Photos (I hope!)

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I wouldn't even curtain these windows....un;less they face west and get too much blinding sun. Why cover the view?

Ditto what Linelle said! :)

I agree with Linelle. That's such a beautiful view!

Thank you for the kind words! We love our location and view. It made it worth all the work that this house needed when we bought it.

The Windows face south, and the sun can be blinding when we eat breakfast and lunch. So we do need something to cut the glare. Otherwise, we do love the light very much.

We also need something "soft" in here. There is too much of an echo right now when we're all in here eating and gabbing. :-)

The sun is going to fade the chair fabric and the wood on the side table and the floor, if the (beautiful) floors are real wood.

Unlike some others, I'm a big fan of window treatments and prefer them even if they do nothing but soften the look and add some sound deadening fabric and color to the room. I'd probably do some overmount roman shades.

I used to have carpeted floors with orientals on top and pleated draperys on most of the windows. about 12 years ago I had the carpet ripped out to replace and ditched the draperies to paint. I loved the bare floors nut the clatter was deafening, as least I thought it was even with the area rugs. But I loved the look of the old oak with the sarouk and the hamadan that I didn't recarpet. And eventually I got to love the bare windows and never added draperies or blinds. There are shutters on the den and solarium windows....but the living room and dining room are bare....and I love it! North, east and south windows....the south shaded by a tree most of the year.
If you like the bare windows, you will get used to the echo and small things like a big plant and cushions on the chairs will soften the sound bounce.

Research uv blocking film. I opened the window a bit. Cut it to size first. I believe you can get different shades.

I agree with Annie (probably because I make custom window treatments). The windows are beautiful, as is your view, but (IMHO) you need some softness.

I think your curtains will look very nice. I wouldn't add blinds unless you're worried about UV control. The sun did some major damage to our couch. It seemed to happen very slow and wasn't noticeable until one day, BAM. We have stationary panels and 2" blinds for the UV control, but I look fw. to the day we put a film over the window and can go without blinds again.

I made faux hobbled roman shades for my bay window in my breakfast nook

I did a pick-up valance in the guest room bay.

Thank you for all the good suggestions and helpful pictures. ; )

When you are suggesting window film, Tim, are you saying that by using the film we wouldn't need to close the curtains because the film would cut the glare, or that the film would eliminate fading the floor and furniture? Our windows have a UV protection built into them, so I don't think we'll have much trouble with fading.

I like to let as much sun in as we can get as long as the glare isn't too much. It's just as cloudy as Seattle here (I just checked the data...) so when the sun is shining, we practically feel like throwing a party it feels so good! Two days of sun in a row are a cause for celebration. ; )

I'm totally ok with just doing the curtains if that's all we need. I've looked at so many pictures of long curtains with bamboo blinds that I was beginning to feel like my windows would look half dressed with only curtains. DH is not a bamboo blind fan (but could be persuaded, possibly) but the price of them is what I don't like. Our windows aren't quite standard sizes, so that makes it even trickier.

I did consider doing a subtle floral print Roman blind, but I'd want to hang it so that when open, it didn't cover the window glass at all. Is it difficult to hang Romans a few inches above the moulding? (Do they hang right when bumped out at the moulding thickness?) From what many of you are saying this isn't even necessary. I'm all for less work, since the Roman blinds would be diy.

Annie, your views are stunning!

OT, I'm on the hunt for a large, inexpensive rug to put under our table. I didn't realize just how much sound the plaster and exposed joist ceiling were absorbing when this room was in it's pre-Reno state. The fresh drywall has turned this room into an echo chamber. One of my kids dropped their fork last night and we all cringed at the skull splitting sound.

I did something similar to this in our dining room. I have a similar palette - and my walls and panels are a similar color, which I really like. There's a nice subtleness to it, and the treatments really soften the room. If you go this route, make sure you install your rod very close to the ceiling. It gives a feeling of more height in the space.

Personally, I don't care for valances; but that's just me.

You have a lovely room. I love your hardwood floors too!

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