The red pillows seemed intrusive and I removed them. I like this look better.

I think the strong backlighting makes it hard to say. What do you think?

I don't think the print is showing well in the photos. I imagine their effect looks completely different in person. From the photos, it seems a light blue would pull things together, making a more pronounced backdrop, adding some more color to the room.

I think I like it Ingrid! Could you take a picture of the fabric close up? It's difficult to tell what the exact color is, but it does look to be blue. That's why I *think* I like it. lol

Oh, my. They are gorgeous! Just have someone sew a liner into them.

I agree with Tibbrix, that they look as though they just need a blackout lining......otherwise I think they look lovely!

FYI you can buy a liner on Amazon and it might help with heating and cooling if that is an issue. But I think for now, just take a photo when the light outside is not so strong

Based on what the curtains looked like on the Country Curtains site I imagine that they must look very nice in your room. You'll get a better sense at night, I think, with the lamps by the sofa lit. Although I also like the curtains with the red in the print, I wonder if the background would wash out too much against the bright window, which would exaggerate the red details too much. I prefer the subtler colors against that light. I love your room!

Ladies, they do have a nice lining, but this window is so difficult to photograph because it always has that backlighting. In reality the curtain is prettier, and the fabric is linen, so it's not exactly sheer, plus the lining. It's that darn window. I tried to take more pictures; I hope these help. The fabric is described as an "antiqued" blue and there is also some beige in it.

They are very pretty and do think they add a little extra to the room. I do honestly like the solid light ones too. Even though the new one are lined, I think a total blackout liner would show off the fabric more since they're still light filtering, but I totally understand not wanting to go through the extra time and/or expense.

I agree the couch looks better with just the three pillows. I like the last curtains you posted with the rust in them, but I honestly think you can use either. I think your room has a good balance of colors and pattern.

Seeing them in better light confirms it--I love them. So much, in fact, that I'm thinking of ordering some for my dining room!

I really like them. They go perfect with your furniture and they look especially pretty against your beautiful outdoor view! The other colorway would have been OK, but I think this was the better choice, IMO.

Lovely! Looks good with the other elements in the room.

Very nice subtle change to the room. If you do think you want them less sheer, perhaps you could hang or attach the original beige draperies to the back of them, but I think they look great, as is, especially for the warm months.

I'm not totally sure about these because they are just so very pale, almost washed-out looking. I'll have to study them tomorrow at different times of the day. With artificial lighting they look even more pale. I'm just not 100% certain at this point.

The online photo of the curtains is great. Unfortunately, because of that glorious SoCal sunshine I cannot tell from any of the photos how the curtain pattern looks in the room. You may have to take a pic at night to be able to show their true colors? However, even without seeing the colors clearly the fabric looks too insubstantial to anchor the room. The curtains don't look as though they are heavy enough to hang properly on your rod---which might be due to the fabric (too light), the construction (no lining or weights), and/or the rod (diameter too large for rod pocket). Unless you can correct the hanging issue I don't think I would keep them even if the pattern is a perfect fit.

They may be bunched too much? But I'm not an expert on how curtains should hang.

As far as the fabric, i like the soft, very subtle look. But then I also liked the "boring" ones.

I think it's just like with your rugs, i.e. it depends on what look you are going for.

Just realizing I didn't point out the obvious----the curtains in the store photo are not the same curtains you ordered, I am persuaded to like them on the basis of the more colorful pattern which is not what you have. I think the ones you received are a miss.

Thanks so much for your continued input. I'm sorry but I'm working right now and on this computer can't send you pictures. If anyone cares to look on Country Curtains I was also considering Venetian Brocade Blue, Hatfield Gray, Madelyn Blue and the more colorful version of the one I already have. I'm not sure what you mean by not hanging properly; to me they look just like all other rod pocket curtains displayed there, and these are lined. I like the Hatfield Gray with the yellow flowers, but the carpet is bluish gray and they may look "off". There may be others I haven't considered that are appropriate. The length I need is 84 inches. Thanks in advance. I'm asking my husband to post some morning pictures without the backlighting to give you a better idea, but of course the backlighting is there for most of the day.

