful. I can't wait to see them once you get them up.

I'm trying to keep our costs low too, but there's nothing wrong with that right? I love a good bargain! The IKEA drapes were only 19.99/pair for the Grommet drapes and the back tabs were only 29.99/pair. What's cool is they're 57 inches wide and 93 inches long. They hang with a nice airy feel and aren't hemmed so they can be sized to any length. Just like you, I'm going to have to coordinate the flow you mention with our dining room window and am starting to realize how hard that's going to be. I think I'll be pulling out the sewing machine for that. How lucky you found something that will work so well. Drats I have 2 BB&B coupons sitting on the table, I wish I could just pass them over to you.

I love the door knob color, very nice. I bet it does make a big difference, I know when we changed ours to the brush nickle from the yellow brass it was a nice change. The ORB is very sharp looking.

The sofas we've been ordering have been Broyhill. Originally, we bought a sofa & love seat as well as a table/chairs and server from a local store. Two weeks later it was all delivered and none of it worked. The server was damaged, the table set was too big and I hated the sofa/love seat. We ended up paying a 15% restocking fee to return the sofa/love seat and to avoid other fees we chose a different table set & server.

I saw this sectional on line & then located a local store who carried it. We ordered a larger version with an extra piece in it. Yes, we definitely paid with a credit card as well and when it arrived damaged and in the wrong fabric, I was so glad we did. And would you believe the new table set and side board also arrived damaged. grrrr. We're now waiting on our third attempt to get it right. It's frustrating. Any who, it's great that your new couches worked out on the first delivery. They are beautiful!

This is the new couch we're expecting in a month or so. I can't wait!

I missed seeing the link you provided and had to come back to say I saw those at the store the other day and fell in love with them!!! They're gorgeous. The only reason I didn't get them is because I will be opening and shutting them all the time and feel the grommet or back tab would be better for that. Probably the grommet is best. Love the choice though, they'll look great in your space!

Can't offer much advise re the curtains but love the new doorknobs and love the new pillow covers.

I don't know if you already have the inserts but I just found a Fabric Wholesale store and they sell the down 18x18 inserts for less than $10. Pottery Barn has good inserts also.

lukkiirish - Love the sectional! I can't imagine how frustrated you must be though.

juddgirl - I ordered the PB inserts without even thinking and then it dawned on me later that I probably could have gotten them cheaper somewhere else. Oh well.

Love the new pillow covers! Will the drapes be operational, or purely decorative? I'd like to see one long rod with 3 drapery panels, one covering the middle. I can't tell how much space is on the left of the left window, though. Is there enough space there where it won't look cramped?

Laurie:
I'm going to be the sole dissenter here. I don't think your new pillow covers do anything to enhance the beauty of your new sofas. They're okay, they match, but they don't offer any real contrast. You've worked too hard on your new place to settle for okay.

I found the below picture, on Mrs. Howard's blog, which reminds me of your sofa, your style, and the calm, neutral look you're going for. Notice how they've added a bit of patterned color, with some contrast, to the sofa. I think you need the same. Maybe if you add 2 more patterned pillows to your new ones, you could achieve the same look.
Dee

Laurie,

I love your couches!

I have to agree with Dee. The PB pillows are nice but they really don't add much to your room. Why not pick a print as she has suggested? Then you can incorporate those colors into the room.

Also, are you planning on feather inserts? I think they would look much better.

Thanks! We are using the damaged one on loan and it is really comfy.

Now I bought the PB inserts as well and they're down filled which I like much better than the batting filled ones. They fluff back up easily and don't get permanently flat the way batting filled ones do. I don't know how much you paid for yours, but I got mine at the PB outlet for less than 10.00 each which was cheaper than the ones at Joanns!

Dee does have a point about the coloring of the covers blending and not offering any contrast. That's what I do love about having covers though because you can swap and switch as you like.

