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Home Decorating Windows Design Dilemma

Window treatment for awkward long horizon window above bed

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

The master bedroom in the house we are moving into has a long, horizontal (and frankly awkward) window above the area where our bed will go. The previous owner had nothing over it, but we will want to darken the room. The other window in the room is via French doors that open onto a small deck; there we will use white linen curtains with blackout blinds behind them.

What kind of window treatment would you put over the horizontal window? I really don't want to draw extra attention to it. Our headboard will come up to about 1.5 feet below the bottom of the window. Thank you!

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Comments (5)

RaiKai
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I had this type of window in an old house. I found it a hassle too as I did not want a “bright” bedroom and it kind of cluttered wall up (my headboard also came close under it so limited any art placement etc). I measured for and installed a blackout blind and just kept it closed all the time. If you don’t want to “see” the window at all, you can also hang a long horizontal piece of artwork to cover it entirely.
deegw
5 years ago
Is the window be easily accessible? If so, I would do an inside mount touch blind that matches the window trim. When it is up, it will disappear against the trim.
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Another source to look is jcp.com. I noticed they have 3 blackout drapes (one in regular home WT section and 2 in clearance) in the longer length at low prices--if the colors work for you (always the challenge). If you can't find the grommet style that might be easier to pull open/shut on a daily basis, you might consider ring clips since they slide easily. If the hem looks too challenging to alter on rod pocket styles, you can cut off the top and rehem that quite easily. IMHO they'll look best if you have them full length, rather than end at the window sill. It seems like that would really detract from the effect of the window. Even your inspiration pic, while really cute, seems to just miss the mark a bit on the curtains. They're ok I guess, but full-length would have been better--IMHO. You may have to get extra panels to give the fullness you want across the window when they're closed unless you go with custom widths. Good luck with your project! Here is a link that might be useful: Clearance jcp.com blackout curtains
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thanks for the responses! ratherbesewing, i like the idea of roman shades, although the word "custom" makes me nervous--that sounds expensive!! would you leave the little windows with nothing over the shades? would that look funny/unbalanced if there are panels on the big window and door? sujafr, i wish i could see a photo of your DD's room with the shutters! i wonder if they'd be room darkening enough? also i wonder how they attach? there is no room to mount them inside. kristinekr, thank you for the bathroom compliments! we LOVE how it turned out! now we have the bug to do the rest of the house. :) I didn't think of the grommets without sheers, because I need *something* behind the curtains when i pull them aside so i don't see the neighbors house (or they don't see me). what would you suggest if not sheers? do you think it would look ok to have panels on the one window and not the others? i don't think i can do an inside mount because there's only 3/4-inch of space for the hardware. i'll have to look into it. THANKS. anne
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I would consider a colonial window treatment something like the one below, only I'd get a more sheer fabric, maybe a natural linen. I'd hang the left over the left window, the right over the right window and either leave the center window blank or add a short valance to connect the two. This will add some softness and yet not entail a large amount of fabric that would cover up the windows.
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I would not spend the money to get customized Roman blinds for that window unless you really like the shape of the window and want to highlight it. Just get regular blinds and have them mounted on a board at the top of the window to compensate for the thickness of the trim. It will obscure the shape on the top, but will give you good light control. You could get a pretty print. You could do the same with Venetian blinds. I like Venetian blinds for the bedroom, because you can open the slats to get in light and people can't see into your room, whereas a Roman shade has to be opened wide to get in light. One last thought. I have never had a headboard for my bed. But I have had a quilt hung on the wall over my bed for years. (It is a piece of art.) I've never had a problem. So if you allow a couple of inches between the wall the the curtains, it might work for you.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
I have almost the exact same thing in my bedroom. At first I thought just a blind would be a simple answer but i found it a bit cold feeling so at the end added wall to wall drapes on both the wall behind the bed and the large window wall. I love , they are simple drapes in a fabric that is washable and once a year I take them down and wash and iron and rehang.
grapefruit1_ar
5 years ago
If your trim is white I would add white operable plantation shutters.
shari13
5 years ago
Shutters are not dark enough for a bedroom. At least not in my world. I love mine in some areas, but for that room it was a mistake.

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