Hey EHD associates. For anybody following alongside, that is my third submit in what has change into a little bit of a curtains-how-to installment. The primary submit was extra of a complete residence cheat sheet and the second showcased actual reader houses with actual reader issues.
At the moment is a continuation of the final submit as a result of we acquired far too many reader submissions that we thought could be useful for others to see and needed to maintain occurring the topic. And guess what, there’s yet another after this, too. However let’s not get forward of ourselves. Let’s concentrate on the right here and now, which entails how you can costume bay home windows (with and with out seats), working with transom arches (and big home windows as well), nook home windows, and clerestory home windows.
Within the final submit, I included some data that might be helpful to anybody attempting to cowl their home windows. Right here’s the TLDR:
- South-facing home windows: Get essentially the most mild, all day lengthy. May be intense at instances and herald plenty of heat, particularly in the summertime.
- North-facing home windows: Get the least quantity of sunshine. Can maintain a room cooler.
- West-facing home windows: Get essentially the most quantity of direct mild within the afternoons/early evenings.
- East-facing home windows: Will get essentially the most quantity of direct mild within the morning (good in kitchens, dangerous in bedrooms).
That is, after all, only a fast abstract of the fundamentals. These situations can change relying on what hemisphere you’re in, whether or not it’s summer season or winter, and what you may have occurring exterior your window, like an overhang, a porch, a constructing that blocks mild, large bushes, and so forth.
The course of the window you may have can (however doesn’t at all times) decide the way you cowl it. As an illustration, you probably have a north-facing window, you may get away with sheers or light-filtering curtains. You probably have an east-facing window in your bed room, most individuals go for one thing with a black-out lining until they don’t thoughts waking up with the solar.
But it surely’s not nearly daylight, is it? It’s additionally about privateness (and nicely, aesthetics). Perhaps your entrance front room window faces a bustling sidewalk, and also you need mild to come back in however you don’t need individuals understanding the colour of your bathrobe, essentially. Or your eating room is open to a yard that butts up towards a wall of bushes. Or maybe you’re like my husband who may have a financial institution of home windows searching to a wall and would nonetheless need them lined at evening as a result of it freaks him out in any other case.
Okay, so perhaps that wasn’t precisely a “too lengthy, didn’t learn” abstract, however I assume you’re all right here for data anyway, so I gained’t make apologies.
A Few Good Examples
Alright, so, as we usually do round right here, let’s discover some pictures of rooms that illustrate good options for a number of the issues we’re going to dive into immediately. This one above, of Emily’s previous LA front room, is a good instance of how you can deal with a bay window, as these can depart individuals scratching their heads for some time (I’ve private expertise with delayed problem-solving for one thing like this). I really like how clear and understated the Roman shades are right here. I like to recommend one thing comparable when you maintain studying.
To decorate this nook window pairing, Julie opted for curtain panels hung with a nook curtain rod. This normally entails a joint within the center level so you possibly can keep away from having to attempt to dangle two rods proper subsequent to one another and retains it extra streamlined. A panel (or two) within the center is nice for hiding these pivot factors but additionally including extra softness. I’ll present you two examples of nook home windows, neither of which felt proper for this explicit utility.
Clerestory home windows, normally over a mattress, might be difficult. They appear so small, you don’t have any clue what is sensible to make use of to cowl them. I do know some individuals who simply don’t even trouble because the mild doesn’t trouble them, and, being so excessive above eye stage, there’s no want for added privateness. I’ll nearly at all times recommend a shade of some type for these, until—like in our reader’s room under—there’s a further ingredient like a dresser or different piece of furnishings that would assist one thing extra.
Simply one other fast, fairly instance of a transom overlaying. Largely as a result of I sadly don’t have examples from the EHD archives of how we might method stacked home windows, home windows with arches, or home windows with tall transoms.
Okay, let’s get into some actual reader houses. Let’s go!
Protecting the Solar & Onlookers at *Bay*
From our reader: “Assist! I’ve struggled with the perfect resolution for this window for two years. The HVAC registers proper the place curtains fall means we can’t have curtains pool on the ground and it’s NOT the look I’m going for.”
