ok, i just wanted to follow up now that i'm back on track. thank you all for the feedback. for full disclosure, i went through my own stages of grief. my first reaction was frustration that many of you were telling me not to use these curtains i was 100% planning to use and absolutely LOVE passionately when i was only asking for help on the means with which to hang them! then it turned to sadness that you don't like my drapes. then it turned to realization that i've had the same concerns about the formality and the length all along but didn't want to admit it because i love them so. then finally acceptance - these drapes have to go back. lol i more of the elements in the whole open space, and i think i'm on a much better track now. i'm scared to share my new plans because i love this new direction. :) i'm going to go with 1 panel on each window, hung all the way up near the beam at 120", side swooped outward and tied back with rope. i can't decide between opaque linen and textured linen, but i'm pretty sure i'm going with the spruce color from Restoration hardware. here's the look: but this is the color: unless you have tips for sources for lovely linen drapes in 120" length. i'm looking for something in a soft subtle minty green. these RH spruce drapes are more on the blue side. The RH ones are my max price range. any ideas for other places i should look? thank you all so much for your help in digesting the perspective i didn't want but desperately needed to see!

I have rentals from college students to retirees. I agree with lazygardens that hardwood in the kitchen is fine if you have a great finish and the right tenants (never college students). It appears it can take more abuse than the laminate in my rentals. Laminate tiles are cheap and quick too but can look worn in a few years (again, depending on the tenant). Tile flooring for me can take the most abuse and not show it. As someone previously said, determine your target rental group and set the kitchen tone with that. Check out a few other rental houses in the area. Now I only list on craigslist. 10 times more responses and better quality tenants than from the local paper. It's free and easy. You can see the other local rentals there too with pics. Since this is not a high end market laminate countgertops (Wilson Art at HD) is great and cheap. Get something with a few colors in it so you can't see cuts, etc. I have white cabinets in one apartment and I would never do that again. Yes, it's low end HD but it always looks dirty and worn (vs. darker or stained cabinets). Darker cabinets and appliances will make it look darker but go with light laminate flooring, light paint color, light countertops and good lighting and it will make a difference. And remember - don't go too crazy since this is a rental (and you're going to charge below market rent) Also, MA state law says you cannot take a security deposit more than one months's rent. Not sure of the laws in your state.

Sara's roman shades are probably the most common type of roman shade. I've made these in the past--the velcro allows easy detach compared to nails or staples. Sara's treatment has the full stack of the raised, folded shade exposed at the front, which is usually just fine. But I'm planning to use an assymetrical fabric pattern which is very distinctive, so I'd like to have the fabric covered when it's fully retracted. The pleats in the up position will not be a look that I would enjoy all summer--I assume that it will simply look lopsided. I suppose I could just remove the shade during the summer, but there are odd times when I might like being able to drop the shade in the off season, including when I'm going to be gone or when I want to run them halfway down to show the fabric. One thing that Sara's posting reminds me of is that I'll perhaps have to remove the cornice in order to access the fabric for washing. Gotta think on that. Below is one commercial source for traditionally styled cornices for windows, should anyone be interested to see an example of a wooden cornice. I would want something plainer, with spare trim. Disclaimer: I know nothing about the company, Smith + Noble. Fabric will be a Finnish Marimekko supergraphic pattern "Luminara" in the white-silver colorway. It's in a Crate & Barrow tablecloth.... http://www.crateandbarrel.com/outlet/table-linens/marimekko--lumimarja-white-tablecloth/f22276 The tablecloths are in the Outlet store, making them almost affordable. I plan to center the pattern in the wide middle window, and position it at the outside on each side curtain. Artsy idea, yes? Not sure if I'll give the romans the Warm Window treatment or not. That makes them quite bulky. With the second shade below it, I think that a lining without an insulated interlining on the fabric shade might be sufficient, but I do like that mylar layer in the Warm Window. Bounces the heat back into the room and is a vapor barrier. Warm Window supplies and roman shade supplies are sold at Joann Fabrics. There are lots of directions for roman shades on the internet. It's a do-able sewing project for a motivated sewer, even if without a lot of experience. I won't be using ring tape on mine--I'm too hard on the presewn rings so I have to tack mine on extra hard. It's a project to do with a recorded book going in the background. Here is a link that might be useful: examples of wooden, very classic cornice boxes

Thermal functionality (keep chill out in winter, afternoon sun out during summer) is important to me Rule out plantation shutters…no thermal. In your photo, all your window trims are at different heights. You need to hang the rod the same for all windows. For dining room side window and bay front window, choose thermal lined to the floor panels which you can close when needed. Windows over sink…Roman shade, thermal lined, hung at the same height as the others. Good example…all treatments hung at the same height.(Roman will have to be an outside mount). Same fabric…