After yesterday's post about drapery length you would think I'd be scared off from every talking about drapes again. Nope, we've got a few more points to hit when it comes to highlighting your windows.
In my opinion, window treatments/mistreatments are there to serve two purposes, the most important being to highlight the windows, and secondly, if needed to help with privacy. Ideally, in a perfect world you don't want to have to use your window treatments or drapes for privacy, it's so much easier if you have shades or blinds or if possible, naked windows enhanced with fabric. I know for some of us we need to be able to pull the drapes at night and you still can do that and follow these rules.
See that first photo up there? I'll copy it here again.
What beautiful silk drapes! But why, WHY is the rod mounted so low and shortly and why does the rod end just outside the window casing? The problem with these drapes is they cover a good amount of light coming from the window. Usually, when we first look at a home to buy, most of us are attracted to the light and how big the windows are. Why would anyone want to cut the natural, free light in half when they put up their window treatments?
Is there a window back there or just a blank wall? We'll never know.
I personally don't mind a topper and drapes together but this one is breaking a rule or five--it's covering up light! Someone needs to raise the rod up so the bottom of the topper just meets the top of the glass. And get a longer rod or extend this one out so that those drapes sit in front of the wall, not precious, priceless, free natural light! Oh, and the drapes are too short too.
"Somebody help me, I'm being smothered."
I like cafe curtains too, but again, they should be light and airy. During the day, push them all the way to the edges to let light in.
This cafe curtain is great because lets in light but still provides a bit of privacy. Well done!
What is this? Some creepy form of punishment? I know for these advertisements, they want to show the fabric on the drapes, but I see this done in real homes all the time. Dark, dark, heavy curtains and a sliver of natural light? Maybe in a few years living in a dim cave will be all the rage but here in 2009, people want light. DON'T COVER UP THE WINDOWS!!!
If you insist on covering your glass in your windows, consider a light fabric. And remember to raise that rod up higher! If you like to hide some light sometimes, you can still pull your drapes together for privacy or light control but, you should have the option to open them and allow 95% of the window to show. This is especially true if your house is on the market.
A higher rod results in longer drapes that result in a more spacious feeling in your space. And making sure the fabric falls mostly in front of the wall just covering the edges of the glass on the windows gives the illusion of big huge windows and maximizes the light.
If you want dark, short rooms with the appearance of tiny windows, just ignore me. Don't hate me because I'm bossy and opinionated. This trick will change your entire home!
62 comments:
This is GREAT! I'm so lost on curtains.
So true! Those ruffly little numbers in blue with the lace... Wrong. Just wrong. Rescue us from the eighties or whatever decade (preceding MY birth, of course) from which those things came! I am a huge fan of drapes, even dark-colored ones, when used correctly. My husband is part bat and likes the bedroom to have zero. natural. light. So, daytimes are mine (with them wide open so the sun can illuminate the dust bunnies) and nights are for him (closed shut and sometimes clothes-pinned together. Did I mention that I'm scared of the dark?
Okay, what about roll-up blinds? Would you consider a window "fully dressed" if it only had a fabric shade - balloon shade, roman blind, etc - for covering? Rolled up in the daytime to let in the light, closed at night for privacy.
I have beautiful, big windows but they're surrounded with gorgeous moldings that I don't want to cover up. We're talking floor to ceiling moldings, just about. I tried putting my drapes all the way to the ceiling but it made the room (small, small house) feel smothered in fabric. So, instead, I have capri-length curtains hanging inside the window frame. I wish I could have you come over to my house and help me. It seems I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to windows.... :)
Thank you, I really needed a 101 on curtains.
you are too funny. i agree with you 100% about letting the light in. the main reason we are in the house we are in now is because i fell in love with the windows...so what if the walls are uneven cuz someone did a lowsy job dry walling, it had big, beautiful windows. lol
I have one long rod extending out past the windows and set way up high, almost to the ceiling and i have heavy drapes on the outside covering the wall, and sheers on the inside covering the edge of the windows. that way even at night if you pull the sheers closed, peeping tom's cant see inside! but the window look almost twice a big because of the effect of the drapes.
your awsome:) keep it up!