There's only 8" to the left of the window and 27 1/2" inbetween the two windows. Would it look funny to have just one panel on each end with nothing in the middle?

I was afraid y'all weren't going to like the PB pillows since they were on clearance and I can't return them. I can always put them on ebay if I decide not to keep them. I had this thought the other day that pillows for my sofa can kind of be like jewelry for a person. I can change them out and have a few little accents pieces around the room to coordinate with each set. I was telling my mother about my idea the other day and she wanted to know where I planned to store all these pillows. Hmmm, didn't think about that :) I didn't order the down inserts, because I was worried about them flattening down. I think I paid $12.00.

The first thing I would do is pull the LR furniture grouping back toward the DR area, so that the end table is about where the plug is on the right of the windows. That will visually create a balance so that it doesn't look like you have so little space to the left of the windows, and so much to the right. The ways things are, it feels like everything is jammed down to the fireplace, and people sitting at the seats where couch and loveseat intersect will feel like they are in each other's way.

As far as the drapery goes, I guess my question would be how you plan to use the drapes. Are you planning to ever close them, or will these be stationary panels?

If they will never be closed, I would do one rod, with one panel on each end, and nothing in the middle. But what I would add is sheers underneath, on a separate rod that runs the width of the two windows. The sheers will visually bridge the center gap, and allow you to treat the end panels like this is one large window, so you can pull them in toward the center a bit more without making the individual windows look unbalanced.

If you do want to be able to close them, then I think you really have to do one panel each end and two in the middle. One rod again across both windows, or better yet, a cornice or box pleated valance (not gathered) above the windows all the way across to increase the height visually and also help bridge the gap. Obviously you would add the same top treatment to the window left of the fireplace.

les - The curtain are just for looks. I don't plan to open or close them. Even though I know you can see through sheers, I feel like my view of outside wouldn't be as good as it is now, so I'd rather keep the wood blinds that I have now and not have any sheers. Since you mentioned the sheers would help hide that middle section, do you think it would still work without the sheers and a panel on each end?

Y'all know by now that I have a hard time committing to color, but I did see these pillows the other day and thought they would be pretty "If" I decided I wanted to bring in some blue.

Just thought of something...if the curtains are hanging over the electrical outlet, is that a safety hazard?

Nope, curtains over electrical outlets are not a safety hazard. At least not that I have ever heard, and given where they place outlets in rooms, I am guessing there are millions of drapes hanging on windows below which an outlet is placed, on the middle of the wall, or on either side of a window.

I didn't know if the windows would stay covered, since in most of your pix you have the blinds closed, so I thought perhaps you preferred the windows covered- perhaps nearby neighbor windows, etc.

First get your rod up, which I think is almost going to have to be one rod. Trying to put up two separate rods will end up making that middle space seem odd, I think. Then try getting some of the cheap plastic dropcloths or some old sheets and putting them over the rod and see what drapery look works best.

If you decide to do panels on each side and nothing in the middle, consider getting two or three pieces of framed art or a cool wall sconce to fill the middle space and make it feel like a part of the decorating choice, rather than a bare wall stuck in the middle of the windows. Something like this would work, and would bring in a touch of the blue that you are liking in the pillows:

wall pocket

You could do a low arrangement of real or faux dried hydrangea in cream and brown and blue tones that would sit right above the rim level, spilling over a bit but no stems showing.

LOVE the new pillows you posted. A great touch in the room. I also like the first pillows, but have to agree that by themselves they don't really add a spark. Consider getting some plain ones in the same blue as the print ones you just posted, and use them behind the pottery barn ones. Then if you decide to change out to the jacobean blue print, the plain blue will still work behind them.

mrose,
If you only have 8" on the left, then to keep from throwing off the balance I think you'll need to do 4 stationary panels. A one width panel will pleat up to about 18" (or gather to that), this is lined drapery. I think with the weight of your sofa and tables, you won't want wimpy fabric, you'll want some texture on those windows. So here's my thinking: 8" plus 10" into window on left so that means you'll probably cover 8" of the wall on both windows. That leaves space in the middle which would require an extra panel if you use one rod (you could do that, it would be one width panel---three width panel---one width panel.) I drew windows with one panel each side, no finials on rods, just endcaps. I put in a different light fixture just to see something different.
Here's an idea:
{{!gwi}}

I agree with Dee that you need some pattern in the pillows. The blue ones you posted above are very pretty and I think they would look good.

