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Window covering vote - curtains, romans or other?

11 years ago

I need to replace the window coverings in the bedroom my school age boys share. The original cellulars have finally broken after many years. I am considering curtains or roman shades in a solid or simple stripe. The room colors are mostly navy (furniture) and tan (walls and rug). Dark brown accents and sometimes bright green or orange in bedding depending on season. There is a sightline to these windows from my dining/living room and front door so I want something decent looking.

Here is the room:

If romans - what color? I am a lightaholic so navy seems too dark? Tan? If curtains - what length? To bottom of window?

Thanks for input...

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Comments (9)

dominos
Original Author
11 years ago
Some options I have considered..

I find myself drawn to rugby stripe shades but they seem impractical. Thinking maybe I should do rugby bedding and plain shade?

http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/rugby-blackout-panel-navy-white/?pkey=dwindow-panels#viewLargerHeroOverlay

http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/twill-roman-shade-boy/?pkey=dwindow-roman
design_wotcha
11 years ago
Hi domino3, okay i know you are just looking for curtain advice but if you don't mind i have two comments.

1) it looks like the boy's "bunk" bed can be broken in to two beds, since your boys are at school age now, have you thought about splitting the beds and placing one below each window. i attach a pic below for inspiration. you could then use a dresser between the beds as shown or maybe the desk you now have would fit in there.

2) with boys, whatever age, i tend to stick to roman blinds either mounted within or on the window molding (again an idea is shown in the attached picture) - there is just less risk of them "removing" themselves from the wall by an enthusiastic tug or pull. I like your idea of stripes - it will be a nice clean 'punchy' look with your neutral wall color and look good from a distance - although when it comes to kids rooms, i find that the bedroom door is the best line of defense between their room and your senses!

Here is a link that might be useful: Boys Room
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I haven't read through all responses completely, so forgive me if these suggestions have already been made. I would flip the rug so that it's parallel to the fireplace instead of perpendicular, if it would fit. Having it perpendicular kind of reads "landing strip to the fireplace". Sofa table really helps soften the transition. I don't usually like bright window treatments, but I think those IKEA drapes work very well to tie in all the colors, and really help that quad panel to the right of the fireplace stand out. With no blinds the yellow drapes disappear into the wall, and with your couch up against the windows they aren't function, so at that point, what's the point? If I can take a slight detour with a question for you -- I like bamboo/natural blinds. I've been back & forth about getting them for my windows (debating them vs. shutters), which like yours are wider than the average window. I think seeing your pictures has kind of made me not consider them so seriously. I've never had them and don't know what they're like to live with. Do they always hang kind of "lumpy" and/or uneven like that? Do you ever get the nice straight bottom edge when they're pulled up like you get with wood blinds? TIA
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lovely windows!! i would definitely use panels/curtains only where you don't need privacy or sun protection... i love your master bedroom window seat!!! what a great spot that will be! whatever treatment you put there, i would think you would often want to have the entire window visible... do you need privacy at that window? if so, if i hung a shade, i would want it to be able to cinch up tight at the top, like pleated shades do... or i would just hang short panels that could be swept all the way to one side when the window was being used. with your windows, if i hung any type of blind or shade on any of them, i would definitely do inside mounts--your window wood is much too nice for outside mounted blinds/shades...
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I love the fabrics in the first photo! Roman shades in the linen fabric, with banded sides in the plaid (on the bias) for the doors. Curtain panels of the plaid at the windows. If you do french pleats or pinch pleats or goblet pleats, I would do a covered button detail with the linen fabric at each pleat. I would also band the edges of the inside length (the long side toward the window) of each panel with about 2" of the paisley fabric. I don't think there's anything inherent about the leather chair that would make the lighter coloured fabrics unsuitable. The dark fabrics are, well, too dark! But if you could get rid of the dark chair I would replace it with a slipper chair in the paisley. (heavily scotchguarded, of course :) )
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Custom blackout cellular shades with stationary sheer curtains over them on a curved rod.
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design_wotcha
11 years ago
oh, i think we were posting at the same time - i like the rugby stripe - they have it in a roman shade too (navy/red and navy/green).... as you say more practical than the panels...
Fun2BHere
11 years ago
I like these inside mount roman shades better than panels, I think, especially for kids.
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/twill-roman-shade-boy/?cm_src=AutoRel

Here is a link that might be useful: PB Kids
dominos
Original Author
11 years ago
OK - 2 votes for romans! What color? Khaki?

design_wotcha - I would LOVE to put the beds under the windows - it's a great look, but the room is a bit too small to make it work. There is a (outswinging)closet door on the left wall that couldn't open properly if I put a bed there. And the clearance to get in and out of the room would be tight.

Thanks!
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
You've gotten great suggestions...only thing I wonder about roman blinds is what to do about the cords so they don't become an issue (as boys will be boys). But the blinds will leave the needed wall space....curtains would cover up quite a bit of that wall. Only other alternative I would think of would be valances with room darkening roller shades underneath.

Just curious....in the picture, what is that box that's mounted under the left window sill?

Here is a link that might be useful: Cordless Roman Shades
porkandham
11 years ago
My youngest has plantation shutters on his front facing window. ODS has two smaller windows with white wood blinds and navy curtain panels that go to the floor. He has a queen 4 poster cannonball bed with the PB Kids madras quilt.
dominos
Original Author
11 years ago
Annie - thanks for the link. They are old enough (9 and 12) not to strangle I think. I have cordless in DD's room and I actually find them difficult for big windows.

The mystery box is one of DS's inventions. We had a beanbag chair in that corner for a while and he made (and installed) his own mini book shelf while I was distracted!

porkandham - I love plantations and wood blinds! Your boys rooms sound very classic.
dretutz
11 years ago
In small rooms plantation shutters can be a problem. You need to open the shudder to open and close the windows which may mean having to move furniture to open. Not too convenient

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