I recommend accordian blinds. You can get top-down (bottom-up) versions, that keep the bottom half private while letting light in the top, and you can choose various combinations of light-filtering and light-blocking. We have light-blocking top-down blinds in our family room, and we get good light all day (and a view of the garden but not the trash cans, heh), but can close it out for watching a movie if desired. And it's all inside the window frame, so nothing needs to drape down where the vents are. I mean, if you're desperate for the look of drapes, you can add them on the outside edges, but I think these kinds of blinds are modern and clean looking.

Thanks for your input Patricia. I don’t have other pictures of the bedroom at this time, but there is nothing in it anyway. It is one empty rectangular 11x15 ft box with the window you see and a door. I actually like the view. I like the urban look with the old brick building I can see in addition to the park below me and mountains in the background (to the left). I thought that for drapes I needed more wall space on either side of the window to hold enough fabric to cover the window properly. If I had all that fabric, it would cover some of the window, limiting the natural light I get.

So the bed stays where it is I think the four-poster bed doesn't work in this particular situation. I would replace the headboard with one that is upholstered, low, and simple in design to allow more light from the windows in the room. I would consider a 'bed crown' or corona to address the window treatment and the bed at the same time. These can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. ( see an example of simple short drapery rod used to hold the drapery panels.) Or the crown can be a cornice piece to hold the fabric in place.

I'm wondering if there's another idea I'm not considering. Are you open to painting the room (including the ceiling) a dramatic, dark color? In my first house, my husband and I painted our vaulted master bedroom a deep cool green (kept the trim white), and we *loved* it. We were pleasantly surprised at how much it darkened the room at night, something we hadn't even considered, but were thrilled with. I also really like curtains, and if it were me, I'd mount a single rod over the tallest window, extending it 8"-12" past each flanking window. Color would depend on the look you were after. Thoughts? :-)