Email Answer: It’s Curtains For You
If there’s one thing that we can count on like clockwork, it’s a flurry of curtain & blind related questions in our inbox each and every day, so we’re here to answer a slew of them in one fell swoop. Hold onto your hats people, this could get crazy.
Q: What’s your general philosophy on window treatments?
A: We believe that curtains and blinds can make for the biggest change in a room next to paint. They’re hugely important for a major makeover, and can add height, drama, breezy ambiance, softness, and even a punch of color to any space- and we definitely encourage everyone to give them a spin! We’re generally not big fans of valances, but we love the floor length curtain and blind combination and we always hang them “high and wide” as we say so often.
This means that we like hanging outside mounted bamboo blinds or roman shades a few inches below the ceiling to “cheat” a window up, and create the effect that it’s much taller and grander than it really is. Then hanging a curtain rod at the same level as the blinds, but extending the rod about 18″ wider than the window on both sides creates the look of a much wider window and allows the curtain panels to hang in front of the wall instead of encroaching on the window and blocking lots of much-needed light. When in doubt, go high and wide- it’ll make your ceilings feel taller, your room feel brighter, and your windows look HUGE!
Q: What stores in general do you like for inexpensive curtains?
A: Ikea, Target, Walmart, West Elm, JC Penney, and Bed Bath & Beyond are all great places to turn to when you’re hunting for curtains. Here are our ultimate favorites hanging on our living room window above (Ikea Vivan panels that are oh so cheap and classic- plus they come in two different lengths and have no-sew iron-on hem tape for easy installation that looks crisp and custom).
Q: I’ve noticed that you guys love pairing curtains with bamboo blinds so you can create the effect of a bigger window by mounting the blinds extra high and the curtains extra wide. My only problem is finding wide enough bamboo blinds for my windows. Where do you suggest I look?
A: Here’s the secret: you can actually use two bamboo blinds hung next to each other to create the look of one for about a tenth of the price of a long custom blind! In fact, in our very own living room (pictured above) those are actually just two super cheap bamboo blinds snagged at Walmart and hung right next to each other (thanks to the textured bamboo material, no one’s the wiser). Beyond checking your local Walmart for a bunch of cheap bamboo blinds in many sizes, you can also try Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and even JC Penney for similar options.
Q: I have a great room with 11′ ceilings, do you think I should hang curtains and blinds all the way up to the ceiling in there? I know you like to cheat your curtains up. Do you know of anyone who provides affordable curtains that are longer than 108″?
A: For your curtain sitch in the room with the 11′ ceilings (what an awesome problem to have!) we’d suggest just hanging the longer Vivan curtains from Ikea (118′ long) since they’ll add a great amount of height and softness without needing to go all the way to the top of your 11′ walls (and they’re deliciously cheap to boot).
Q: I have three windows along one wall of my living room with about a foot of wall in between each one. Should I do three small curtain rods to hang curtains in between and on the ends of them, or should I find one long 10′ curtain rod? Any ideas where I can find a 10′ rod?
A: Definitely go with one long rod. It will look seamless and less visually broken up… and it might even create the look of one big window instead of three smaller ones next to each other. We know that JC Penney sells curtain rods and extender pieces that can stretch those rods far beyond 12′ which should solve your problem on the double. For a visual, check out Blayne’s living room makeover that we helped her with a few month’s back. You can see how adding curtain panels where there are slivers of wall creates a breezy effect and makes smaller side-by-side windows look like one big wall of glass (and you can see how she cheated them about a foot and a half higher than the window and it looks great):
Q: What about a bay window? We have one in the kitchen and I can’t figure out how to tackle it!
A: Just do what we suggested for one our lovely readers (great job Nichole!). She removed her old swagged valance…
…and used a bay window curtain rod (available at Smith & Noble and JC Penney- or you can use three regular rods and remove the finials on the ends that meet to create the look of one seamless rod) to follow the contour of the bay window and hung some breezy curtains for softness along with inside mounted 2″ blinds for privacy.