Ingrid, are these the blue toned ones or the ones you posted the website photo of?

Honestly, I think the calm and muted look you have now is just beautiful. I would think you notice your collections and your lamps stand out more with this look Overall it has a nice cool feel, something come July and August might be a relief.

i also think, like myself, I dread the coming summer and its heat and look forward to the cozy fall season where your reds will bring warmth and the pops of color you are looking for outside of your collections. I think the fall set calls for the pops of color in the curtains much more than a summer set

But I think only you can see how the tones look in your room with the carpet.

maybe wait til over the weekend and see how you feel

I like them, but I prefer tonal muted colors in the summer in a room decorated like yours.

After seeing how bright the light shines through your windows, and having seen your original colorway choice displayed in a window at the CC store, I don't think you'd see a big difference in the overall effect if you'd ordered the ones with the red. The colors, pattern & fabric read "soft" in natural light. That's why I think either version works so well for summer window treatments.

If it were my room I'd be happy with them. But you should go with what pleases your eye.

How do they coordinate with the blue rug which was the initial purpose of the new curtains? It's hard for us to see in photos with the backlighting from the window, but I think the blue are lovely with a softness that enhances the room. And the medallion print of this fabric certainly goes with the pattern on the rug. Great choice, IMO.

Kippy, these are the blue curtains; I don't have the other ones. I so appreciate your wise advice, everyone. I have a set of deep gold curtains that I'm not using and wonder whether it would help to attach them to the back to make the color richer. Might not look so nice from the outside but it's at the back of the house and so not that critical. Since I don't sew I'm not quite sure how to attach them, although I probably could manage the stitches it would take to attach them if that were the best way.

I did a trial of putting the gold curtain behind the blue one and at least you can no longer see the light behind them and it does seem to make the colors look a little richer and more defined, and give more body to the curtains. I'll try to attach them after I'm off work this afternoon. I love trying "home remedies", especially when they work out!

Try using mini binder clips as a way to temporarily attaching so you don't damage the new curtains

They are beautiful curtains but I don't think you should be this much in doubt.

I like them a lot, especially with the green pillows.

Kippy, we just hung them over the rod from the back to test them, and now I'll either sew them on or use safety pins or even Velcro. snookums2, I'm glad you like them. I was in quite a bit of doubt until I put the gold curtain in back of one of the panels and it made a big difference. I have no doubts now. nosoccermom, I'm much happier with the green pillows too. Otherwise it looks a bit too safe and boring, and I've always wanted to try green and blue together. It works for me.

Yes, I think blue/white and green are a lovely combination. Also some yellow for spring.

Beautiful curtains, and I love them with the wall color and rug.

Thank you, I'm glad you like them. We attached gold curtains to the back of these as an extra lining and I couldn't wait to show you the results, but the weather is very gloomy and these photos are not at all good. However, there will now be no more light shining through the curtains and they have a more substantial look to them and the color and pattern are a little more prominent. So much better than going through the hassle of returning these and then choosing another pair of which there was no guarantee that they would look better.

1. I like the old beige curtains and don't think they're boring. A transitional tone-on-tone color scheme is stylish.
2. I couldn't see any difference in the second set of curtains -- except that they are more sheer. In the close-up pictures, the blue/white curtains are pretty, and I like that they tie into the blue pillows on the sofa; however, I agree with the above poster that a liner might make a difference. The see-through factor is a negative; you don't have the sun-streaming-in-through-breezy-curtains thing going on here, so you don't want see-through.
3. I love the rust red/blue pattern on the third set of curtains. I've seen them before and have actually been considering buying them for my own bedroom., but, then, I'm very much a red person.

Not that you asked, but I really like your room. Cozy, comfortable.

