Blinds, Drapes/Curtains & Two Story Windows - Help!


  #1  
Old 05-03-05, 03:05 PM
doiturselfhuh?
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Blinds, Drapes/Curtains & Two Story Windows - Help!

Hi.
I recently bought a newly constructed home. I've been living with the paper blinds (lifesavers really) over the past couple of months while I try to decide what I want to do with my windows. I started collecting quotes for blinds and for drapes for my 2 story family room, and didn't realize quite how many options are out there and how expensive it would be!!!!!!!
I just received a quote for drapes for my 2 story family room at almost $5000 !!! geez. Net, I realize that I needed to get more creative if I'm ever going to get my house up to speed without robbing a bank. I love drapes and curtains but realize that they may not be practical for all windows and as I look around, I see people with more blinds than drapes/curtains. And I loved the way the drapes looked in the model home in my neighborhood, but I'm on a budget and am willing to be creative.

I'm looking for your help on what to do: I've read a few of the threads that speak to my ailments, but wanted to put them out there for additional thoughts/perspective on the following:
1. Blinds: Should I put blinds throughout the entire house? Faux wood or wood? There seems to be something called interior window blinds 0- what are they? Should the blinds match the window frame? (mine are white) what about 2 inch vs 1 inch? What can I then do to filter out light in the bedrooms??? Are home improvement stores going to be my cheapest option at the moment? Other than installing them myself, that is.

2. Curtains - I love curtains - any thoughts on putting them throughout the whole house? What about just in the more formal rooms such as the living room, dining room, study? And the bedrooms which all face the front road? And then putting blinds in the back? Can I do both blinds and curtains on a window?

3. 2 Story Family room - the windows measure about 18 feet from ceiling to floor, there's about 20 - 24 inches between the ceiling and the top of the top window - what can I do here? I love the airy feeling of the floor plan which opens right into the kitchen area - and don't want to lose the light, but would like to dress up the windows at least slightly. Since I'm tight on budget, are blinds the only option? Where can I find more custom drapes which won't break the bank? The longest drapes I've seen are 144 inches and I think I need at least 200 inches.. any thoughts on where to look for those without spending $5,000 in one room? Note: It's an open floor plan between the family room and kitchen (there are no separating walls) and a french door shares the same wall as the 2 story windows, as well as a small kitchen window..would it look odd if I do white blinds in the family room but colored shades/bamboo shades in the kitchen?

My goal is to add charm and character, and I've considered doing plantation shutters, and heard those are pretty expensive as well.

ANY HELP YOU PROVIDE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!!!
 
  #2  
Old 05-04-05, 10:52 AM
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hi ~ welcome to the forums & congrats on the new house! also, congrats on what just might be the longest question in this topic - EVER!!!! just kidding! let's take them one at a time, shall we?

1. should you use blinds? only if you like them! i happen to love them. i've got stained wooden 2-inchers on every window. however, they require dusting. and the stained ones show dust much more than the white or cream painted ones - something to consider (pleated shades would be better if that's an issue). wood blinds are good looking, and very adjustable - open, closed, pulled all the way up out of side, tilted for just a little light, etc. since you've got white trimwork around your windows, i'd match it with white blinds. i like the 2" ones because they have the look of plantation shutters (which are very expensive). the 1" wood blinds still look a lot like mini blinds (which i detest). i went with real wood because i wanted stained ones, and the faux woods look really fake when stained (and come in fewer colors), but since you'd go with white, you could do either. price them both & go with whatever's cheaper.

for the bedrooms - they're pretty darn light-blocking, too. not black-out, by any means, but enough for me (i like a little light - nothing worse than having to wake up when it's still dark out, so i like the morning sun). if you need more darkening, you can do a drapery over them.

interior window blinds? i think that must mean the kind that are literally sandwiched between 2 panes of glass. i don't think that's an option for you. i think that's a Window style.

the cheapest option will, of course, be for you to install them yourself. it's not hard. i did all mine. all you need is a power drill/screwdriver. that'll save you a bundle. shop around & price them. they go on sale all the time - wait for a sale & then order them. i personally found the best price at my local humongous home improvement store, which, at the time, was running a "use our credit card and make no payments or interest for 6 months (or a year - i forget)" deal, so instead of only ordering them a few at a time, i did them all at once.