Isn’t this window transformation astounding?! That’s the power of curtains, people!
Q: Can you use your curtain and blind method to fix a window that’s off center? I have one window that’s not balanced in my office and I’d love to make it appear more symmetrical.
A: We’d totally vote for cheating the curtains over a bit for the appearance of a more balanced window. Once the panels are in place no one will know where the wall ends and the window begins! We actually cheated the heck out of our living room window and even the bedroom window with long floor length curtains (since they’re both not centered) and it adds a lot more balance and symmetry to each room.
Q: I have some really nice inside mount white wood blinds already in our master bedroom, do you think I can keep those and still hang the curtains high and wide and not hang bamboo blinds or will it look crazy to have a rod riding so high above the window without blinds to hide the wall above the window?
A: We definitely think the curtain panels would still look lovely hung high and wide with white wood blinds, but instead of hanging them right at the ceiling height, you’ll want to mount the rod about 6″ above the window so they’re cheated a bit higher but they still have a visual relationship with the blinds below. Almost everyone cheats their curtains at least 6″ above their windows these days, just because hanging the rod right at the top of the window can look oddly invasive and heavy… it needs a little air to breathe! And the bonus height and drama that it brings is the icing on the cake. Since a picture’s worth a thousand words, here’s another room makeover that we whipped up a while back to show just how lovely inside mount white wood blinds can look with curtains hung about 6″ above the top of the window:
Q: Are your white Ikea curtains hard to keep clean? Any tips about what you do to launder yours? Do you think I’d be better off with tan or brown ones to hide stains?
A: With a dog and countless home improvement projects going on at all times, it’s safe to say that white curtains can be just as easy to maintain as any other color (our living room ones even survived a nearby kitchen remodel). We like to wash our Ikea curtains before we hang them so they’re pre-shrunk (in case we need to launder them to refresh them once a season, we don’t have to worry that they’ll shrink up and look like highwaters). Then it’s just about tossing them in the wash a few times a year to keep them looking bright. A lot of moms even tell us that white is their favorite upholstery color since it can be bleached or oxycleaned and always looks crisp and fresh.
Q: What do you do for window coverings in bathrooms?
A: Both of our bathroom windows are blissfully bare. We’re lucky that they each overlook the backyard (so privacy isn’t an issue), but we like the look of shades, blinds, or even frosted window film or spray. There are lots of options for the bathroom, so as long as you don’t go with floor length curtains you’ll be a-ok. Sometimes the best idea is to peruse a shelter magazine or the internet for a bathroom you love and see how they addressed the windows and follow their lead. Inspiration is everywhere!
Q: What do you do about privacy with you blind/curtain combo?
A: We actually never lower the bamboo blinds or close the curtains for privacy (we have a good amount of space between the houses in our neighborhood and we hang out in the den at night, which isn’t visible from the street (it’s behind that front fireplace that you see in our header- so there’s no front window to watch The John & Sherry Show from the street).
That being said, we do have those cheap-o white inside-mount roller shades in the bedrooms to block the light at night. The great thing is that they tuck right under our higher-mounted roman shades so no one’s the wiser that they even exist when they’re up. Anything from an interior mounted hidden roller shade to some pull-up 2″ blinds are perfect to use for privacy (since you can pull them up and “hide them” behind your bamboo blinds or roman shades when they’re not in use).
Q: I have lovely french doors in the den, each with a transom above. From the frame of the transom to the floor is exactly 96 inches. So what length curtains do I buy? Using the IKEA panels as an example, would you use the 98 inch length and just hang slightly above the transom with an inch or so to spare? Or would you get the 118 inch length and hang higher and just let the material pool at the bottom? (I’m not really into sewing).