I've been seeing here and other places what a difference tall rods and long drapes set wide apart can make. Does all this still apply if I've got 9 1/2 foot ceilings? Currently the lace curtains are staying b/c I like a bit a privacy and lots of light or I'd just take the curtains off to show off the gorgeous oak trim! Also, drapes/curtains/new shades are after several larger items on the budget of home improvements.
I'm sad this series will be over in three days! I think I'll go back to the beginning and start again to see what else I can do in each category! Or maybe you could post on Nov 1 a list of each one just as a reminder! :)
I just wanted to say that I am feeling sad about day 31 coming upon us. I have really enjoyed each day of tips, pictures and ideas. I have only been able to implement some of the day's ideas, but I have loved the ones I've done.
My son, who is 6, after watching an episode of Extreme Home Makeover, said to me "I wish we could have a house like that." Then, looking around our house said, "Our house is dirty (which it isn't). Our house is messy (yes, sometimes, but only with the mess the two boys make)." I had to ask myself why he was saying that, and I realized it's because he is hearing me complain about some of the things I don't like about our house.
We hate our carpeting, and I always give disclaimers to people when they come in "excuse our gross carpet", "I know this looks ugly, sorry, etc." My son, I learned has picked up on all this, and I was CONVICTED!
We can't change our carpet right now, but somehow I clicked onto your blog right around the time my son said that, and only a couple days after you had started.
I've been making the changes I can make, and it's really helping me feel better about it all- even the carpet that we can't change yet.
So, thank you! I wish this was the "365 days to a new home" so it wouldn't be over so soon :)
Amen. ;-)
Oh my gosh! I HATE those blue ruffly ones! lol
Yes, I agree with the drapes just touching the floor and with hanging them high ! Great tips.
But when the wall is one color, the trim is another, the curtain rod a 3rd and the curtains adding yet another color, I think hanging the rod 6-8 inches above the trim creates too many different bands of color. And when done with a tract house 8 foot ceilings, just looks odd.
I'm with you...curtains are not supposed to cover the window. I wouldn't survive the winter if my curtains covered all the light. ;)
i couldn't agree more! my husband was so confused when i started glue-gunning & tacking fabric to the walls by our windows... but you can see the windows so much better, and they don't look naked anymore.
: )
rachel
I really am so glad that you posted about this, because I have these two MASSIVE windows in our family room that I'm getting ready to put drapes on either side of, and we have a huge vaulted ceiling as well. So hanging the rod higher, WILL make the room look a little bit grander, if you will. lol. Thanks so much for the advice!
Shelley
I hear ya!
I totally agree with this! I love windows and I don't cover them up! My living room has drapes on a high rod and I always have them pulled all the way over to let all of the light in. Got to have that natural light! Thanks for your ideas and humor...
So maybe I shouldaaa read this first before hanging mine??
BRAVO! I couldn't agree more!
Again, Nester, I agree with you. I do this with all the drapes and valances in my house. I also do it in my clients' houses. I explain to them the what, why, how, etc., for doing it and you can see that they get it once it's been pointed out. Window treatments {not shades or blinds} should frame the window ~ like a picture ~ the frame can be pretty but it's what is being framed that you want to look at.
i love the sheer white cafe curtains over the kitchen sink. so pretty!
How do you feel about curtains with plantation shutter? You know, when you get a minute...
:o)
I just had this argument with my mom and a friend last week. I tried to hang my friend's valance so that it just hid the top of the window trim and they freaked out! I said "Did you notice that's how mine are ALL hung??" No answer. She loves my window treatments but she still hasn't figured out why yet. Ha!
Love it! You are so right.
I am loving this "Better Dressed Nest". Thanks for all the info on drapes/curtains. Here in the south EVERYONE has those faux wood blinds. I like them but I am kinda over them. I like simple fabric hanging from a metal/iron type rod. I used plain off white canvas tap top curtains in my living and dining rooms but the color seems off and they are capri's for sure. Not sure what to do. I am working on other rooms right now and they all seem to need new window treatments....
So true! The back wall of our kitchen/family room has a catherdral ceiling with skylights, so it gets lots of light already. However, when we recently repainted I picked out new rods for the patio door and family room windows. I made drop cloth drapes which are great because the fabric was 12 long. I hung the rods even higher than before and pulled the rods out an extra few inches on the sides of the windows and they look better than ever. Hanging them at the same height, even though the windows and patio doors are different heights, really helped too. Loving the series Nester!
