Do you need privacy during the day or just at night when the lights are on? I don't like the idea of people watching what I'm doing at night, so I do have blinds or shades or drapes on most of my windows. Not ashamed of anything, just like my privacy. Depending on the room, you could use woven wood blinds, but they'd need a privacy liner to work at night. Or wooden blinds. Or shears, but they don't do much at night when the lights are on. I've also showcased some spectacular molding by using tension rods within the window casing and hanging rod pocket curtains on that. Just hem the curtain so that it just clears the window sill. I think there's also a window film that lets you see out, but prevents others from looking in. Something I saw recently that might work--fabric shutters. The decorator used two sets of crane rods per window, top and bottom. Then they hemmed lengths of drapery fabric top and bottom and stretched them between the rods, so that they had two pieces of taut fabric, one on each side of the window. Because the rods have a hinge, you can mount them in the window casing. Close them, you have privacy. Open them like shutters, you have daylight and a view. Here is a link that might be useful: example of a crane rod

Thanks. The hood is a ge monogram (model# ZV750SY). It was kind of an impulse buy and some people have mentioned it might be underpowered (I think it's 370 cfm) but it seems to wok fine and we like how it looked (anything is better than what I had in my bachelor apartment --which was ZERO ventilation). Someone asked about the floors. They are a pre-finished maple. They do seem to show dust/scratches more since they're on the darker side, but when they're clean they look awesome.

I like the idea of using drapes and thanks for the pic @valinsv and I will probably be stealing your bay window look with the candles etc. it looks great. Our living room is tiny and I have noticed that since I removed the vertical blinds, the room feels so much bigger than before, which is why I wanted to go with something mounted inside the window. Do you guys think that using the drapes will make the room feel small again, or will using the inside mount blinds, make it even worse? The drapes across the window will certainly make my life a whole lot easier. Someone had also mentioned traverse rods which I had never heard of. I have looked into them, but I am not sure if it is a solution I would like since it seems as though I will have to use the little hooks on my blinds. Has anyone ever used them, and if so any thoughts? Thanks for the tip on the handles, I will look for them the next time I am at Lowes. Thanks!

I would do everything to the room first and then think about window treatments. The clean no curtain window could work here especially if privacy is not a concern. The side chairs would be nice upholstered in an accent color to add warmth and softness. The mantel is a bit low so I would fill the wall mantel top to ceiling with a mirror or large painting...leave the sofa as is, they are nice I think and add pillows in your accent colors.... Toile chairs would be fun! Example of large mirror and large greenery over the mantel