Ahh the nice ol’ bay window. One other fast story (promise it will likely be quick this time): Earlier than I knew a lot about something interiors, my sister and I spent the higher a part of a 12 months attempting to determine how you can put curtains within the bay window of her breakfast nook. Hers was pretty simple, not like this reader’s. There was no seat, and no A/C registers alongside the baseboards. We ultimately stumbled upon nook brackets made particularly for bay home windows and as soon as we did, we couldn’t imagine that such an apparent reply was on the market and we had been blind to it.
However that’s not this reader’s problem. She doesn’t just like the look of her window coverings, and so they’re a bit brief too as to not intrude with the A/C vents, so I’ve one other concept for her. One which I believe is the best choice and one other concept simply in case.
My recommendation is to take down the panels and the curtain rod, and as a substitute, go for Roman shades on every of the home windows. It’s onerous to inform how a lot sill clearance there may be so I can’t essentially say whether or not they need to be inside or exterior mounted, however I believe that may be a way more intentional look than what she has proper now.
A second method to go about it’s cafe curtains. She may dangle them about 3/4 of the best way up (to intersect the second window of the grid down) to offer sufficient privateness from the road, however mild would nonetheless be let in from that high 1/4.
Earlier than shifting on, I needed to share a further reader with bay window woes, since hers is extra widespread, albeit with a bizarre extra window scenario. Right here’s what she mentioned:
From our reader: “We moved in two years in the past and have been residing with the horrible (and damaged) blinds in our bed room whereas ready out the contractors (lastly) altering a door-to-nowhere for a window, on the correct. Perhaps curtains assist with that steadiness, but additionally, how can we do this with this bay window scenario? Will we combine some curtains with some shades? It’s east-facing and I sleep going through these home windows, so I’d love some means to filter mild for sleep’s sake, however nonetheless love the sunshine streaming in a lot of the day.”
As soon as I recover from the truth that a builder had a door the place that far proper window is now…with nowhere to open it boggles my thoughts. Why??? However now it’s fastened, and this reader wants an answer! I get why she’s tripped up by it. It’s a humorous little scenario. She seemingly desires to cowl all of the home windows the identical means, however what must occur is 2 remedies: panels hung utilizing a curtain rod particularly for bay home windows, after which some shades to interchange the damaged mini blinds and to additionally cowl that new additional window. I specified Roman as a result of it feels just like the magnificence of that model would work with the decor within the room already, however a pull-down shade in a easy textural impartial would even be good.
I edited out the a part of the reader’s e-mail the place she famous not liking the trim across the window, so in concept, she may mount the shades on the skin to cowl it, however I believe the within mount would look a lot cleaner right here. For the panels, I’d dangle 6 whole: two for each window (one on both sides).
Blinded By the Mild…From These Arched Home windows
From our reader: “I’ve giant home windows with an arched high in a room that feels spacious as a result of it has a excessive ceiling however isn’t truly that enormous. It’s south-facing, so within the morning the sunshine is de facto intense; now we have to put on sun shades generally! The sturdy mild is available in on the high of the arch, so cafe curtains gained’t work. I fear that floor-to-ceiling drapes will overwhelm the house due to how tall they might be, and likewise costly as a result of it will take so many yards of cloth. We are able to’t do a Roman shade due to the arch. I’m stumped. Proper now, I’ve a restaurant curtain on one window for privateness from the neighbor’s residence, which is shut on that facet. The again home windows don’t want privateness or blackout drapes, just a bit mild filtering.”
Oh man, the transom…that’s additionally an arch. This can be a double hitter of problem, particularly after they face a course that permits a lot mild, it’s worthwhile to discover a method to block them (to not point out this reader talked about the peak and the room measurement is one other hurdle). Usually, when you don’t want to dam the sunshine, I’d advocate simply hanging window coverings (both panels or shades and even shutters) under the arch/transom so that you don’t want miles of cloth, however this reader particularly said needing to dam the sunshine from the highest.
Now, she didn’t specify window peak right here, so it’s onerous to understand how tall these are, however I can play a bit of sport of guessing to come back shut: The French doorways on the left are in all probability near the usual peak of 80 inches and the transom above appears to be no less than half that peak (although in all probability a bit of extra). On the low finish, that whole vertical span is 120 inches or 10 toes. That doesn’t embody any extra house above for hanging curtain rods, and I’ve frankly by no means seen a ready-made, off-the-shelf curtain longer than 120 inches, and even these are very onerous to search out.
