You typically attach them at the ends of the rod. Then, depending upon how long the rod is, and thus the weight, you may need additional supports in between the ends - one in the middle, or sometimes two equally spaced between the ends. Hard to say as it depends upon the size of your window. And you are right, without a traverse rod you can't open/close past a bracket. One thing you could do if you want to leave the brackets where they are would be get two more panels and place them inside the brackets so that you could close them and still have the panels on the outside of your current brackets making the window appear larger.

Don't know where you live, but see if there is a JCPenney Outlet store near you. The JCPenney Outlet store at Franklin Mills Mall (Philadelphia) has a large drapery department. In one section, my favorite section, are all the custom orders that have for one reason or another, been sent back to JCPenney. I have bought incredibly beautiful custom made drapes for a fraction of what they originally cost. They are fully lined, weighted, and made of lovely materials. The catch is: you have to check frequently to see what's in stock, you may have to slightly modify the drapes to fit your windows, you have to find what you like from a limited selection. BUT if you find what you're looking for, it's a steal. Another store that has a similar set up are the Waverly outlet stores. There's one in Morgantown, PA at a Furniture Outlet Mall and another one in Newark, DE. They sell custom quality bedding, shower curtains, drapes and other soft furnishings from the Waverly/Schumacher fabric lines. I do not know if these are rejects from customers or excess from their off-the-rack production, but the quality is phenomenal and the prices are insane. Of course, there's the caveat again of 1) you have to hit it at the right time and 2) you have a limited selection. Personally, because I've been home with kids I have more time than money. But, if I was in the reverse situation and very busy with a job, I'd probably opt to pay retail and get what I want when I want. By the way, I also have had custom work done at Calico Corner. I paid $1400 for valances and drapes for three windows. And while that sounds (and is!) costly, I have had (and loved!) those window treatments for nearly 10 years. I don't expect to change them anytime soon. I think the Calico Corners workrooms turn out a quality product. I have had things made by other independent workrooms but nothing has approached the quality construction I enjoy in my CC drapes. And no, I am not paid to shill for them! As for Country Curtains -- I just can't bring myself to pay their prices for their quality. I have visited the store in Stockbridge, MA at the Red Lion Inn and tried to find something I liked but I just couldn't quite get my mind around the quality/cost ratio. For a not-too-huge amount more I could get a simple custom pinch pleat, in some cases. I appreciate some of their fabrics and their traditional New England aesthetic, they are very generous with sample swatches and I think they're a well run outfit but for me, it's just not going to happen. Particularly since I have my own special 'haunts' for real custom at a discount.

The dining room: Love the wall color, and I know you donâÂÂt want to hear this, but I love the color of the furniture. I think you could have an elegant, almost Gustavian look going on in there. I would change out the hardware to something in a brushed nickel finish. Love the chandy. I would want drapery panels in here, and would treat each window separately. Something like this might work, and would pair the rich wall color with the lighter finished furniture: audrey drape Then something simple for the chair seats: grace teal Try the trio of vases you have on the window seat in the FR as a centerpiece grouping on the DR table if you go with these fabrics. If you donâÂÂt want to use the cabinets for showing dishes, you could get some of the window wallpaper in a simple frost and cover the glass. etched glass wallpaper for windows Gathered sheer fabric is an alternative, but I am not sure that works with the style of the furniture. Or, take the cabinet out completely and use it in the sitting room as a bookcase. Replace it in the DR with another side piece, perhaps a solid wood piece in the finish color of the tabletop. I will say, tho, that I like the cabinet in the DR in part because it balances the height of the windows. For the sitting room, it is hard to say because we donâÂÂt know what the furniture or flooring will be like. But I would again think about panels, perhaps something in a textured linen or chenille, for a more casual and cozy feel. For the FR, I would like to see woven wood blinds or regular wood blinds to bring the floor color up to the window level. You could add fabric valances above the windows for some softness and color, and do matching or coordinating cushions on the window seats, and pillows for the sectional. You have a lovely home - how fun to have lots of great spaces to decorate.

I like living here, although I wouldn't mind living a little away from the coast where the soil is a little more sandy. I am not afraid of hurricanes. We don't get them very often here, and we are far enough inland that we don't get much damage. No damage at all from the last two, but when Harvey went in, turned around and came back, stalled out over this area and dumped 50 inches of rain, that is when we flooded. The whole area, for the most part, flooded. I like the people, I don't mind the heat and humidity, the snakes are as big around as a man's forearms....and I find them fascinating. Have no fear of spiders...agree with Rhizo about that. Mosquitoes have been awful this year though, and that is another reason I would like to move a little farther away...for the horses. I can go in the house. Even tho I live on the edge of a marsh, the mosquitoes have only been insufferable 3 times in the 20 yrs I have been here. This has been one of the years. My husband will never retire, and so we will always have to be near the coast. I may move farther inland though.