A: Good news! The Ikea curtains are great because they come with iron-on hem tape (no sewing, just fold the curtains where you wish they’d stop and iron the hem tape onto the bottom for an instant no-sew hem). But even though they’re easy to hem, it’s even easier to just hang those 98″ panels above your transom (wash them before you hang ‘em to pre-shrink them to make sure they don’t look too short for your perfectly mounted rod!). It’ll look great. And if you just wanted to mess around with the hem tape for fun, you could always get the 118″ curtains and hang them about 6″ above your transom for a bit more breathing room and height (and then just break out that iron, baby!).
Q: Generally what color rod do you guys suggest for panels… like a white rod with white panels and black with black or mix it up or brushed metal…or??
A: We usually like oil-rubbed bronze or black rods best for our home (they feel classic without drawing a lot of attention to themselves), but chrome rods can look amazing and become more of a modern touch in contemporary rooms (especially with grommeted curtains). White rods can definitely work in certain situations but we find that thin white metal rods can feel a bit too dainty (you want your rods to be understated but not to look too flimsy for the long floor-length curtains they’re supporting). There are tons of gorgeous options out there though (our den ones, pictured below, are from Target), so it’s really just a matter of personal preference!
Q: We have a large window in our living room that I’d love to try your curtains/bamboo blinds combo, however, we have a sliding glass patio door on the same wall. Would it look weird to have curtains at different heights on the same wall? Would it be weird to use the roman blinds on the patio door? What do you think?
A: I’d use the blinds and the curtains on both the windows and the sliding glass door for instant cohesion and balance. I’d also go out of my way to hang them at the same level (cheat one set higher so they look more symmetrical and balanced). Voila: height, softness and elegance to spare.
Q: What would you guys suggest for windows that have vertical blinds that can’t be removed (we rent)? Also, in a room that has contemporary black furniture, would you suggest white panels or black panels on those windows? Do you match your curtains to the main color of the room decor? Thanks so much!
A: When it comes to your curtain debacle, I’d generally steer clear of solid black curtain panels (since they can seem pretty heavy and dark) but something with a pattern that includes some black to tie them into your furnishings would be great (we love these from Ikea with white, black and green stripes). You can also choose to tie your curtains in with the wall color for an expansive and layered look or even with the upholstery on your sofa (say it’s tan, a cream curtain would complement that beautifully without feeling matchy-matchy). And when it comes to you vertical blinds, drawing them to one side and hiding them behind your curtain panels will make them virtually invisible (but they can still be used by pulling them back out when you need them). Similarly, horizontal blinds can be pulled all the way up and obscured behind bamboo blinds or roman shades when they’re not in use. Oh happy day.
Q: I know you guys are crazy about using white curtains for that light and airy look, but can bright saturated curtains work too?
A: They sure can. Check out this kitchen makeover that we helped Carla out with a few weeks back. This is her space before our accessory intervention…
And this is the same space after some paint and a few new accessories (including the vibrant green curtains that really make the space).
Q: What about big glass sliding doors. I’m at a loss for how to use curtains or blinds to spruce them up.
A: Beth actually took our white-curtains-with-bamboo-blinds suggestion to heart when it came to her sliders, and here’s the amazing transformation. This is her valanced sliding door before…
… and her light and airy after:
The best part is that if you still want privacy (or are a renter) you can keep your vertical blinds pulled to the side and tucked behind one of the curtain panels to hide them when they’re not in use.
So there you have it. About a million curtain related queries and some lovely eye candy to demonstrate the power of curtains and blinds. Happy hanging everyone…
For more curtain related tips, tutorials and photos, check out our living room’s curtain & blind combination, and our den’s not-naked-anymore windows (and don’t forget to read the comments for even more info and ideas!).
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Comments
Yup! Hang them both at the same (higher) height. It’ll add balance and look great. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
We are at a complete loss regarding curtains in our new Tudor style home. There is literally a radiator beneath the window in almost every room in our house. Our dining room has 2 windows on each side of the fireplace with a radiator beneath each, 2 windows with radiators in the living room and master bedroom and a radiator beneath the windows in the nursrey and guest bedroom. Luckily there are covers on the ones in the bedrooms but not in the dining room or living room. Any suggestions?