2. Curtains - you can decide on them room by room, later if you want, after you've put in the blinds. they can be functional or just decorative to soften the windows. yes, you can have both blinds & draperies. all a matter of taste. draperies can be formal or casual. casual would be non-functioning side panels hanging from a casual rod, just to soften the window & add a touch of fabric. formal would be hanging from a fancier rod with maybe a valance in addition to the panels, in a more formal fabric (or two, or three), possibly with fringe of some sort.

you're supposed to try & make all the front windows of the house look similar from the street. if you use white lining on all the drapes, that'll help. if you go with the blinds in each window, and just decorative panels on each window, that'll work. you don't want pink unlined ruffled curtains in one room, blue mini blinds in the next room, wooden stained blinds in another, shutters in the next, etc. that would be bad. give this some thought, but don't let it completely override your decisions. i'd mainly just go for the "white in every window" idea.

3. can you sew? at all? even just a straight line to connect 2 draperies into one long one? you're in luck because right now, it's hip to have 2-tone draperies. you can even just add some fabric to an existing panel and it'll look great. even better if you can add some trim at that point. and if you just need decorative side panels, they won't need to be more than a fabric's width wide.

do you need privacy for these windows or are they on the back of your house & you've got no neighbors behind you?? that will determine what you need to do on those windows. and light control - if you don't NEED to cover these tall windows completely, you can run a rod across them at the 12' point and only cover the bottom part, leaving the top open. you can do an inside mount of blinds at the 8' point and hide the headrail behind a valance or cornice. there are several options but you need to decide on the light control/privacy issue there first. if you can sew, draperies will be cheaper than blinds, depending on the price of the fabric.

you could use bamboo shades in the kitchen, as long as the look flows. i wouldn't jump from shiny cherry furniture in the family room & switch to earthy/tropical bamboo in the kitchen. but if the family room is kept cozy & casual and there are a few wicker/woven/bamboo touches in there, then it'll flow in to the kitchen just fine. that's all in the accessories & details.

i think that addresses all your initial questions. post back with any others!
 
  #3  
Old 06-03-10, 04:26 PM
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Economical window coverings for tall windows

Here's a great idea for window coverings for those great-room windows that require custom made drapes at astronomical costs. Scarf valances come in many fabrics and very long lengths, 144 inches or longer. Just purchase these and have a rod pocket sewn at the top and a hem at the bottom. Any excess can be used for tie-backs. I bought two valances for $40.00 each after receiving a quote for over $1000.00 for custom made drapes and they look great!
 
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Old 06-03-10, 04:34 PM
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If you knew the work that went into making draperies that long, you might understand why the cost.
Hanging a scarf would be way too skimpy looking on windows that tall.
 
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Old 06-05-10, 10:21 PM
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Stay with the 2 inch. The 1 inch blinds block more of your view. Difference between wood and faux wood is faux wood is a composite material design to look like wood. There is not much difference in appearance but a lot of difference in price. Faux woods are up to 50% less than woods but are heavier. If you have white trim then I would try to match it as close as possible. But don't worry too much if it's not exacty the same shade. Nothing wrong with using difference treatments in difference rooms. Bamboo shades or woven woods in the kitchen and blinds in LR is fine. In bedrooms if you want more room darkening consider a room darkening cellular shade. I find it the best to block out light. As where to buy, I find the best saving to be on line.****.com is very good. You have the right idea with drapes in the more formal areas. But that could be the second part of the project once you build the budget back up. One or 2 rooms of custom drapes could cost as much or more than all your blinds. Try to keep your cost down buying stock drapes or semi custom for the 1 story windows. Place I like for stock drapes is *****.com. The money you save here your need for the 2 story windows. I would have them custom made and professioanlly installed.
 

Last edited by Shadeladie; 06-06-10 at 09:22 AM. Reason: Links removed.
  #6  
Old 06-06-10, 09:25 AM
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This is a 5yr old thread, started by someone who is no longer a member. You're pushing it SlowTyper.
 
 

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