Char: well, you certainly don't need them. Plantation shutters are so lovely on their own~I think I'd spend my $$ on an upholsterd chair instead of drapes.
I have done drapes with the half window colonial shutters before~where the top of the window is bare, and I loved that!
AMEN, sista!! I totally agree with today's nesting trick!! It's time we ENHANCE those windows, not HIDE them!!
Great post!! LOVE your "31 days" post series!! I anxiously await tomorrow!!!!!
This is fabulous! Our first home here was like a cave. Curtains or no curtains, it had very little natural light! And that is criminal when you live anywhere, especially Hawaii! Our current home has MUCH more natural light, especially after implementing your Nester window treatment tips! THANK YOU!!! I BELIEVE!
Wow, great tips! This whole series has been so helpful to those of us who are "challenged" in the decorating area.
I don't use curtains due to dust allergies but find regular blinds a bit bland. Any other creative tips along these lines? Many thanks!
fabulous! thanks!
Amen! I can't stand seeing windows covered. Don't get me wrong...I *LOVE* draperies and fabric and notions and fringe and all that great stuff. Just so long as it's up and out of the way of all that great light!
When we moved into our house the previous owner left behind the custom made curtains. They were hideous beige/plum and raspberry colors floral and very, very ruffly. But they were custom! They were hideous and blocked about 90% of the light that came into the house. And we had lovely huge windows, so it made no sense to have these big swoopy things in our windows. The first day there I ripped them down and slowly replaced them over the next 2 years. Still have some work to do, but at least I don't feel like I'm living in a cave.
nothing makes me crazier than ill placed drapery hardware!!!
Thank you for your posts. I learned a lot!
Do you have any pictures or suggestions for a bow or bay window? I am so LOST with my two front windows!!!!!! I have no light and fabric everywhere and I don't know how to stop it!
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Alice
Oh yeah, give me light any day! We have a house that is really dark in most of the rooms and we have to be really careful with window treatments. Drapes MUST be able to stack back ALL the way and expose all of the window, or the rooms feel like troll caves. Paint color is a real problem as well, I've painted one room twice already and I'm still not happy with it because it still feels like there's no window.
Take a look at November BH&G page 40 (and there are others), the drapery hardware is all mounted right at the top of the windows and does not extend out past the window sides. I hope this is not a new trend. The rooms all look squatty.
XOXO
I agree with you 100%! I think people assume they should hang the drapes the way they are displayed in the store or catalog because they think it is the right way. Also, this same problem happens with matching furniture pieces. Furniture stores sell matching sets of furniture to entice you to buy more of it from them. However, designers know you should buy select peices from different sources to make the room more appealing. We all must learn to think "outside the box" to make our homes as beautiful as possible and not fall for sales ploys. I'm sure the drapery companies make multiple coordinating valances and cafe curtains to match your drapes so they can sell more stuff too!
Great tips, Nester. :) I really can tell a difference on the windows where I had my husband hang the rods higher.
Can't believe 31 days is almost over. This was a terrific series. You should have your own show. I'd totally TiVo you. ;)
Goodness, you really don't feel strongly about this at all, do you? :-D Unfortunately in my house, privacy was our primary concern (also cost of fabric). I've been regretting it ever since. BUT! I found a huge roll of fabric at Goodwill two weeks ago, that is EXACTLY my living room colours...so I'm going to remedy the stituation asap. Oh, I'm so excited! Light!
Great tips! I'm lovin' this!
Love it.
Excellent reminder. People walk into empty homes, love them for the light, then move in and cover up the windows. Push the drapes back, let the light in. You can always draw them in the evening for privacy.
I don't know if I believe in rules for curtains, but I guess there needs be guidelines. Personally, I don't like curtains that look like they are treading high water. You know Capri curtains...
Ohhh Nester you forget the power of mistreating! Those heavy dark curtains you were just going off abt well they were in our previous kitchen! Go check um out....and yes our kitchen was still dark but we had 14 ft ceilings in that home and knew we were moving from day 1 so I had to work with the paint.
http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/2009/05/happy-mondaywell-almost-tuesday.html
GREAT post! this is actually one of my soapboxes! thanks for stepping on the box for me ;-)
I am a huge believer in windows and the light that comes along with them! However, the house we bought has very limited window space, and the ones we do have are nothing short of frustrating.
