thank you, just push me further off my broken rocker......lol, What a fantastic bath, I love it, how it's fabulous furniture, not cabinets, It's my idea of my favorite "Boudoir Bath" sooo sooo elegant, feminine but not weak fragile, and strong to make a Man's man comfortable. And that tile is magic! and the Pacific Ocean (I'm an ocean person or maybe Mermaid) items even seahorses........ LOVE IT

My favorite part is that adorable cat peeking out of the bathroom, he made me laugh out loud.

"No fair to see only the rods with out picturing the finished drape" Maybe see the drapes up and then you can touch in the groves with the brown/black if needed, what will the tops of the drapes look like? Great idea, the rod to the wall. will that be one panel to fall or tie back instead of two panels? LOVE how your Blackout sounds.
ot tip, emergency blanket make a HUGE cut in the heat through a window. Cheap, easy, toss and replace, used them in our rv and when I'd open the windshild to drive, like opening an oven. I then stuck them on the glass at home. They really work and you can still see out. silver or copper.

Bodica.....here this will make you feel better...see that gorgeous tub? Here's the rub...we don't have a hot water heater big enough to fill it above my knees LOL So it's great for the 3 year old...but I just get to dream (we're working on it but the garage is so full of construction stuff they can't get a new heater in yet).

yaya they live by that sink (the water is trickling for them) or in it...

OH, now that would just make me really MAD! Any hope for a tankless water heater there?
Puurrrfectly Precious! and those eyes in the first photo! Mine all love my round pots no matter what is planted, that's where they want to sleep on the sundeck.

I am just so excited for you to be in your house!!! That is just the most wonderful news -- what a delicious start to the New Year. (Unless you're pregnant, which kinda blows being back in the house out of the water! [I've been pregnant pretty much every other month since that first miscarriage -- that's right, I'm now at four miscarriages for 2008 -- sucks. They finally thought to look and "discovered" my uterus is filled with scar tissue which is most likely impeding the fertilized egg from implanting. I'm kinda furious and sad -- like all these months WASTED when they could've so freaking easily looked. I'm sure there's a lesson in there for me ... don't want to look for it right now, though.])

My initial thoughts when looking at your first post / photos was that the rods are just the wrong color, even with the bureau and the wee armchairs (in the first picture) in that similar color; the rod being sandwiched between the ebony trim / crown is why the rods feel the wrong color (to me).

I think that would be my first plan of attack: painting them in your trim color (if your wrist is better, that is!); I also imagine the richness of the (new) rod color will better compliment the drapery fabric.

What I've seen of your home seems really Victorianesque -- weren't you thinking of purchasing a painted lady in Washington? A match made in heaven!

I really am so v. happy for you, m'dear, to be in your long-fought-for house. And I really do hope you and your son are well and thriving! (and the rest of your family, bien sur)

xo

I think that in this style room you could go with skinny rods. Rods like you show in your bathroom over the octagon window. I am picturing dark, heavy, (not hollow looking), skinny rods with thin rings. From these would hang heavy silk curtains with big deep folds that can be drawn shut or pushed aside as needed. The richness and plushness would come from the beefy curtains, and the skinny rods would come as a quirky surprise element to play off of the curtains and almost become "art".

You have a unique style, and you need something unique with the window treatments to match the room - if that makes sense.
The rod you show in the pics is too predictable and I hate to say it, but too Walmart/Kmart-ish.

i-chic, let me tell you something.

We had those exact same rods (or rather their really cheap plastic counterpart) in our very dated late 70's home. They held mustardy yellow not quite golden textured/nubbly drapes with dark brown/orange/black flecks and vinyl backs. They went great with our similarly colored shag carpet.
...
Have I scared you enough?

You need something black with gold or maybe gold with black - a thinner rod with presence and art.

Should I give up on these? Do they work for you or do they seem "off" and if so...how?

The rods are too short. Forgo the finials (except on the right end of the right window) so that the drapes have room to stack back, and either butt or wrap at the corner.

