Curtain Call
Finally! Our living room window limbo is no more. This weekend we actually got around to picking up some bamboo blinds to bridge the gap between the top of the window and the curtain rod. Gotta love making windows look bigger and taller while introducing some texture in the process.
Here’s the w.b.b. (window before blinds) totally begging for something under that rod:
And the finished product thanks to two wood blinds from Wal-mart (for 25 bucks a pop) and John’s manly muscles (free of course):
We actually have the same exact blinds in the den and above the laundry nook in lieu of pricey cabinet doors. We love that we could tie them into yet another space to keep things consistent and create the illusion height. White Ikea floor length curtains flanking these simple wood blinds is absolutely our favorite combination for big picture windows (and one that we often suggest to everyone who will listen) but what say you lovely readers? Think we did our home’s biggest window proud?
Psst- Wanna know more about finding the right window treatments for your home? Check out this exhaustive answer.
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Comments
ahh, I have the EXACT same problem as joanne! i’ve been racking my brain on how to make it work with our window being so far to the left and the bed being centered. this totally helps!
p.s. love your blog, we’ve used quite a few of y’alls ideas in our houses! (like the hanging lanterns on the front porch! we snagged ours for $1 each at thrift stores!)
Hi – We are looking to do the exact same treatment in our sunroom. How many blinds did you use for your wide window – where is the seam? It looks like one continuos blind from the picture.
Thanks!
Jeff
The seam’s right in the middle but you can’t see it since we hung them flush right next to each other and the texture/pattern in the blinds makes it virtually undetectable. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi, just found your site looking for a way to deal with my window dilemma and I have been looking through all the pages for hours now! We just bought a condo and will be renovating the entire thing so I have gotten tonnes of ideas already. As for my window problem, In the living area there is a sliding glass door with a window to the left of it (only about half a foot apart). There are built in valances (we will eventually be tearing out but need window coverings asap) and there is a electric baseboard heater at the bottom that goes almost the whole way under both the window and the slider. So I was thinking that the window treatment you have in your living room would look good except for I can’t have the window panels to the ground because of the heater? It’s very hard to explain, maybe I could send you a picture.
We can totally picture it, and we would have suggessed one long rod above both the window and the sliders with three panels (one for the side of the window, one to go between the slider and the window and one for the other side of the slider) however your baseboard heaters can make floor length curtains a bit of a fire hazzard. You might want to look around for special heat resistant curtain panels that are made to be safe with baseboard heat, otherwise we would suggest just hanging bamboo blinds or some sort of cream, white or tan roman shade above both the window and the slider at the same height for some polish and softness. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I have a similar window in my living room. It is approximately 101″ wide. I like the idea of using two blinds next to each other, but what do I do if the sizes don’t work out exactly to the 101″.
By the way – I love your website. I belong to a mom’s group and am going to tell everyone about it. Great tips and advice! Thanks.
Hey Kim,
Ours don’t work out to be the exact width of our window but the beauty is that it doesn’t matter! If you’re flanking them with curtains no one is the wiser if each side hangs over a few inches since the panel will be in front of the extra blind “hangover”, and even if you’re not using curtains we like all of our blinds to be outside mounted a few inches (so just go for whatever measurement is closest but a bit bigger than your window). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks so much for your quick response. I was just reading other comments and noticed that you are able to hide the cord because you leave the blinds up all day/night. My window is in the front of the house, therefore, I will need to close them at night time. Do you have any solution? What do you think – would it be too much of a pain to keep hiding it on a daily basis? Thanks again.
I think you could totally keep the cords down for regular use and tuck them up when company is coming over- that way they’re super functional and easy to use. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks for such a quick response! Great idea, I never thought about “heat resistant panels”. I am definately going to look for that.
Hi again,
Ok I have another window dilemma. (I am the one with the baseboard heaters at the bottom of my windows)*see a couple posts above. So our sliding glass door leads to our balcony which is enclosed with windows. My husband just informed me he would like window coverings on these windows as well as the building next to us is not too far and when they are on their balconies they can see right into our living room. So he thinks that he wants something out their so that we can have the sliding glass door window coverings open for the majority of the time. I would like something that will let in the light still but am definately not a fan of the plastic “vanetian” blinds, which is what was their before we bought the condo. So any suggestions that would go with the bamboo and white panels on the inside slider adn window, since you will see it all at the same time. I was thinking a white sheer panel but I’m not sure I want material out their. Maybe some more roman shades?
Those terrible vertical blinds are actually a great solution because they can be pulled open and can “hide” behind the curtain panels on each side of the sliders when you’re entertaining and letting the light in but they provide great privacy for a slider when they’re drawn. We just love that they can hide behind curtains so it’s usually what we recommend for privacy- especially because it sounds like you already have them. If not you can always go with thicker lined curtain panels that you draw for privacy but again you might have a fire hazard issue with the baseboard heaters. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Another quick question. There is about an inch ledge in front of the windows. If I put the blinds above the window will there be too much of a gap between the wall and the window? I feel like I have to mount them inside the window (but I can’t find the exact size). Let me know what you think. Thanks!
Not at all! We have a window ledge and we outside mounted our blinds a few inches beyond our windows. Just bring one home that’s a few inches wide on each side and hang it up! Of course you can always return it, but it’ll feel nice and balanced with a few inches of overhang, especially if you hang curtain panels on each side. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hey There!!
I love the window combination! I am stumped on what style of IKEA curtains that you used. If you would please let me know, then I can run out and get them for my bedroom.:-)
Also, do you charge a fee for your room makeovers with your room boards?
Your blog has inspired me to change the colors of my house!! I love reading your blog and look forward to your daily posts.
Thanks,
Stephanie
Hey Stephanie,
Just click the Design Advice tab under our header for more info on our services. And as for our curtains, they’re Vivan panels by Ikea. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi Sherry! I just love reading your blog:) Yall have the cutest house! I just recently did the same thing to my windows in the living room and love it. The only problem is that the bamboo blinds are not the best for privacy…I know they make privacy liners but I was wondering if you knew of a cheaper way to do it? Thanks so much!
We love hiding white roller shades behind bamboo blinds which offer a ton of privacy and can be inside mounted on the top of your window so they’re never in sight behind your bamboo blinds unless you have them pulled down and in use for privacy (and even then you can hide them by lowering the bamboo blinds as well). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nope, all the same color curtains, so they feel lush and thick on both sides and blend together as one panel (you just won’t be able to use one panel to bridge that gap an cheat things over that far, so tossing a few panels up on each side of all the same color will look luxe and cohesive so they can easily cheat things over while no one else is the wiser. Hope it helps!
xo,
s