We have a bad living room with stairs on one side, fireplace on the other, and the tv opposite the twin windows that are off-center in the room, and come to the floor. Add to that my hubby's aversion to having a glare on the tv, and we have basically covered the windows up with thick, dark curtains so they are more wall than window. I was just thinking about using the bullion fringe idea, but I'm really hesitating as we have a dog, a cat, and five children, with the youngest being just old enough to start moving around. Sighhhhh.... In a couple years he'll be just big enough to play in the windows, and I'll revisit the idea then lol!
Thank you so much for the inspiration, even if I can't use it at the moment ;o)
I am showing all these examples to my hubby who thinks all windows should be covered with dark fabric and the hem should end at the windowsill.
I guess I know what I'm doing tonight ... going home and scrutinizing all of my curtains, then rehanging them!
A big fear in life...to click on Nester's blog and find my window's in one of her DO NOT DO THIS posts LOL
Thanks for your opinions Nester....I love em!
Thanks for explaining the whys of it all!
I have few window coverings on my windows since the major renos. I resorted to creating my own barnwood shutter on one to create a non traditional window treatment so no window would be covered.
I will do anything to maintain my sunlight. :)
Donna
This is one rule about drapes that I did actually know. We bought our first house 4 months ago, and every single window has double layer curtains on them - all of which are hung one the casings! I just re-hung the 2 sets in the kitchen. After doing one, I stepped back to look at the comparison. I couldn't believe just how much diffrence it made in the room.
And the windows look twice as big now too!
I would LOVE to do this, but have radiators under every window in the house- and the curtains are for insulation. :( So I'm stuck with short curtains just above the radiators. Ah well, at least I have employed the rest of these tips (I love my natural light).
You are so right!
I moved my rods in our bedroom and it made all the difference in the world. I blogged about it here:
http://yoga-gal.blogspot.com/2009/10/little-things.html
I also gave you a shout out as a thank you for the good idea!
Katie
You are welcome to boss me and my windows around any old time you want!
Hey Nester girl! I need your help/advice!!! Our room has a cathedral ceiling and windows that go up to the ceiling line on the sides; in the center window there's a palladian shaped window (it's a strange custom shape to fit the space) and there is no space to put the curtain rods on the wall...windows cover the entire wall...how do I put some covering up there that will look decent?? I really need your help/advice! Thanks much! I love your bloggy!
This guy has our room on his website when it was being built
www.kunnenconstruction.com
Could you look at it and PLEASE help send me some advice! :)
My biggest problem is an old house with rows of windows that cover an entire wall (to the point where we couldn't even fit drapery rods) and radiators right smack in front of said windows. Also? I live in a fairly populated neighborhood so privacy is a must. Finally, my neighbor's house is right across the driveway, so I have to keep sheers on my dining room windows or else I'll be looking at their dining room windows. It's an ugly view.
For that reason, I have found that blinds work the best for us. You can open them enough to let in light and still have some privacy, and close them up tight at night. But I struggle with window toppers and being able to see the hardware of the blinds.
Sigh. Window treatments are definitely not my forte. But thanks for the tips and I love your blog!
This is such a great post! I just have one question, before I make my husband re-hang all my rods (he is going to hate me;)?
We have a living room with 18 ft. ceilings. I have 6 windows at normal height and then 6 smaller windows above closer to the ceiling (so there is a lot of natural light). How high should I have him re-hang the rods in a room like this? I love as much natural light as possible too I just want to redo my drapes in this room and want to have the rods hung (and extended) at the correct height. I wish I could attach a picture. . .
You are cracking me up... I thought I was the only person smothered by closed off windows!!! God's blessings on your yard sale, Sarah :D
Your blog is such an inspiration to us all. Thank you for showing us that a beautiful home is just a glue gun away!
Tami
OK - I'm a few days late and maybe noone will read this but I have to add my two cents. I always hang my drapery hardware in a stud. (In our house the studs are really close to the windows and then 18 inches away from there.) Otherwise my children will pull the rods out of the wall (I know this because it has happened so many times! What is the attraction to wrapping oneself in the curtains and then pulling!!??) Anyway - because of this I'm apparently a total drapery clod. Oh well... Maybe once the kids are out of the house and before any grandkids arrive I can have proper drapery placement...
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