With the black framing and molding, I wouldn't do a brown drapery rod.

igloo
Lovely home - congrats on moving in and moving along -

I'm a very visual person & can't really offer an opinion w/o seeing the drapery & perhaps some of the roman fabric - any chance you could hang some of the fabric & shoot a few pics?
Since it sounds as if you can't return the rods - i wouldn't give up just yet, and there is an option of staining or painting them if need be

Does the color of the rods bother you? Like wearing brown shoes with a black tuxedo?

Beautiful house and view but I am no longer a snow person. I do not miss it at all.

Eileen in Phoenix

I think that what is throwing people off is the contrast between the window molding, the color of the walls and the color of the rods. It would be very helpful if you would put the fabric loosely hanging from the rod, so we could see how the fabric would work with the rods, walls and window. I think this is the key here to give you more meaningful feedback as I tend to think right now that it all might work as is but it really is dependent how the fabric plays into all.

I'll second jejvtr's request to see pics with the drapery and roman(austrian?) shade fabrics. The rods and finials are nice and chunky, but I think the color seems a little off to me. You can get a metallic pot wax at AC Moore or Michaels in the gilding section that would give a nice bronzey sheen to the rods.

OT, everytime I see your bath, I drool a little.

rmkitchen: I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles this year. Big e-hugs from NY.(((()))))

No on the rods. Finish doesn't do it for me. How 'bout cast bronze or brass (living), or dark like the wood work in the room, or something waaaay out there? Also, please send your cat to me. I have to go. Otherwise, I'd waste an hour or two looking for rods for you.

RM, I'm so sorry. Unfortunately, I understand what you're going through.

Igloo, the rods look very nice to me, BUT I think that usually you tend to know what you want and be pretty sure of your choices. The fact that this is bothering you is enough reason for me to say you need to find something else. You mentioned up above gold rods? I would love to see that. I think you are on the right track with using two separate rods.

And, as a ps, please send some of that warm air up here... -15 sounds positively balmy right now. I'm desperately hoping it gets above -30 for New Year's Eve, otherwise the fireworks are going to be a very abbreviated affair, LOL!

~~Veronica

I think antique brass rod would give that worldly eclectic ambiance. Ralph Lauren makes really nice metal rods.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I had these rods in the 70s in my den and their twin sisters in an antique gold finish in the LR. They were very expensive back in the day. I have no idea where they are now, 5 houses later. I don't like them for your lovely home, the color, the style or the finials and they look too short, not grand enough and either too big or too little, too short or too long.

I am sure you can do a much better job by looking around. Your house is too beautiful for them unless you take them down and silver or gold them and then put a glaze on them and a more prominent finial.

Igloo: If you want to use metal & want that special custom look, here's another company that made gorgeous metal rods for you to consider.

They also have corner (elbow) piece if you want the drapery to wrap around the corner. If you are going to use silk, the drapery will be very heavy (with the interlining & lining) so the rod must be strong enough to hold all those weight and not bend in the middle. IMO, skinny rod just does not look good w/ heavy drapery. I would go at least 2" or more.

Here is a link that might be useful: more link

OT rmkitchen, I had miscarriages almost every month for three years...it was WEARING, to say the least, and nobody seemed to care even though I was paying doctors for all that time...a female surgeon I saw finally prevailed upon her boss, a male surgeon to do endometriosis laser laparascopy (long story re why she couldn't do it -- has to do with university hospital hierarchies) even though he didn't think there was anything wrong--he found *tons* of endometriosis, but got rid of enough via laser that I had a 6 month window to conceive -- we finally made it happen in month 6 and it stuck, with the help of extra progesterone in first 15 weeks, prescribed by the female doc.

Point of story: it can happen for you even if you have scar tissue...did they laser out a significant portion of it? Insist on *active* efforts--the female doc basically had to yell at her boss the male doc in the hallway (quite dramatic) to get me my operation.

