Help with curtain rod height

15 years ago

I'm FINALLY getting around to doing curtains for our LR window. It's actually a glass door with two windows on either side. The view is gorgeous so we will mostly leave the curtains open, but there are occasionally pedestrians on the trail behind our house so I will probably close the curtains at night.

Here's a picture of the room (at night).

There will be one long rod across the entire span. The bar will extend about 40 inches past both sides so the curtains don't cover up the window when the curtains are open. (Don't want to miss any of the natural light or view.)

My dilemma comes about because of the picture-frame moulding. I'd love to be able to hang the rod ABOVE the molding, because it seems like it'd look weird to have a little bit of the molding sticking above the curtain rod. However, there are ceiling beams that make that impossible. Here's a closeup of the top-right corner.

Basically, there are two places I think I can hang the rod, indicated by the black lines I've drawn on the picture below. What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions?

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Comments (12)

madeyna
15 years ago
I would go with the higher one. You also have another possible problem, it looks like your panels will be covering a light switch.
kgsd
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! That light switch is not used very often. I think the last time we turned it on was about a year ago.
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Hello Kathy, Thanks for the photos of your family room. Much more helpful to understand the complete layout of the space. As for your original question regarding the hanging of curtains in the room I found ideas that might work and offer uniformity of all the windows in the room. BTW it’s wonderful there’s so much light coming into the room. The photo below, as an example, is one way to tackle the dilemma of the bulkhead above the smaller window to the left of the fireplace. You could then use one long, matching cornice board above the windows on the long wall to bring them all together. Hang a panel or more of curtains at the ends of the cornice boards or use with no curtains, just the blinds (as in the photo). Google “wooden cornice boards for windows” and there’s 100’s of ideas for you to view. To take the eye up, try adding crown molding around the ceiling. As for the furniture arrangement in the room, I like the suggestion that marhop provided, however it may not be feasible if the hookup for the TV isn’t available on that wall or there’s no outlet. Also if watching TV during the day the blinds would have to be shut so there’s no glare on the TV screen. Therefore, I suggest something similar. Move the long couch where the loveseat is now except keep pulled away from the wall to allow a walkway to either door (about 3’ away from wall). Move the loveseat to where the chair is now (sort of like a sectional couch arrangement) and angle the chair to the left of the fireplace. Move the TV to being centered on the 3-windows. Place the cat tower at the window where the TV was (I noticed in one of your photos that the cat likes to perch on the middle section and watch out the window). With this placement no one needs to strain their neck to view the TV and the majority of the light will be at the back of the TV (reduced glare). Suggestion: the mirror over the mantel would look nice on the wall between the doors making sure the top of the mirror is even with the top of the doors (or slightly lower, but not above). Will still reflect light into the room. Could possibly put a sofa table on the wall beneath the mirror since it appears there’s a door from one room to the other without having to walk behind the couch. Then find some colorful artwork to place on the mantel (not hang) and use pillows and throws on the couch/chair to bring out the colors and/or to match the curtain panels. I also like marhop’s idea of having a floor lamp near the chair for reading light. Hope these suggestions are helpful.
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dilly_dally
15 years ago
Is there a reason why you want one rod to go all the way across rather than having curtains for the windows and blinds on the doors. It seems like an awful lot of fabric to push aside. Do you not plan on ever using the doors at night? Won't it be difficult to have to push curtains aside to get in/out the door?

Forgive me if these issues have already been addressed in another thread.
brutuses
15 years ago
Because of the design and style of this application, I think all blinds or shades is the way to go.
Valerie Noronha
15 years ago
Does anyone remember the other poster who had similiar windows to these--who was posting a lot of questions about 1-2 months ago? Dilly_dally, I think you were very helpful if I remember correctly and I think she ended up deciding to do as you suggested above--blinds on the doors, curtains on the windows. I think the span will just be too great to just do a single set of curtains.
PRO
Window Accents by Vanessa Downs
15 years ago
This is a crazy idea, but have you thought about removing the picture molding? It would take away the issue of where to hang the rod. Hanging the rod as high as possible will heighten the ceiling. If you leave the molding up - it may just look like its floating and out of place above the rod.

I think drapes would be beautiful and they don't have to be overly full when they are closed, that way you don't have a ton of fabric stacked on the wall. But you have plenty of space (40" for the stackback). And opening one set of panels is simpler than having blinds on the doors and then panels on the side windows. That would be a bit more cumbersome to open and close 4 things.

If you get a nice decorative traverse rod - that would make for very easy operation. (one set of cords to the right or left to draw.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
Valinsv, I remember! That was kbmas0n. I haven't seen any progress pictures posted from her since September.
kgsd
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for all the replies. I hadn't even considered shades. I think I'll do some Roman shades. Downsy, thanks for the idea about removing the molding, but A) I love the molding, and B) it covers that entire wall, plus all of the walls of the adjoining office. It would be a bear to remove it.

now I just have to get the shades done. More complicated than curtains, but I actually think they help with the modern, tailored look I like.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
If you like the modern tailored look, shades are the direction to go. Since you say you are making them you can do a "custom" look easily. The size of the window paned and the size of the glass door panes are different. I would not do all the same treatment for each. Vary it a bit. Maybe do Romans on the windows for depth and texture, and the same fabric on a roller shade for the doors so they don't look bulky and swingy. Use a roller shade with a continuous cord so you don't have to bend down to pull them.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
If you like the modern tailored look, shades are the direction to go. Since you say you are making them you can do a "custom" look easily. The size of the window paned and the size of the glass door panes are different. I would not do all the same treatment for each. Vary it a bit. Maybe do Romans on the windows for depth and texture, and the same fabric on a roller shade for the doors so they don't look bulky and swingy. Use a roller shade with a continuous cord so you don't have to bend down to pull them.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
How did that happen? Sorry.
susanlynn2012
15 years ago
I like the Roman Shade Idea.

You must have gone back to edit the post and changed the heading so that is why the post was duplicated with a different heading. It has happened to me also.

Help with curtain rod height

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Help with curtain rod height

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