Oh and the living and dining room have the original wood stained trim and my husband refuses to paint it white :(
Hey Sarah,
Just scroll up to read our last explanation about dealing with radiators. You basically can choose between heat resistant curtains if you can find them or just use blinds and valances instead. Of course for windows you can used hemmed curtains that fall just below the window as well. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I have a window in my bedroom that looks very similar to the one you have in your master bedroom above the bed. It is a wide, short window. What did you use to cover that window? Right now I don’t have anything on the window but I need to block some of the light. Privacy isn’t an issue since the window is up high. I have roman blinds on the other 2 windows in the room but this window is too wide to fit a standard size. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
We have curtains hung on either side of the window that could be drawn for privacy but we actually leave it open to let the light in (we don’t mind it at night since our neighborhood is pretty dark once the sun sets). You could use anything from bamboo blinds and roman shades to faux wood blinds (like the ones we recently picked up for our nursery at Home Depot- they cut them for free so even if your window isn’t a standard size it should be no problem). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I have two windows in my drawing room. One is from floor to 7′ height & other just opposite that with 3′ sill & 7′ top (i.e. 4′ ht. of window).I’m confuse about lenght of curtain in small window.Is it should be same as in main window that is 7′ ht. or it sould be upto sill level.Plz help..
We think all curtain rods in a room should be hung at the same height and all curtain panels should be the same length if at all possible (to add balance) so mount each rod at the same height (a few inches above 7″) and allow each curtain panel to be floor length- even with the sill. It will look breezy and balanced. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks a lot for helping me. I have another problem in room of my house. In m.bedroom I have a window with fixed a window A.C. on it.I have to cover this window but its difficult to decide about curtain pattern.Though A.c. is fixed on right upper portion of window.so what i should do to cover the window in the same time when A.C. is on.Window size is 6′x4′.
We would do the bamboo blind and floor length curtain combination recommended in this very post. The bamboo blind can be lowered to hide the AC when it’s not on and raised when it is- and the curtain panels will make the window feel bigger and the ceilings feel higher. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
My bedroom has cathedral ceilings which are nice but it is creating a window treatment problem for me! I have a sliding glass door and a single window on one wall. My problem is this: I can hang my curtains higher over the sliding glass doors than the single window due to the location of the window. I can only hang a curtain right above the height of the window due to the ceiling being at its lowest point. Since they are on the same wall and the same height, do I just hang all my curtains lower in the room so they are uniform? Or do I hang my curtains higher over the slider because I can? OR do I just do a blind over the single window and “high and wide” curtains and blinds over the slider? Help! What would YHL do?
I hope this made sense :) And thank you for all your fabulous advice! You have made a loyal YHL follower of me!
Without standing in your space (and possibly even experimenting with a few options) we can’t say what we’d do for sure, but we’re inclined to suggest hanging everything at the same (lower) height so there’s balance and some nice eye-pleasing symmetry. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I can’t believe you actually answer all these questions! You guys are awesome. I just googled my problem and of course this old post from you guys popped up!
Problem: 18 ft (not REALLY a problem) bay window! It is actually a set of 8 windows, four on top, four on bottom inside the bay. The bottom for have inside mount wood blinds but the top to not. We love the light but I really think it would soften and pull the room together if I could do window treatments but have no idea what to do. 18 ft panels? Is that too much? Happy to see the bay window solution and image here because I have the same (lower height) in my bedroom too.
Thanks!! Sabrina
Yup, we would definitely do long curtain panels at full height of the entire bank of windows hung a bit wide if there’s room, just for proportion (so they don’t look too skinny and dinky). It’ll really soften things up and add breezy ambiance. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hello :) and thanks for sharing your *wonderful* experiences with home decor/renovation!