Igloo, what about wrought iron finials on wood rods or wrought iron rods? http://www.ferrodesigns.com/rods.php

Ok, I'll do two things...first before I give up on them, I'll pull out some fabric this afternoon and hang it over the rods to get a feel for how they'll play together and share that with you all so you can pick it apart some more LOL (Don't you love it when someone asks to really critique something).

That black shoes with brown pants theory....maybe that's what I'm having issues with. And I have considered smaller finials. I have an Antique Drapery Rod catalog sitting by the bed at all times LOL. The have nice NICE rods :) The reason I was going wood verses iron was that I need to be able to cut the rod on one end to butt it right up to that small window's wall. I need to be sure that the drapes can pull all the way over to the wall to sort of disquise the issue (they'll be pretty much stationary drapes verses the others which will be opened and closed a lot).

I don't have the silk for the interior romans (I'm going to have to look up the dang term for the style...I think it's London). I'm having them made by the Mini Blind King (LOL do you all have that franchise in your area?) They have done three houses for me so far and always have great prices and fabulous quality. I've done cheap to expensive with them and they never fail me. Anyhoo, because I wanted a black out fused to them, they had to send the order to the factory to put together a sample since it's a sheer (I've done it many times on quilts so I know it works, but it freaks them out apparently).

And if we all agree that the fabric won't fix the problem, I'll get rid of these and go shopping for different rods. I'll be honest about them, they're very expensive (several thousand dollars, hand carved) but I didn't pay much for them. They were made for a museaum two years ago and when they changed out their display they donated them to a local garage sale for charity. I paid $5 each :oP I was honestly hoping to get a bargain for this silly house finally! Oh well...

rm, nope not pregnant either, and I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through! Since I lost the baby last year (7 months or so ago?) we decied to try to have another one. With the help of doctors and many drugs I've not been pregnant five cycles now (aside from one chemical pregnancy that didn't mature). This is my self imposed "last month" to get pregnant. I'm getting tired of the side effects of the drugs and I hate giving myself a shot daily! The estrogen totally wipes me out and the progesterone does not help. So, if this month isn't the month, we'll give up and just live in our huge victorian with the one little monster. It's not every child who gets 9 bedrooms to play in heh heh

And yes, we're very close to finalizing our offer on The Old Consolate Inn in Port Townsend so we can get our son to a healthier environment. He had his final testing at Childrens in WA early this month and the diagnosis of IGG deficiency was confirmed, but he's not sick enough to receive the immunoglobulin (it's saved for the very sickest child). If we're "lucky" and he gets sicker, he can have it, (eyes rolling) but likely he'll not qualify, and yet not be healthy either. They said to consider a move since the cold and flu season is so long here (8 months).

The good news is that while this is a rare condition, the doctor said that the majority of diagnosises (is that a word?) with low IGG are premature babies (he was 7 weeks early). He said it often takes them five to seven years to grow into their full immune system, but they normally do. He's not sure Jesse will make it in this climate unless we isolate him again, (when we did he grew from the 0 percentile for weight and height, to the 25th percentile for height and the 10th percentile for weight...he's now back to the 0 percentile for weight since cold and flu season started in October). Long story short, he'll be ok most likely in a few years if we ensure he stays strong...so we'll do just that.

Well that was another long winded answer from me (in which I'll miss three posts that happen while I type it LOL) so I'll do my homework today and post pics later for more abuse (and I do thank you ALL for it...I just wasn't feeling these were working but it's nice to have a second or 32nd pair of eyes to confirm).

That is good news that you now have the "official" diagnosis and that there is good reason to think it will be fixed. I'm you guys will be just fine.

Also, personally, I'm glad to hear these were a "pick up" from a charity auction and not something you had custom made for you. I had started to lose faith in your excellent taste ;).

BTW: Hubby was hanging around last night when I was looking at this post so I showed him the pics. He didn't have much to say but at least he didn't have negative comments. Your style is not his taste at all but it helps me to show him things I like and why. (BTW, he agrees that the rods are not good there.)

