I current have drapes without blinds. I really like the features of my windows, especially details at the tops, and didn't want the space taken when the blinds are pulled up to cover up that part of the window. But now I'm kinda over it. 1. You don't see them from the outside. Maybe on the rare occasion that I actually close them, in which case they look like white panels (they're insulation lined). 2. I don't really do much. My vacuum came with an allergen attachment set including an attachment for cleaning mattress tops, and I sometimes use that if it has been especially dusty. 3. I have drapes in our eat-in kitchen, and we have a 3 year old. For the most part they've made it through ok. Once we had a "projectile vomit" incident that managed to get splashed onto the drapes (and walls, and inside the floor vents, and on a picture that hangs above our mantel about 6.5 feet up but don't ask me how). Once we had a "pretend to give stuffed panda bear some medicine using juice from our cup and this syrup syringe mommy left on the island" event. I also have sheers tucked behind my drapes and just noticed a few days ago thatone of them has some kind of mysterious oil mark. So far everything has cleaned up just fine. She plays hard and often has friends over, but so far the kitchen isn't a room they tend to congregate it. 4. Lots of options. We just had this topic come up not that long ago. A really, really long rod was needed. Suggestions included PVC piping, gas line pipe, etc. Wood poles work too. Mine are telescoping and the panels can tend to get hung. I think this weekend I'm going to attach them to rings. I don't have any pictures of the drapes handy, but they're 108" back tab antiqued satin panels with an insualting lining. I have 70" windows so I had to go with 4 panels total, 2 on either side. I've overhung the rod by 16" on either side to accomodate the panels when open without blocking the window. I'm using double "up to 120 inch" curtain rods with a sort of creamy sheer underneath - nice sheers, not the crappy scratchy ones I always thought of when I thought "sheer." Currently no blinds, but I am considering bamboo shades for some texture and when a little extra privacy is needed. I have twin windows in my kitchen & greatroom so I used the exact same treatment on both.

Is there any law that says you can't have a 2" hem on the bottom and use a light interfacing in the hem or add a 2" band at the bottom. Unless you are using a sheer fabric, I don't think you would really need a double 4" hem. Another option would to do a contrasting valance or order more fabric and use that for the valances. If this is a vacation home in a gated community, you might want to check what their rules are about window treatments and solid white showing to the street (condo associations will have rules like that, know mine does). Are you going to line these panels which would give extra drape to the whole look.

That pic is a bit hard to see where it was taken against the light coming in. I should have realized that the sheers would be a bit dressier than I was thinking, with the pleats. I can 'see' if the sheers were just gathered on a rod, but I don't know if I an picture panels over the pleated sheers until we have more info. Do you intend to put panels just on the ends for color? One panel at each end that would just hang there, or do you plan to have panels that you would draw closed over the sheers? I tried to find examples of both, but didn't find as many as I'd hoped. This is the only example I found with pleated sheers, both hung at the same height.

Nidnay, my installer will screw a screw into the back of rods to use as a stop (same as CDR suggested). I have used double sided sticky tape so the sheers stick to it. I’ve used needle and thread to stitch the rod pocket tighter at the opening so they stay in place. I also have a small tag gun and will tag the beginning opening of the rod pocket to make it tighter. I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with something to do the trick. Try to get equal spacing on each panel at the top on the rod. Your sheers can be trained into nice folds like the photos that were posted. Take your hand at the bottom of each panel and fan fold the sheer about 5” per fold. Once you get across the bottom have a piece of fabric or cord and tie it around the bottom of the sheers. You need to form those folds up to the middle of the sheers and band them in the middle. If you have a hand iron that has vertical steam, you can steam the sheers while fan folded to help them train. Leave them banded for a few days and see how they look. Having a weighted hem in sheers is a plus because it helps them hold their folds, but that is a custom feature! Training them takes time but usually works.