I’m going to droop the concept of price right here as a result of I’m sorry to say that this reader, it doesn’t matter what they go for, goes to have a little bit of sticker shock. She will go the customized route for a tailor-made completed product, however she will be able to count on to spend $1,000-$4,000 per window relying on material, lining, layering, and so forth. She will additionally choose to stitch some issues herself as she talked about being open to that in one other a part of her e-mail, however that’s an enormous quantity of yardage for the width and peak of 4 home windows.
So like I mentioned, let’s take price out of the equation in case she occurs to have a spare $12,000 mendacity round and needs the perfect resolution. In that case, I’d go along with light-filtering pull-down shades put in contained in the window body beginning proper under the transom with some mild linens and even sheers as panels hung above the arch. That means, morning mild can nonetheless are available, however the depth might be dialed down (no extra sun shades inside the home!), and privateness might be offered on the window that appears out to the neighbors. A lightweight, flowing curtain in a impartial to enrich the wall coloration would make the room really feel bigger and certain not be too overwhelming, which is what the reader was involved with.
One extra thought for material panels that don’t price hundreds is to purchase the tallest curtains you could find (once more, seemingly 120…try Half Priced Drapes), after which add on to them with one other material. Usually once I see this, the extra material will line up with one thing within the room comparable to the underside of the window sill to really feel purposeful and never hodgepodge.
Don’t Minimize Corners With Your Nook Home windows
From our reader: “These are the home windows of my front room. They’re large and west-facing. I really like the sunshine however in the summertime we’re unable to open them…the solar is sharp and so vibrant. Additionally, the TV is true on the other wall, therefore no watching it when the solar is setting, which is wonderful for me however not the youngsters. Additionally, the nook could be very difficult. I need to maintain it natural however not too heavy, but numerous texture.”
Keep in mind how in my final submit, I used to be so jazzed about ripple fold curtains? THEY’RE BACK, BABY! Okay, so, whereas this reader may technically use a brand new material rod system that features a nook bracket (like this one), I believe the model of those home windows and residential may be higher suited to a ceiling monitor to allow them to transfer the panels totally throughout the entire monitor and never get tripped up by assist brackets or nook brackets. I might like to see a skinny linen curtain and have all of them nested to the far proper facet of the image window when open.
As well as, a contemporary pull-down light-filtering shade would assist present privateness but additionally thwart a few of that intense afternoon mild they’re getting via their western home windows. A big one to span all three home windows on the primary window wall could be glossy, with the addition of one other one on the smaller window on the left. In the event that they need to skip the pull-down shade, they may additionally do a double-track system that features sheer curtain panels behind common material.
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One other reader was additionally fighting nook home windows, however these had transoms plus a French door, so I needed to stroll via how I might deal with it. Let’s have a look:
From our reader: “We’re in determined want of window remedies on this nook of our major bed room. We particularly really feel this in the course of the winter months in Chicago when all of the bushes are naked and our pure privateness goes away. We even have a set of French doorways which might be nice so as to add privateness to as nicely. I don’t know the place to start!”
There are some things right here to think about: To hold above or under the transom? Does she do material all the best way throughout? Perhaps simply shades? Does it matter if she covers the sunshine change?
With window coverings, there are such a lot of doable options, so I may see this in just a few other ways. However what I believe could be finest, contemplating this can be a major bed room, is 2 Roman shades mounted exterior and above the transom on the nook home windows, then a curtain rod with panels hung on the similar peak because the Roman shades to cowl the door. Being that the window to the left of the door could be very shut, and there’s a lightweight change in between, grommet-top curtains will in all probability be finest since they will fold up pretty small, fairly than one thing with a clip that wants extra room to gather. She is going to seemingly run into the issue of getting to achieve behind a curtain to entry the sunshine change, nevertheless it’s sort of the lesser of all evils, tbh.
Oh, and I simply left a fast suggestion on the picture to shift the crops and chair a bit of ahead to let the material breathe as soon as she places up window coverings. That’s it!
Clearing Up What to Do With Clerestories
From our reader: “I lately moved into my dad’s Nineteen Sixties ranch in Northern California. My boyfriend and I plan on residing right here for about 2 years till we purchase our personal place. After that, the house will return to being a rental. We wish one thing impartial coloured, clear, and permits for many daytime mild. One window faces the road and there’s a road mild so having shades that may be mild filtering or blackout could be superior however we’ll take all of your strategies. We’d like one thing that’s renter-friendly, as nicely.”