Hi igloochick -

First off - the rods, I agree with others who said they are not *grand* enough for your beautiful room. I also don't like the color. I think some type metallic or at least metallic over stain would look better. Can't wait to see your fabrics and more of your home. The bathroom is fab! I must have come to the board after you started on this home, I was wondering if you would post a pic of the outside. Maybe you have before and I didn't see it.

Secondly, I'm so glad you posted about your son. He is such a cutie and I knew he was sick, but again, I must have started here after he was born, etc. Thank you for posting your diagnosis, I didn't want to be nosey and ask what the problem was. I'm so happy to hear you did get the diagnosis and hope things progress from here! I'm also sorry to hear about your miscarriage, I do recall a post when someone figured out you were pregnant. I will say a prayer that this last month does the trick for you!

tina

I need help please, what am I missing? I like the scale, style and look of the rods in this room. How much will be seen once the drapes are hung? With the fabric, blockouts, shades, fringe, etc. creating the overall picture, what about these rods is everyone so against. I love the style with the window frame, igloo already stated no need for matchy matchy, metalic and/or brown/black can be added if desired, with the drapes and shades, won't there be alot of details with which the rods are only one element? I love them even more knowing they were hand carved for a museum, adds to the character and story of this Victorian! Wheew, that said, the drape tops can cover or expose the rod, so, isn't punamytsike correct, let's see the fabric and picture the overall result before throwing out igloo's rods? What is it I just don't get? I loved them at first look and imagining the finish, and still feel the same. Teach me what I'm missing please

I'm with you bodica.Not sure we are wrong. I don't have a problem with them either. I can't see black or gold or bronze. I think these can work with the other woods. I guess I can't tell that well without the fabric.
Ig darn girl $5 bucks? thats some kind of deal! So post the fabric and let us see please.

tina thanks :) I think I posted one many years ago (outside of home) but I can't seem to find it....either way, you'd be heartbroken. It's a 1980's townhouse (five level) boring as can be until you walk inside :o) We're sitting on a kidney shaped lake in the C of the lake, so we have lake in front and on the side (end unit and we own the land). Which is why I can get away with throwing money at it like we've done.

Our victorian is in Washington (we are working on our offer now). It's a fabulous piece of history built by the founder of Port Townsend WA and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I'll do a much more sumptuious home when I get to play with that.

Ok so ladies, it was fun to do this fabric thing. I had planned on a look like this:

The internal would be a gold that flows really well with the crinkle (which is the window side of the drape, but is meant to be shown when pulled back). It's a poly blend (which holds up much better under the very harsh 24 hour sun we get in the summer). So if I go with this look, you can see that the rods are fully exposed. But, if I go with a pinch pleat, which I'm not opposed to verses a ring that's exposed, the rods pretty much disapear and don't offend me at all...so here are the pics:

As soon as we finish these...we move on to using all of the rest of this fabric:

That's not the real stash, but it definately has to be liquidated soon LOL DH wants his liqour cabinet back.

Mind you, I am supposed to work but got tired and needed a little diversion. Love your fabric, so I made a quick mock-up what you were planning to do. It is not perfect but I think give good idea.

I think it work nicely either way and the rods are fine and I love the story behind them :)

I think the richness of the fabrics with the carved wood rod and finial work well off each other. gorgeous fabrics.
btw puny stash ;o) great chandelier.

OOOHHH!!!!! Those fabrics are Delicious!!!!!
punamytsike, That looks GRAND!!!!!(ps. delighted to see you back again! Your insight has been missed)

Oops, fixed the chandelier ;) As I said, I should be working...

Thanks bodica. I mostly lurk :)

punamytsike: great job!
now can you make the rod darker chocolate/black or burnished/antique gold? :-)

Igloo: Pinched pleats or goblet pleats will make the drapery look more polished, IMO.
I found this pix which use something similar to your rod w/ what looks like antique brass ring.

{{gwi:1903347}}

Sorry I don't have curtain rod advice for you as I am someone who frequently wears black shoes with brown pants (well I'm not THAT dorky)! I just wanted to say thanks for posting all that eye-candy and being such a humorous writer. I bet people step over each other at pubs just to get the stool next to you!

