Why that fabric? Of the billions out there? We can't see the room, really/ Take some photos in daylight. What is it working with ?? Take a daylight closer shot of the rug, and what is taped to that window casing?Fabric swatches??

Seriously?

Anyone else have a perspective on whether Roman blinds would work on a French door?

Beautiful room! Do you need treatments on the French doors for privacy? My preference would be to leave the doors alone and just treat the windows. Agree with Jan though.. don’t love your fabric choice. I think you can do better.

Hi. Room has a lot of potential.

Can you please post a photo of an inspiration room that you want your room to look like. I cannot provide guidance, unless I know what your goals are. Thanks!

Can you please let me know what the purpose of the blinds on the French door would be. Thanks.

The room with the drapes does not appear to be a screened porch. Can you clarify?

No wrong answer, just need to know this in order to provide answers .

Visually, there are a lot of small patterns in your room: grids in the French doors, rows of books that visually create patterns, a busy rug. So, keep that in mind.

Thanks wicked. Privacy is a consideration-room faces city neighborhood sidewalk, helped in summer by blooming tree in front yard. Room is in process of coming together—rug is https://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections/langdon-handknotted-rug. I have looked at MANY fabric options, so bring on any suggestions!

IMO leave the french doors alone turn a light on in the porch at night no one will see into the house then . I agree the fabric is not right but I would need to see the whole space .

What a lovely room, love your rug choice. Absolutely beautiful. You clearly have wonderful taste.

I think Roman blinds on the doors, and panels on the windows, would look perfectly fine and appropriate for this room. Patterned panels with either matching Roman blinds or solid ones would both look nice.

To me, choosing patterned fabrics for a room of this style and grandeur is like choosing art — very subjective and personal.

I found some I like ... but that doesn’t make them “right”. Just my own preference, which leans traditional.

I paired these with your rug, since it looks like the rest of the room elements are fairly neutral. And of course one option would be doing a solid color in there for now, until/if you find the perfect pattern.

(I really wish My3dogs would see this thread — she has exquisite taste and is very talented at choosing fabrics.)

And the fabric in your OP, which I think looks very pretty with the rug, simple and elegant, but with a touch of whimsical in a serious Victorian. :)

Thanks, all. Jinx, thanks for taking the time to put those together-I love your choices!

CDR, great point about the patterns, the grid and the lines of the books—thanks for the observation. The French doors lead out to a screened in porch. Room with drapes is other half of double parlor, which will get the same window treatments.

I am drawn to similar patterns that jinx posted, but worry about the overload of pattern. Also love embroidered elements, especially on more of a solid.

I will post more pics of total room.

Don’t worry about too much pattern in a Victorian home, if you like that look. It’s totally appropriate. :)

Books and such need not be considered “patterns”. They’re simply normal background elements in a room. Usually only in an extremely stark modern space would that be a consideration. (Speaking of which ... keep in mind most of the pros here lean to sleek modern and contemporary, light and bright, and advice will be from that POV. They tend to get a bit flustered by patterns or mixing styles, or anything else out of their comfort zone, lol.)

I love Jinx's suggestions. She has an excellent eye and consistently offers sound, thoughtful advice. I also like your fabric choice (and it looks great with the rug Jinx shared!), and agree that Romans on the doors and windows would be lovely in this room.

Here are 3 very different rooms. Which do you want your room to feel like,.......or something else.

For fabric for Roman Shades, I recommend something that does not have a pattern. There are plenty other ways to bring pattern into the room and, as I mentioned, you already have plenty.

A

Victorian Real Estate Shoot · More Info

B

Historic Estate · More Info

C

Tillinghast · More Info

Ida, thank you for the very sweet compliments! :)

following

Thanks, CDR. Of those three, lean more towards B.

A couple of picks of other side of the double parlor.

Jinx, do you mind linking to the bird fabric? Love that first color way especially. Thanks, much!

How long do you plan on keeping the Roman shades? If a quite awhile, will you love them that entire time?

