I have a preference for shutters, but second runner up would be the 2 1/2 inch wood blinds, no fabric on the blinds. Personally, I do not like the look of the fabric strips on the wood blinds. Many people pick a color that stands out, I think it draws attention to the blind, which isnt needed. Sometimes woven blinds do not have enough privacy at night. A friend had that problem.

I love your room - so pretty! Although I had to sacrifice and it was expensive, I invested in plantation shutters for my bedroom (windows face the front of my house). I am able to close the slats on the bottom 2/3 of the window for complete privacy at night, but I still have wonderful morning sunlight through the top 1/3. But, I have decided to use the 2-1/2" wood blinds in my kitchen window (which also faces the front of the house)and am hoping it will give a similar appearance to the plantation shutters - at least from outside the house. My bedroom also has a window on each side of the bed, like yours. I used just one curtain panel on each - pulled to the side with a tassel tieback, so it does not block the light, but gives the room a nicely finished look. Have you considered putting plantation shutters only on the bottom 2/3 of the windows, with curtain panels over that. That's a a very popular window style here in the South (New Orleans) and gives a lot of charm to the rooms. Plantation shutters tend to give a more "finished" look, but I think it will be fine whichever one you decide to get because the room is already so pretty.

gk-I should have been more clear. The fabric would be curtains in addition to the blinds, not fabric strips.

kait-thanks! Southern style is what we are going for; I grew up in LA. The front of the house has a porch with large columns. I considered doing 2/3 shutters. The upstairs rooms that face the front would still have to have 2.5" blinds so I didn't know how that would look. Thanks for the info on woven; I wondered if privacy would be an issue.

I think Mimi and Patricia have shutters only and I love their homes. Newhomebuilder has blinds and that's beautiful also. I just don't want to mess up and that's keeping me from even hanging art!

I like the idea of wood blinds with curtains. Love your paint color. What is it?

Laurie

Good:) Drapes or curtains will look great with blinds! Its going to be a beautiful room.

Laurie-it's SW Whole Wheat. I suggested that one to you when you were going through the "paint decision process." :) The color looks different at different times of the day but I mostly like it. What color did you settle on?

While I like the look of the wood blinds, I am concerned that your windows are quite long. Wood blinds can be quite heavy and will take about the top 12" or so to stack at the top. Personally, I'd choose roman shades which will also add that element of softness and fabric that you also seem to desire. I also like the suggestion of doing the shutters on the bottom and drapes on the top, if that fits your budget. Where ever possible, I do advocate being true to the architectural style of your home and neighborhood.

Why not do shutters and then blinds in the rest of the house? That's what we have -- MBR has shutters, as does the kids' bath, but everything else is blinds.

Your room is gorgeous, by the way!

txgal06 - Wow, you have a good memory. I can't remember what room I was looking to paint at the time, but if it was my entryway, I went with BM Woodstock Tan. I find that alot of times when I ask about a color, it ends up being SW Blonde. It looks different in every picture I see. I'm finding the same thing with WW. Is WW on the ceiling also or is that a different color?

Laurie

Just asking, but is there a reason you need blinds or shutters or roman shades? Couldn't you just do drapery on the windows?

I think some lovely drapes would be quite elegant, on rods with interesting finials that echo the posts on the bed.

Lovely room, txgal! I prefer wooden shutters, but they definitely are an investment. What about roman or rollup bamboo shades with a pretty valance on top? Sorry,I don't know how to attach a link directly.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=120403-31252-0211231&lpage=none

msrose-Yes it's WW on the ceiling also. See how it can look different? I like that it looks a bit lighter though...gives it interest.

les-I was hoping you would chime in! I thought about panels (maybe silk) but am concerned about how that would look since there will be tables on either side of the bed in front of the single windows. ???

Your room is lovely already. I don't think any of your choices would be a mistake, it all just depends on what look you like the most and how much your budget can handle.

Red

After 8 months, a decision needs to be made

Um... nah, too late for a decision, honey. Time to knit booties! ;)

~~

I almost always agree with Les and this is another of those times. My mind is picturing curtain panels... not silk... but with fringe all down the inner edge... hung on pretty, dark drapery rods. Or even plaid panels.

Your room is beautiful!

Will the panels need to close for light control or privacy?

If not, I could see a panel on the windows on either side of the bed, pulled from the inside to the outside with a lovely tieback and tassel. The side double window could then have the same panels hung on either side of the window, perhaps even on fixed short rods if they don't need to close.

I don't mind the idea of romans, by the way, just was wondering what the needs were for the space. I could see romans done in a rich fabric. with soft, full folds rather than crisp ones. But the one down side of the romans is that they will close off a part of the windows all the time.

Since the windows are two different lengths, the drapery could unify them a bit, but then with tables and lamps in front of the bed wall windows, the length difference likely won't be seen.

As far as being afraid to mess up so that you are not even hanging art - mess up according to whom? It is your house - decorate it, live in it, and enjoy it. By not hanging anything, people could also think you messed up because you don't have any art in the place! LOL

We all have opinions, but none of us has 'the' answer. Your home should be the place you can relax and feel like you belong. Stressing over every decor decision isn't creating that atmosphere. So, go hang some pix. Use some blue painter's tape and hang a sheet up on the windows and see how you like the drapery effect. Do the same think with some pillowcases or a folded sheet to give you the effect of inside-mount romans. Don't worry that every room doesn't have the same window treatment - if you really want plantation shutters for that room, and can't afford to do them everywhere, don't worry about it.

And if you do make a choice and dislike it down the line, you either change it or live with it for a while. Just don't let fear keep you from living in and loving your beautiful home!

Maybe shutters just in the br? Not much to go on with the pic, but I can imagine shutters or wovens : ) Wovens with fabric, shutters with or without maybe.

les-yes dh would like to be able to close the drapes on either side of the bed for privacy as we have a new house built 1/2 acre away. I would love to do a swag to one side like you mention. The double window concerns me; if you look, you can see that there is little room for the rod finial on the inside corner. There are 9 inches from the outside of the window trim to the inside corner. Would that work? I forgot to mention I have a divided light door in the room that I may not put anything on. Too many decisions. I am off to the fabric store this morning to get fabric to cover my dining room chairs. Maybe something will catch my eye.