Your bathroom cabinetry is outrageous, I am still drooling. Don't even care if the vent isn't stained I think it is just about perfect. The rest of your house is praise worthy as well. The only thing that creeps me out is the manequin by the window. Ever read "A Prayer for Owen Meany"? Then again, maybe it's just the outfit.

WOw punamy thanks so much for the picture. (now get back to work LOL)

I guess I've used the wrong terminology...I'm planning on a pleat, but the detail in the pleat but if I do the fringe (I'm leaning that way) it looks better with a simpler pleat. If I don't do the fringe, than a more formal goblet or tight pleat would be the way I'd go. Then there is the issue of the rings, exposed or not. If I go with the look above, I don't like the exposure of that much of the color of the wood (I do like the gold rings bella).

Well heckfire...what to do LOL

Nessie I used to be a public speaker...I now have no outlet for my humor (my 3 year old could care less if I am funny while handing him M&M's or not so ya'll have to suffer it here :oP

People always used to crown around my bar stool back in my work days...but I think that might have had to do more with the fact that I gave millions of dollars away for a living LOL which makes one well loved (until they quit giving).

Your comment on the manequin cracked me up. No I haven't seen the movie but I'll have to...or maybe not if it will creep me out too LOL The dress is an old ball gown I wore once (1930's prior to zipper being invented) but I change it out regularly for other antique gowns I collect. I'll try to find a wedding gown for you...would that help? heh heh

Sue :oP We should have a stash contest...another post, but everyone can post their stash's and we'll see who the real fabric freak is :o) (That wasn't the real stash, that's just window fabric).

Really?!?!? you wore that gown in the 30's?!?!? LOL

LMAO brat :oP

OMG i-chic. I'm going to have to plan an expedition to Alaska to steal that chandy! I've not seen a close-up of it bafore and didn't realize it had color (enamel?). I am seriously in love with it.

Love the fabric you have picked out. Still not really loving the rods but they are better with the fabric.

Igloo - I love those fabrics. I think they work well with the rod and the room.
Love everything I've seen of your house. You have me itching to paint some black trim somewhere in my house!

OT - Igloo, wanna swap out the red dress for my $28 wedding gown? It was a discounted pink prom dress from the eighties...I was 20 years old at the time (1981) and married on Valentine's Day. Ooops, that's right, I threw it away a long time ago. Didn't think my daughter would want to go THERE.

Actually the movie didn't go by the same name and didn't pick up the importance of the red dress. Since the little disabled boy who played SIMON BIRCH didn't advance to the age that he did in the book they had to cut out a lot of key elements like the red dressed manequin. The book or movie wouldn't creep you out, it's quite humorous but one that will make you cry at another time.

Nessie, in 1982 I was married on valentines day in a HUGE layer on layer white eyelet wedding dress with a huge southern lady hat...woven in th eyelet and the hat brim was red velvet ribbon. I thought I was a style sensation! And I had big arse hair to go with it LOL Gad I shudder just thinking of it. I didn't save that dress either, but wish I would have because it would have been a fabulous halloween costume!

PB those light fixtures are my little deal on this remodel. Almost all of the light fixtures you see in the house, aside from the library were purchased on ebay and I restored them. They were originally enamel on cast iron, but over time they normally lose their finish (although I do have a set of two that are in fabulous original condition and no where to hang them LOL) Anyhoo, I buy them on ebay, bake them clean (like you do with a cast iron pan) and then scrub off any residue. Then I paint with the little acrylic paint bottles you get at michaels for $2.99. They have lovely metalics (which look best with the fixtures). I copy the original design most often, then spray on several layers of a high gloss shellac stuff to seal it all and make it washable. You can often pick up the fixures for around $30 on ebay and the rest is just work, but not hard at all :)

That's good to know. Now I just have to find a spot for some of them and convince Hubby that it's a good idea.

May I ask?
:oP
?

