The rod changeout will be a big improvement. No, I don't think you can get away with fewer panels. As for the color, I would need to see them in real life before I could comment. I'm not seeing chestnut on my screen.

Graywings, here's a pic of the curtain color from pb. I can take a close up later of the actual curtain fabric. The wall color is yellowish but we are changing that out to a benjamin moore powell buff which is a light goldish tan color. Do you think they're too dark? What do you think about the panels on each side of the dining room windows?

{{!gwi}}

I see a pinkish tone on my monitor; I think white or off white curtains would be a great look for your room, a crisper yet airy look.

I love the look of your room; the pb picture and how they come off in your room is totaly different.

I dont like the color of the drapes, maybe it is my monitor I am not sure but they look pinkish to me as well. I think a much deeper version of your wall color would look great on your windows. I would do the same on the dining room window.

Ksox girl, I've been going through the same thing. Are the curtains the PB Peyton in Chestnut? Have you thought of the PB silkdupioi? I went back and forth between Peyton and silk dupioni and landed on the silk.

If the panel is wide enough I think putting them between the windows will look great and make the window appear larger.
To make hanging the panels easier, make sure a bracket doesn't end up along the bend and in the center of a panel.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Here another pic of the curtain fabric and the paint swatch which doesn't photo well. Still a no on the color?

fromflorida, I want to go with a more casual drapery and will stick with the peyton, although I have looked at the duponi silk and they are beautiful. Do you have pics of yours?

The fabric looks fine with the paint. And I like the look of drapes matching the paint.

I'm a big fan of beige, but having moved into a house with old pine floors, I'm seeing that beige looks drab with pine flooring. Yellow, the right yellow, goes well with pine floors.

Thanks for commenting graywings, we are going to be having the floors refinished and are probably going with minwax english chestnut which is darker. So do you think the drape color is fine?

Just dittoing some other posters about them looking pinkish and clashing. Their color looks a little dark as well. Dittoing Annz whom said that the panels would look better in between the windows so you don't make the windows appear smaller than they are (and will most likely feel less crowded). I would experiment with just two panels on each side and treat the three windows as one windows and lighter, more yellow hued drapes.

I don't think I'd do the panels at all. I think it seems to block out a lot of the light. The room looks very dark to me...I'd really want to take advantage of the sunlight.

But if you plan to keep them, I do not think you can get away with less panels. On the side windows it appears that there isn't room to make the curtain rods wider. But in the middle I'd make them as wide as possible and hang the curtains as far out as you can.

I think the panels match nicely with the new paint. But as pictured IRL it doesn't go at all.

good luck! curtains are so tough.

I love the chestnut color, and I also like the casual cotton/rayon blend of those drapes. I have a sample of the chestnut, and it does not show pink.

I think it is just photograping that way - with the light coming thru the window.

i personally wouldn't do drapery there.

We have pine floors stained with MW English chestnut. Here is a pic of my floors with your drapes superimposed:

{{!gwi}}

I think the drapes work well, especially if you add in some pops of color with rugs, pillows & accessories.

I agree with beachbum and srg that the windows look better without panels. I love the natural shades that you have there -- all alone. The windows have such beautiful proportions, I think the panels hide those spectacular windows.
FW

I don't care for them. They're too bland and add nothing in terms of color or texture.

Have you considered going much darker with color? Your room is very neutral in tone....whites, creams etc. It screams for soemthing to stand out like gorgeous drapes to pull it all together. I'd do a pattern myself, but even a deep rich tone would make a huge impact in all the right ways.