My daughter has these curtains in her living and dining rooms. Both rooms have west facing windows and the rooms are painted a taupe and gray. She does have very neutral furniture with blue chairs in both rooms, which brings out the blue in the curtains as your pillows seem to do. The gold color in the curtains also seems to work nicely with your sofa. Although the drapes are not the star of the show they play a great supporting role. She is also planning on having fabric roman shades installed to control the afternoon sun.

mrspete, you can tell me any time that you like my room; cozy and comfortable are my first priorities. I was very tempted to get the rust red/blue curtains also because I'm very much a red person also. However, since I have solid rust red curtains planned for winter I thought I'd go for the blue in the summer. The old beige curtains are now in the guest bedroom since I used the guest bedroom curtains as an added liner for the blue living room ones. Now you can no longer see through these curtains, and I like them much better.

carol, it sounds as though these curtains are perfect for your daughter's rooms. Having roman shades in addition is a great idea because that western sun can be fierce. I like your statement about the curtains playing a great supporting role. That's what they should do and I hated that whole valance and swag thing with curtains in the 80's that made them look more fit for a palace in St. Petersburg than a tract home. I had simple curtains on simple rods a good ten years before the big-name decorators began to use them.

Another stab at a good curtain picture. Now they don't look sheer, do they? (

However, since I have solid rust red curtains planned for winter

That just reminded me of something: My grandmother used to have summer curtains AND winter curtains. She had two sets of curtain rods, and when it came time to change them out, she just carried them up to the attic, where she had a special place to hang out of season curtains.

I remember it was one of the first times in my life when I said to myself, "That's smart and efficient, and I like it." I am nothing if not practical and efficient.

I know that she changed her curtains because her house (well, our house -- I lived with her) didn't have air conditioning, and she used heavy curtains in the winter and lightweight curtains in the summer.

Another stab at a good curtain picture. Now they don't look sheer, do they?

No, they no longer look sheer -- big improvement! I think this makes them look more substantial, more expensive, a nice finishing touch to the room.

mrspete, you have such a nice way of posting, and thank you for your kind words. Today it was a bit sunny and I was able to take a more realistic picture, in case anyone can still bear to look at these curtains.

It looks so much like spring and summer. Serene but still cheerful.

Do you like yellow? If yes, I'd add some in flowers or accessories. Really love the green pillows (and I usually don't like green), but they are fun!

Also, I can't tell what your wall color is. On my monitor, it looks different in each picture.

Your room looks serene and lovely Ingrid. I love the green pillows you added and your Asian lamps and porcelain seems to stand out more now.

Your first choice, the ones with red/rust! pretty room

I love your room and think the curtains have a nice subtle pattern that is enough to add interest and texture without overpowering your focal point.

I took the liberty of trying to lighten up your photo a bit by reducing the shadows and slightly changing the exposure. Hope you don't mind.

Oh my gosh, your new curtains are beautiful! I am so glad that DHY was able to lighten the picture. Ingrid, your room is so warm and charming!

I think your room has really evolved and is lovely. I just can't agree with the green pillows on the sofa. They don't relate to anything else in the room and basically sick out like a sore thumb. If you want to add something bright, I'd do a brighter version of a color that already exists in the room, although I thought your previous blue pillows worked.

Thank you all for your lovely comments. I added some blue pillows but I like the green because I'm terrified of sinking down to the "old lady" level and this gives the room some pop. In real life they are slightly darker and look better because they have some sheen and texture to them that you can't see in the pictures.

My walls are cream but the walls on each side of the fireplace are painted in a greenish-gray color because I became bored with all-cream. I'll try adding some yellow accents to see how that works, nsm.

I thought there was green in the curtains, no?

No, the curtains are pale blue and beige. But blue and green are simpatico, right? Plus, there's a lot of green in the painting.

Some added color. The plate on the coffee table is now yellow.

Beautiful room, Ingrid. I've got the blue swatch from Country Curtains and have been watching your saga! Your room is now one of my inspiration photos. Hope you don't mind!

indygo, I don't mind; I'm immensely flattered. If you do decide to order it, or if you order other curtains, I hope you'll post them here. There's nothing I like better than to see how other people decorate their rooms. I wish these had just a little stronger blue in them but I still like them. It's really hard to find exactly what you have in your mind's eye.