Oh look at it sideways. It's eyes : an a nose o and a tongue sticking out of a funny mouth P (and always follows sarcasm if I'm using it :OP

I think that the style of the rod is fine but the color is off. If you just paint them the same color as your trim, it will help to set off the sumptious fabrics you have. The fabrics are absolutely gorgeus.

Beautiful home! I think the rods would look awesome painted black. Other than that, I have nothing more to add to the wonderful advice you have been given above.

I do have a question, though, please... When you said, "I purchased these big chunky rods (they're 4" diameter) for our master bedroom with the big finials on them..." what did you mean? Those rods are actually 4" in diameter????! How is that possible? I am so confused. I think there must be a way that curtain rods are measured that I am not familiar with, because I was internet surfing for new rods myself and do NOT understand some of the stated measurements!!!

Could someone kindly enlighten me as to how rods are MEASURED, please???! Thank you very much!

Lynn

Ya they're actually 4" in diameter (which is the measurement of any line that goes from one side to the next, transversing the center) Basically if you cut it in half the flat side of the rod would be 4". That's quite large for a rod. Normally you see 2 and 3" rods (they're all measured by diameter. I have to get special rings for these ones because of their size (antiquecurtainrod.com) maybe that's antiquedraperyrod.com....I forget. :o)

If someone put a measuring tape around the rod, like you would your waist, you'd end up with the circumfrence of the rod (circumfrance?) anyhoo, a different measurement. Generally they're always sold by diameter though, as are the rings (they'll be listed with the diameter of the center or open part of the ring so you know they'll fit on your rod).

They're also measured by legnth of course, and finials normally have their own measurement. You need to make sure your finials are the right size (diameter of the end for your rods. Mine would look silly on 1" rods for instance.

Did that help?

I think I'm going to go ahead and paint the rods first, then make a decision and go ahead and make the drape I want...see how that flows, and go from there. Part duex of this drama coming soon!

I read only about half the posts but I have to agree with graywings on the rods. I think it should go to the wall on the left with an end bracket, wrap the corner to the right, and then end with a decorative finial on the window to the right.

I would want to preserve as much as the view as I could and you can only do that by letting your drapes cover mostly wall area, not the window. You don't have a lot of wall around the windows, so I suggest making the most of what you have.

The site below show examples of hardware for the 'non-finial' connection.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Igloochic,
Thanks for the reply. Well, math isn't my strongest suit ;o) but that's what I *thought* !!! (I do understand "diameter"!) ;o) Egads, there are a lot of funky sized rods out there, then!!! I think I saw some that were LONG, for BIG windows, but only 3/4 inch diameter?!!!

I think I will start a new thread about this... "what diameter of rods for what sized windows?!"!!! OY!

Thanks again,
Lynn

I think your rods are fine - just paint them black! If you want a little bling - dry brush gold paint over the black rings and maybe the finials too.

I think the rods in the corner look fine without wrapping the corner and you can still use the finials that way.

I love your fabric choices and I would call the shade in your inspiration photo a relaxed roman shade. I have done a similar treatment in my dining room except using a london shade with ruched top panels. (attached photo).

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1903340}}

Igloo,
I love, love me some antique drapery rod co.!! Most of my rods/rings/brackets are from them & when I have sold previous homes....I take them with me!! They are a good investment.

Scanned thru the book of this thread.....I would painted similar to your woodwork like mentioned b/c they are good rods. I even like the look of where you draped the fabric over the rod & forgo the rings if you are not going to be opening/closing the drapes. Of course, you have to find a fantastic boullion fringe for your London shade to pull in the colors from that fantastic light fixture.

Smiles:)

downsey your drapes and roman's are fabulous, and exactly what I want! Thank you so much!

Scooby...I have many many windows to do LOL and am looking forward to many pieces from ADR (I just LOVE their stuff). I must confess a secret need for the fox head finials....heh heh

I have a boullion fringe collection that would make a drape maker faint :o) I just have to figure out which works LOL (I love fringe) heh heh