I would do one rod across both windows. Panels at each end and 1 or 2 in the middle (depening on what is needed to cover wall).

I think Sallymo's mockup is great! However, if the drapery hangs the way it is done in her representation, you will lose a lot of window space - for example, the right side panel of the left window would have to be covering almost all window for the outlet to be visible at the bottom. That means losing, at the presumed 18" stackback, probably 14 inches of window on that side.

Well I had this vision that there would be 3 columns of drape on one rod with one or two panels in the middle, but Sallymo has done a fabulous mock up, it looks really nice. And it probably looks more balanced than what I was thinking. Great job Sally!

As far as the PB covers go, I think they are nice. I'm a little confused and don't know why you need storage for all the pillows? Aren't you just going to cover the ones you have?

For example, I'll have 3 20 inch pillows that come with our new sectional. I want to have layered pillow sizes so I bought 3 18 inch pillow fillers also. Now I'm randomly buying slip covers for all 6 pillows that I can swap and change with the seasons. It doesn't matter if your pillows are already covered, you can put other covers over them so why do you need to store the pillows?

Looking at my rendering again, I have the right panel (on the left window) in too far into the window. In reality it would cover the outlet. Basically just keeping with the 8" that is available on the far left side consistent on both windows, all sides. But you can measure it to make sure. I think you'd be into the glass less than 8" if you deduct for the trim.
Your fireplace side still has me a little puzzled. If you can get a straight on pic of that wall, I'll see what we could do.

les - That's a great idea to put pictures or a sconce in the middle. I'm not sure I would have ever thought of that.

sallymo - Thank you for the mockup. It makes such a difference in the room. I was wondering if the 8" on the left would throw things off. The main reason I was thinking of putting one panel on each end is I hate to cover more of the window than I have to, but I do want what looks best. Is there any way you can remove the two inside panels so I can see what one on each end would look like? Here's a picture of the fireplace wall and I have a similar issue there, because there's only 6" to the left of the window. I was thinking about putting one panel on the left side and if this will work, I thought about leaving the end cap off and having the curtain go all the way to the wall on the left. What do you think?

Several people in my neighborhood have a similar setup with the windows and I haven't seen any of them hang curtains. Now I know why.

lukkiirish - If I go with all covers, that would make it much easier to store the ones I'm not using. The blue ones I posted above don't give me the option of covers...just the pillows. Now, if I strictly buy pillow covers from PB that would work.

Love the pillow you found above...where did you see that?

Most likely you would be using 2 rods joined with a double ended screw, so you would have a bracket in the middle of that wall.
{{!gwi}}

Keep forgetting to mention this but I've been looking at pillow covers on Etsy.com for our sofa and have seen several made ot of some amazing looking fabrics. And their prices seem reasonable to.

Here is a link that might be useful: etsy pillow covers

lukkiirish - I found the blue pillow at Home Decorators. I do like the pillow, but I wonder if I'm getting away from the Shabby Chic look I'm going for it I use that. I know my furniture isn't Shabby Chic, but I was trying to add some accessories that were. I'll check out the Etsy pillow covers.

sallymo - Thank you so much! I do like your first mock-up better, but I still may consider the 2nd one just so I don't block too much of the window. At least I have these two visuals to study and help me decide.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue pillow

sallymo - If you're still around can you do me another favor and put two pictures on the empty wall space where this is just one panel on each end. I'm still trying to convince myself this setup will work and I thought the suggestion Les made to do this would help it look better.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}