Took me four months to figure out how to position furniture/tv so we didn't all get neck cramps watching a movie. NOT a fun room, but I want to make it fun! And pretty.

Well, if you want an energy efficient and inexpensive solution, then, instead of backer board, get styrofoam sheet and cut it to fit the window and then wrap it in fabric...you can just buy T pins and pin the fabric to the styrofoam, and then pop them in place. They are very insulating. But they will block the light entirely. And then when you don't want them, you will have to store them...but at least they are light weight.

Another solution, more expensive, but more flexible, would be to use roman blinds mounted to the outside of the windows. They can be made with insulating fabric and as they are solid, will block a lot of the wind.

My FIL for the old house, bought heavy duty clear plastic and made wooden strips and wrapped the plastic on the strip and then nailed them to the inside of the window frames on all 4 sides to make like an interior storm window but preserve the light.

If you want something more colorful and fun, I suppose you could nail up quilts or tapestry or insulated fabric to the windows and make your own straps out of ribbon to roll the quilts up and tie them when you want light, and then untie them when you want the windows covered. To finish the sides, you could always do glue gun or iron on stitch witchery for a no-sew solution. Pain to roll up, but if you don't plan on doing it often, it could work. Would probably be a DIY and cheaper than getting custom roman blinds made.

Or maybe you'd want a combo of some of the above...the styrofoam for the windows you want blocked completely and roman blinds on the other ones....If they are out of the same fabric, it could work.

I like Annie's Roman blinds suggestion, but you said no blinds. Did you mean these, too?

Link for DIY.

Here is a link that might be useful: No sew Roman Blinds

Maybe a better tutorial since I love Jenny Komenda.

Here is a link that might be useful: DIY Roman Shades

If you can't re-architect it, embrace it.

Make the fence your focal wall. Plants, lighting, a greenman or oakman hanging plaque. These come inexpensive ala Toscano and on up. Don't know what zone you're in, but if you get snow a sculpture changes and looks pretty all year long.

A draper who has been in business for over 50 years told me the other day "The reason to puddle drapes is that they don't have perfectly straight hems". (He was exasperated, not simply being practical). So puddling conceals, if you wanted to go that route. But you don't. In a narrow room, I like flat treatments.

Except during the one hour when you are actually sitting still and watching TV, a totally dark room isn't better than a window-filled room. I say go with the windows -- caulk and let your craftsman fly. Let the great wide trim show. Get some insulated roller shades. Roller shades are period authentic and not length-sensitive. You could even layer 2 roller shades on each window, one a solar shade and the other a more decorative one. Below are craftsman stenciled shades that might inspire you. She sells both the finished shades and the stencils.

Now don't go saying "ooh, stencils. dated".

Here is a link that might be useful: Stickley/Morris/Macintosh shades

What about something like this?

They are held in by compression fit, which seems better than some which fasten with mastic,

It says $39 to $69 per window. You'd probably spend something close to the lower figure no matter what you did with soft treatments.

Here is a link that might be useful: inside storm windows

You could also make very easy window coverings that would be adjustable...again for more occasional adjustments as it would be a pain for every day.

Make a flat panel out of insulating or quilted fabric with a rod pocket at the top and bottom that will fit inside the window frame, then buy 2 tension rods...one for the top and one for the bottom. When the bottom one is positioned all the way down, it will cover the window entirely and help insulate. When you want light, just raise the bottom rod, letting the fabric fold over top.

Or if you wanted to hide the view, you could lower the top and let only the light in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Instructions on how to make it...

This post was edited by AnnieDeighnaugh on Wed, Oct 9, 13 at 11:06

This is hardly outside the box, but you could use wrap around drapery rods mounted in the upper corners of each window and put up thermal drapes that stop at the apron. That would get around the uneven ceiling/floor issue.

I'm guessing that the distance from the top of the top frame to the apron is a standard 63 inches. Drapes in that length are less expensive.

If you do some searching on the Old House forum, you will find several ways to deal with air leaking windows, including the one Jamies suggested.

window film

Here is a link that might be useful: 3M

I second the motion on the 3M window film. It is just for use during the winter months and doesn't solve your decorating problems but it does work fabulously to keep the wind and cold out. I used it in a previous house. You can even get it in a patio door size. It is easy to install and remove, although for the patio door you might want someone to help.

Here's an article about how to weatherstrip. I couldn't do this myself, but perhaps you could? Or perhaps you can find a window restoration person?

Here is a link that might be useful: this old house window weatherstrip

You don't like or need all those windows, no views to enjoy, and you want a busy happy family room. You don't want to remodel.

For now, I'd say sure, go ahead with covering the lower panes inexpensively and seeing how it lives. A first step to deciding how you'd like a more permanent solution.

How about eventually that more permanent solution by building portable book/storage/display cases in front of the lower part of the windows? Construct them with backs (insulated?) that cover all behind from sight but sides that are able to slide in against the wall while leaving the window casings untouched? The top would be a display shelf. You could run up simple tier curtains that could be hung on rings to open and close as wanted for the upper windows. The choice of fabrics and mood is almost infinite, the cost extremely low.

What furniture might go in front of the patio door -- if it had been covered up entirely with a portable wall-height panel that created a special place between the shelves topped with windows on each side? A loveseat? A game table and chairs?

Instead of solid storage, you could inset a daybed, desk, TV here and there. You could make the window-covers different depths to define separate areas.

Readymade bookcases are surprisingly expensive, even Ikea's Billy, but other kinds of ready-made storage can be much more inexpensive. Instead of all open storage you could have doors on the lower parts by using shallow kitchen upper cabinets and building an open shelf over to the height needed. Or just do that here and there. The basic cabinets might be found at a ReStore.

Could you inset a single bed across one end and pile it with pillows for playing and reading?

Maybe google family room storage systems and imagine them stopping at the height you need to get ideas?

Our local Habitat ReStore sells inexpensive interior storm window kits. They are similar to the windows jamies posted, but are simple DIY kits. If not those, then the 3M kits work great to alleviate drafts in the cold winter months, and do not require storage. Then add WT over the storms.

Anele...the first link you posted is great. Such an inexpensive project and easy to do. Any fabric would work. I'm going to try this one.

The second one is a bit tedious. She bought blinds, but you can easily use the tape with rings and save much more time and money on the project, with the same results.

What about turning the windows into fabric covered bulletin boards using the window frame as the frame. Small moulding could hold it in place.

These are some awesome ideas, and I think a combo of a couple of them are what I need.

I'm going to try a couple of things and see what will work. Thank you all so much.

The forum never disappoints! The ideas here always go far beyond what I find on any other sites or groups.