Or, will you tire of them, but you have the budget to change them when you tire of them??

Keep in mind, you can keep the more expensive items neutral and add some fun, modern vibes in pillows and less expensive items to make your room feel more like "Historic Estate"

This beautiful rug needs no pattern at the windows. The books in the shelves are "pattern" as wel, and the room and the windows aren't that large! The casings are dark.

Take a creamy shade from within,,,,,,,,or a slate blue/gray. Simple is never boring. Add a narrow trim edge of the coral from the rug if you like andset that in from the edge an inch.. .......: ) Done

Thanks, Jinx!

CDR, we plan on having a long time, so the plan is to love them the entire time. As an example, in our last 1917 home, I chose this fabric for the dining room blinds and was very sad to leave it behind!

Oh, my goodness ... the little temple jar in that pattern! How sweet is that!

A window fabric is not independent of all else in the room, and your eye does need a place to rest.Realizing you are traditional .......I'd consider a stripe. Linen or silk or.......

Is the current rug staying?

I like stripes myself, and will use them sparingly in a room, but it’s contradictory to say:

“No patterns, keep it simple [odd picture of a bare room that looks like it’s in an institution].

Patterns and books and etc in there are too busy! Small room and windows. Eyes need a place to rest.

Ok, how about these very loud, multi-colored, multi-sized lines striped patterns?”

It’d look like a circus tent set up in there.
.

Which of these would look busiest and least visually restful on windows around a room?

Yeah, definitely not stripes for me.

And, yes, current rug is staying.

Only other piece of furniture staying is this console table, which separates the two rooms.

also looking at getting two of these stickley chairs (in a light green velvet fabric)

You had me at Stickley chairs. Yum.

Pattern ixes depend HOW you mix, what is used for what and in what type of fabrication. You can mix al you want.......it depends. But your eye needs a place to rest in a mass of patterns. Scale and their relationships matter.

And they matter even more, between two very connected rooms. Basically? You don't begin with windows, any more than you begin with paint. You begin by settling upholstery selections and rugs. And a simple window treatment in a solid is never "boring". It can last forever.

Pecking order for selection matters. ......and everything can not be star, competing for your attention,

Oh, I love the idea of those chairs, OP. And I really like that console table in there.

You have a real knack for styling things. It’s such an inviting room; I can’t wait to see what fabrics you choose! I hope you’ll keep us updated. :)

I love your rooms--the woodwork, bookcases, and fireplace are lovely. Your decor is very nice as well--love the drop-leaf coffee table.

You could use natural shades on the windows and French doors instead of fabric Roman shades--bamboo, grasses, reeds, woven woods, etc. They are organic and neutral, but still add some texture.

Here are some examples:

Island Beauty · More Info

Daniel Island Residence 1 · More Info

Natural / Woven Wood Shades · More Info

They come in all manner of opacity, from very sheer to totally opaque. You also can choose to line them or not.

I do love the woven woods, Diana-thanks for those lovely examples. We’re actually putting those in our dining room, which, believe it or not has even more wood (half wall panel, built in china cabinet).

They are my "go-to" basic window treatments, classic and they go with anything!

You don’t have to use the same fabric as the windows…go Victorian…gothic, to compliment the dark wood.

Custom Window Drapery Side Panels Curtains · More Info

Love this one room…the rest of the house must be fantastic.

We almost purchased a Victorian once upon a time. It was in original condition with one floor plug in each room. The bath tub was from China (the original owner was a blue water sailor in the 1800’s traveling back and forth from the Orient to Cape Cod). The tub was made of copper and would just about fit a five year old today.

And thanks to for the coffee table love, Diana. My husband made it over 20 years ago and it’s still holding up!

So you mean Roman shades that will open all the way up? I would do that on the windows and wooden blinds on the doors and match the wood closely. They will kind of disappear and yet afford privacy when you need them. Save the pattern for the windows only, it’s already pretty busy