How long are your drapes?

I am making the curtains, so they can be as long as I'd like. I was planning on having them go to the floor.

Also take into consideration any tall pieces of furniture when selecting the rod height. I would put both rods the same height based on what I see in the pics, but since the LR is a 2 story...... that could change depending on furniture, doors and other windows.

I suggest you don't hang the rods until you have the drapes in hand.

I would probably hang them at the traditional height at or slightly above the trim in this case. That way the application will be consistent between the two openings. Hanging them at the same height on the wall puts them in a different height relationship with each opening and I think that discrepancy will be noticeable (one closer to the top of the actual opening and one farther away), whereas we see a height difference between windows and doors all the time.

Curtains have a beautiful and attractive designs that will give much views in your home.

Olive:I would install the rods at the same height. Hang the rods as high as possible-it makes your windows/room look bigger. From a sewing point of view, hang the rods first, then make the drapes.

I would do them at the same height and about a foot from the ceiling. I have this same layout just flipped and put mine at the same height. Different heights just looked funny to my eyes.

I'd hang them at the same height, and fill the space over the lower one with a simple Roman shade (it wouldn't have to be operable) or matchstick blind behind the rod.

I sure agree with Pal...
Do the windows look odd at different heights? no? Well then neither will the curtains. Not much I hate more than that dumb blank piece of wall between the rod and the top of the window.
Hang the curtains to cover the window unless you plan on never opening them....never using the sliding doors.

I would hang the rods first and throw a sheet over them to see what it looks like before you make the curtains.

Try a test first -- hang a sheet at each window using a good friend (LOL!) to hold them AND some of the green (or blue) painters tape.

Measure the basic windows first -- and draw them out on paper. Plot it out on paper -- including the wall around them and the height of the wall right to the ceiling.

Then do the test -- and measure each test height. Leave a dot of the painters tape at each height.

THEN take photos. Check to see which height works best for both the window and the door.

Exactly what bronwynsmom said! Hang them at same level and fill the shorter window space to hide the difference.

Do the windows in the LR have other windows above them since they're 2-story? It looks like there might be light coming from above there. My vote might change if that's the case because you might want to do taller drapes to cover both upper and lower windows in the LR if that's the case--and then I'd hang the DR ones a few inches above the slider opening. If you don't do that, then my vote is for the same height.

RE: hanging at same level with matchstick blind behind.

I love that look, but I'm not sure it will work. The curtain rod is fairly skinny 3/4" steel pipe) and I would have to get the blinds in multiple pieces because the windows are so large. The slider is 70" wide and the living room window is 82". I'm worried that even in multiple pieces the blinds would be too heavy. The living room window is almost as tall as the slider.

There is a second story window in the living room. The room isn't big enough to handle two story drapes though.You can see both living room windows in this photo. I will be installing window trim on lower window (and slider) just haven't gotten around to it yet.

This post was edited by olivesmom on Tue, Nov 27, 12 at 13:29

My particular objection to filling in the space over one opening and not the other is that again it Emphasizes the Difference between the openings that is not particularly emphasized by just putting the treatment on the opening at the opening height.

If you are balancing out opening heights the treatments have to be hung at such a level that both can get the same treatment and the discrepancy is actually compensated for visually, which usually means the compensating blind or whatever the treatment is has to be tall enough that a difference between the two is less noticeable.

If you didn't Tell me that these windows were at two different heights I don't know that I would pay attention to it: they aren't on the same wall, on the same plane or even in the same part of the room. Having a treatment higher over one window visually than over the door visually (from the frame UP) is only going to point this out.

Likewise, I don't think a blind that comes down from the top is a particularly "natural" or functional treatment for a sliding door.

A blind can be pulled down over a window to provide shade, and the window can still operate and let in some light.
A blind over a slider must be pulled up almost fully off the door for the door to be used. A blind halfway down over a door makes it a non functional door. It's not a treatment that makes much sense on a door since it must essentially be "removed" from the thing it is covering for the thing it is covering to function.

My particular objection to filling in the space over one opening and not the other is that again it Emphasizes the Difference between the openings that is not particularly emphasized by just putting the treatment on the opening at the opening height.

If you are balancing out opening heights the treatments have to be hung at such a level that both can get the same treatment and the discrepancy is actually compensated for visually, which usually means the compensating blind or whatever the treatment is has to be tall enough that a difference between the two is less noticeable.

If you didn't Tell me that these windows were at two different heights I don't know that I would pay attention to it: they aren't on the same wall, on the same plane or even in the same part of the room. Having a treatment higher over one window visually than over the door visually (from the frame UP) is only going to point this out.

Likewise, I don't think a blind that comes down from the top is a particularly "natural" or functional treatment for a sliding door.

A blind can be pulled down over a window to provide shade, and the window can still operate and let in some light.
A blind over a slider must be pulled up almost fully off the door for the door to be used. A blind halfway down over a door makes it a non functional door. It's not a treatment that makes much sense on a door since it must essentially be "removed" from the thing it is covering for the thing it is covering to function.

I like the idea of mocking them up with some sheets and tacks before you commit too a rod height.