I have a very similar layout/window(s) to your living room and love the way you’ve dressed the windows. I’m wondering – do you have enough panels to fill the width of the window when drawn out? Or, are they a single set on each side more for show.
I’m going to be mimicking your LR window treatment and would love to know how many panels I should buy!
Thanks so much!!
W
In our case the breezy white panels are just for show (to add height and softness) but you can hang more panels for a fuller look and then you can draw them for privacy if you’d like.
xo,
s
Yippee! SO nice of you to answer my question so quickly. I actually prefer the lighter look of the panels. I can just hear my mother saying “You have to get twice the the width!!” Now, I feel like I have permission to go forward my (I mean, your:) way. Thanks so much!
We are in the process of purchasing our first home and I have the awesome task of deciding how I want to design it. :) I think we have finally decided to paint the kitchen walls a tan color, paint the cabinets black and use red as an accent color. The main thing that I can’t figure out is what kind of curtain to get. It is an eat in kitchen and there is only one window, but there is a door that leads to the deck that also has a window. What kind of curtain should I use? Does it need to be short or long? I found some really pretty red sheer 84″ curtains at Target, but I didn’t know if those would be too long for the window? Any advice? Thanks!!
Definitely go for those pretty red sheer curtains. They sound great and you can always return them if you hang them up and they don’t work for you. As for the window in the door, you can buy a second set of the red sheers and hang them on that if you’d like- it’s really all about what looks good to you when you’re standing there in your space. Good luck!
xo,
s
I have a curtain dilemma! We have a chocolate brown sofa and almost white walls (painting them isn’t an option as we have 25 ft ceilings and would have to hire it out). There are also three huge windows…one a sliding glass door, a huge windown about 3 ft to the right of that (on the same wall) and then a window on adajecent wall.
Should I pick the same curtain/color for all three windows? Would white be “too white” in a room with a very light tan? I’m thinking tan curtains would be to monochromatic. We have 2 inch white wood blinds on the windows right now.
This has been bugging me for MONTHS…I can’t wait to hear if you have any suggestions!!! Thanks so much!
Yes, definitely hang all the same curtains to keep things feeling balanced and cohesive. We love white curtains (even in a white-walled room) because they feel really breezy and fresh, so we say go for it. Ikea has some great panels if you’d like to check those out. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hello Sherry,
Your site is so full of great info! I’m looking for ideas and need some suggestions for curtains and furniture too.
The interior paint color for the house is light brown and very similar to your living room walls. The flooring is white tiles with a greyish pattern.
1) We have a formal dining, formal living, family, breakfast area. Would you recommend sticking with the same color/theme for window treatment?
2) The kitchen is open to the family room. Kitchen cabinets are a onyx/expresso color with light brown countertop. The window in the family room is about 8 ft wide. Window in breakfast is about 6 ft wide with smaller window on either side. All these overlook a manmade lake. We’re not into bamboo and we’re gearing towards blinds coz of privacy but still want something to soften the look.
Do you think having vertical blinds on the larger windows but horizontal blinds on the smaller ones will look ok?
What colors do you think would look good?
3) What color furniture would fit in with the whole look?
Thanks much for your tips.
-Meryl
It’s really all about personal preference so there’s no right answer to any of your questions. Since you don’t like bamboo you might want to check out white or naturally toned wood or faux wood blinds for all the windows in your house (we like when they’re all kept consistent but again that’s up to you). Then you can use white or cream or linen or sand colored curtain panels throughout your house to complete the breezy and cohesive effect (any of these neutral tones will easily work in all of your spaces). Those neutral colors also work for furnishings (along with mocha and rich chocolate wood tones) so stay classic with those items and add in color with accessories and art. Plus you can always tear out rooms from magazines that you like to use as inspiration. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I have a wide window in my bedroom that was replaced with 2 side by side smaller windows. The opening is 96Wx26H. It’s a very small bedroom 10×8. The windows are 12inches from the 8ft ceiling. Should I treat it as 1 window or 2, and should I use blinds or not? This is the only natural light in this north facing room. Thanks!