And at last! Clerestory home windows. These are so widespread in bedrooms, particularly in houses from the ’60s and ’70s. They carry in mild however defend your privateness. Genius…proper? Nicely…not in case you are somebody who likes searching a window. Nope, sorry! However that’s a combat for an additional day.
On this reader’s room, I’m going to advocate a impartial, sturdy pull-down (or motorized) shade or perhaps a Roman over each home windows. One thing impartial means it will work with any renter that occupies this house subsequent. As for the window on the correct, I additionally assume centering that dresser below the window after which including draperies to the left and proper would make the room really feel so smooth and grand. Curtains aren’t straightforward to shut behind furnishings, however that’s the place the shade is available in.
Let’s Go Purchasing
So, I made a decision to method the purchasing portion of most of these posts a bit of in another way immediately. Usually, I’ll provide 2-3 merchandise for every reader however I made a decision to place all of them collectively this time as a substitute as a straightforward reference level for anybody in search of options to difficult home windows, significantly with regards to {hardware}.
High Row, Left to Proper: Hinged Elbow Connector | Material Pivot Nook Bracket | Metal Adjustable Single Curtain Rod
Center Row, Left to Proper: Adjustable General Width Bay Window Single Curtain Rod | 4-Sided Bay Window Curtain Rod | Single Traverse Curtain Rod Backside Row, Left to Proper: Versatile Ceiling Curtain Observe | VIDGA Single Observe Set | Ceiling or Wall Mounted LORA Observe Equipment
Within the first row, you’ll discover nook window choices, when you don’t need to go the Roman shade route as I instructed in a number of the reader prompts. You may both purchase a rod particularly for a nook, or you possibly can simply purchase a bracket to connect to no matter rod you’re contemplating shopping for. Ensure you take a look at measurements right here, as a result of these brackets are offered by diameter to match rods.
Second are some bay window-specific rods. I like the primary one as a result of it has a little bit of a return rod (which means, the top of the rod returns again to the wall so the curtain can totally wrap round). The center rod exhibits a 4-section rod, as a result of I needed to indicate that they promote these with as many as six (or much more) sections, if wanted. Not all bays solely have three home windows, in any case.
And from the far proper possibility on the center row to the final three, now we have some traverse rods. That first one is extra ornamental when you nonetheless just like the look of a curtain rod, however the different three are your extra conventional monitor programs that may both be mounted on the wall or on the ceiling (or *in* the ceiling when you’re within the planning phases of a room design and may have that inbuilt). The versatile monitor could be nice for corners!
High Row, Left to Proper: Traditional Cordless High Down Backside Up Woven Woods | Customized Roman Shades – Everhem | Riviera Striped Linen Cotton Cordless Roman Blackout Shade
Backside Row, Left to Proper: Emery Linen Grommet Blackout Curtain | Parchment Cream Italian Fake Linen Curtain 120″ | Photo voltaic Shades
Aaaaaand just a few purchasing choices! I shared lots in my final submit, as nicely, however a few of these are particular to my suggestions. As an illustration, the customized Roman shades for these extra-wide clerestory home windows (and even transoms); the grommet-top curtains, which, as a reminder, can fold up very skinny on the edges of a window or door if wanted; the extra-tall curtains for anybody needing a 120-inch panel with out taking out a second mortgage on their residence. Oh, and a fairly wooden Roman that operates high down, backside up, which is a good possibility for somebody wanting that look with flexibility.
In order that’s it! We did it! We helped resolve not 4, however SIX extra reader conundrums. In fact, it appears like each window is its personal particular person problem, so not all my options work for houses which have the same scenario. However what’s that they are saying about skinning a cat (grotesque, I do know)? Extra methods than one, associates.
Regardless, I’ll be again in just a few weeks with the third and remaining installment that covers all issues obstructions (A/C models, radiators, vents, ceilings, and so forth.). When you can’t wait that lengthy and are hankering for extra window recommendation, make sure you go learn this older EHD article from Ginny on dressing awkward home windows. There’s plenty of gold in there!
Till subsequent time,
Arlyn
Opening picture credit: Picture by Ryan Liebe | From: Our Up to date Dwelling Room + Store the Look