There’s no right answer here, so you could treat it as one big window or as two smaller ones. But for the expansive effect of one larger window (which will make a small room feel larger) we would suggest treating it as one. Just hang one curtain rod high and wide (at least 18″ wide on each side) and use two long floor length curtain panels to soften things up and create the illusion of added height. Then grab one long bamboo blind or roman shade to put across the top of both windows to further tie them together and continue the illusion that they’re one window. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi YoungHouseLove!
You guys are so window covering savvy- I love it! I’m stuck with what to do for my basement windows. Our basement is halfway underground, with the bottom of the windows starting 3 1/2 to 4 feet from the floor. The problem is that we have a ledge which runs the entire length of the wall and sticks out 4 inches (it can’t be removed). Do you have any ideas of what to do for a practical and stylish window treatment? I’d LOVE to do floorlength curtains, but think they might look weird sticking out so far from the wall. (Also, we’ve got a sectional right in front of the window, which would get in the way). Currently, we’ve got bamboo blinds. They’re okay, but I’m hoping to bring in some fabric. Any suggestions?
Muddled in Minnesota,
Rebecca
They’ll actually look great! Check out this basement makeover we did with floor length curtains and a 4″ window ledge. Thanks to rods (which always set curtains out a bit from the wall) the ledge is hardly noticable and the floor to ceiling curtains add so much height to a room like a basement that they’re priceless.
http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/07/corinnes-design-dilemma-solved/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I absolutely adore the way you dress your windows. I’m about to close escrow this week so everything is so exciting for me. I have a sliding door in my family room and I wanted to do something similar to the pictures you have from Beth. My question is we have these old mocha micro-suede couches that will go in the family room, which has a light yellowish wall color. Would the white curtains fit this scheme? Or should I go with another color?
Another question regarding window treatment styles: I wanted to do a classic look for our living room with stone flooring and shutters for the windows. However, would it be too abrupt to enter family room/bedroom, where I try to copy your bamboo/white panel window treatments?
We find that white curtains go with nearly everything because they’re so crisp (something creamy might not go with the yellowish wall, but white would look nice and clean against the yellow wall and with the mocha couches). Especially if you have other white elements in a room (like white trim, white lamp shades, white accessories like a tray on the coffee table, etc). If you have another dominant accent color (like pale blue) that would also be a nice curtain color possibility as well. And you can always get a few different colored panels from a place like Bed Bath & Beyond and hang them up and see which ones you like best (and return all the rest). Oh and as for the bamboo & white window treatment idea for your living room with the stone flooring, it sounds like a really nice balance so it should look great! But again, you can always buy a few options and see what you like best. Good luck!
xo,
s
Hello again,
I’m still at a loss. The big window in the family is 107″ wide by 95″ tall. We want something like blinds – so we can see thro’ but also close completely. However, there’s nothing that wide in one piece. And putting three pieces together would leave a lot of wands and cables hanging. Would you have any suggestions? Thanks, Mel
That’s a toughie since if you don’t want cords hanging down from combining multiple treatments the only other option is to find something that’s custom made to be that big. Oh and you can look into cordless blinds (which you can pull up and down without using cords at all). Otherwise you can always hang a bunch of curtains that can be drawn to offer privacy and forget blinds completely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
We are in the process of decorating our future son’s nursery. The room is toward the front of the house and has a large three panel casement window on the main wall. The window is goes from the ceiling 3/4 of the way down. It currently has wood blinds on it that we like a lot. We are planning to put a rod across the top and add navy blue drapes. The side wall has a double hung window that is obviously smaller and not at the same height as the main window. It is about 10 inches from the ceiling. So, my question, do we hang the rod for that window the same height as the other rod that is almost against the ceiling? Not sure if this made sense- but any thoughts would be appreciate. We are not good decorators and basically go by what the Pottery Barn kids catalog recommends.
Thanks again,
Joe