As you’ve seen since we moved to this home, the family room is small and is the room that has been the hardest to pull together. This is where we spend most of our time and I want it to be my favorite room. It actually is if it was just a little bigger. Anyway, here is my problem. I love the furniture arrangement, It took a while to find the right furniture pieces, but I finally have and love how this room has come together. Now I need to take care of the finishing details. I am not big on drapes, so I haven’t done anything on the large back window or sliding door. The small windows on each side of the sofa look fine with their 21/2 inch wood blinds, but the back window and sliding door looks unfinished. Help – I Need Your Opinion – Drapes or No Drapes
The large window has the same blinds too, but nothing on the slider. I don’t want any kind of blind on the slider, but this wall looks blank. This is starting to bother me and I think it looks like the room is missing something.
See what I mean. The room looks sort of unfinished.
I don’t want to drown the room in drapes, so I don’t want to do anything with the two windows on the side of the sofa. However, I am thinking of some drapery panels on the side of the back larger window, and the slider. Nothing heavy, maybe lightweight natural linen or something soft that will just frame the area, not add bulk. I am thinking simple rods and hang the drapes close to the ceiling.
Second thought is maybe a throw pillow or throw blanket on one of the gray recliners to add some color to this side of the room. The finishing details are so important and this room needs something.
Ikea has some fabulous 98-inch drapes at amazing prices, so there are a couple that might work.
The Hannibal is a soft linen type fabric in a really light beige. 57 x 98 inches at $24.99 pair.
The Annalouisa comes in a white that looks like it is off-white. I don’t think a white will work in here, but off-white would be super. 57 x 98 inches at $29.99 pair.
I would definitely need to make a trip to Ikea to see these in person.
That’s my thought process so far, give me your thoughts. Help – I Need Your Opinion – Drapes or No Drapes
I like it without drapes Marty
Slider doors are always tricky. I had a one way set of drapes that stacked to one side. If you go with two panels just to dress it up it would be to use one of those short drapery rods (12″ to 20″) to install them with. I’d take samples of your wall color, and the sofa to decide which white to go with. It will look more complete with the panels I do believe!
Definitely some kind of drapes –
Marty, To be honest in all the posts I’ve seen of this room I can say that until you pointed it out the windows seemed just fine. I suppose I always focus on your beautiful decor and vignettes. The drapery would add softness and an added detail to the family room. Covering the slider may offer a subtle touch that will finish the area. I say go for it! The Ikea prices make it easy on the pocket book! You cannot purchase the fabric for the prices of the panels. From experience I can say that I have found the panels are not always the same length and can hang a little wonky. You are an expert seamstress and could fix that handily. Your style will shine through either way!
I added drapes to our living room and couldn’t be happier with the softness it has added. Either an off white sheer or something light patterned with an open weave would look wonderful. I would do all 4 with panels (slider stacked to the side) or just the 3 in the sitting area and not the slider. If you don’t plan to close them, the type of heading isn’t really important. But if you plan to open and close a lot, keep in mind how difficult it will be to make it look nice and hang uniformly.
We did a full remodel of our kitchen, breakfast area, and family room about 2 years ago. Our rooms are small and I did not want draperies on my windows, but desperately needed something to block the sun (our house faces east/west). Early mornings and early evenings are brutal with the sun shining in the windows. It is blinding. I decided on woven wood roman shades with a blackout liner (custom from Select blinds) and I love them. It adds color and texture to the room and completely blocks the sun. I have the same issue as you do with a sliding patio door in our breakfast room out to our 3 season room. I needed something because again, the darn sun. I decided on curtains but couldn’t find anything I liked. I found a local place that does custom draperies and installs them. I chose a white linen with a medium gray at the top. They are also lined. I have a drapery rod that has a track for the draperies hooks to attach and they easily slide back and forth. The company also added a clear stick behind the edge of the panels so I can slide them back and forth without touching the panels since they are white. If we are using the patio room- I slide both panels to the right and out of the way. If we are not using the patio room, I keep each panel on either side of the door. The best part is that they are perfectly level and just a tiny bit above the floor so they don’t drag and get dirty. It was an investment but I am very happy with them.
I like the idea of lightweight drapes but on the slider only. I’d leave the back window as is with just the wood blinds, similar to the room’s other windows. Your idea of a throw and/or pillow on one of the recliners, in addition to panels on the slider, would finish that side of the room nicely! Are the Ikea measurements of 57” wide per panel or per pair? If it’s per pair, and assuming your slider is 6’ wide, you might want to find a pair wide enough to cover the slider completely in the (unlikely) event you ever want to close them.
The 57 is per panel, so one pair would be 114, plenty wide for the slider. Thanks, Marty
Drapes are definitely needed. Go as high as you can with the rods. If you go with such an inexpensive fabric then I would invest in some tape/trim to totally customize the look. The worst thing in a nice room is “cheap” curtains.
Hi, Marty, I like what Jo Ann suggested – I have a nice sliding panel drape on the slider. I did Panels on my other windows, just between the windows, and put the drapery rods at the very top of the wall. So it’s long panels aside the windows. I think that “finishes” the room nicely, and I like having the slider covered at night. I really don’t like the “black holes” you see at night. I do have 2″ wooden blinds on the windows themselves.
Cherie
I think valances at each window would soften the room but not over-power. Hang them high and they won’t block any light. A luxurious fabric with a pattern (nothing skimpy) would finish off the room without grabbing attention away from your beautiful decor. You could try one window first to see what you think.
I like the idea of valances as well. Gives a finishing touch without the need for drapes/curtains. I use them frequently when decorating.
Definitely drapes ~ you need softness in the room!
Draga Marty,
Ma uit de mai mult timp la frumosul tau blog. Referitor la minunatul tau decor de casa mi-am spus intoteauna: ce frumos!
Pentru gustul meu ar da bine niste perdele suspendate pe marginea ferestrelor albe sau in culoarea restului accesoriilor! Dar de fiecare data… asta pentru gustul meu, imi ziceam. Si uite ca a venit timpul sa-mi exprim pararea.
Cele mai bune ganduri,
Mia
Des rideaux clairs et légers, comme un voile de lin, donneront de la chaleur à cette pièce sans alourdir le décor.
Humble avis d’une de vos lectrices françaises .
I can’t tell from this post but I am wondering if any of your windows have grids? We have this same issue in our home up north. The previous homeowner had taken the grids out and I found them down by the furnace. They were white plastic and I repainted them black and added them back to our windows, with the exception of the sliding glass door. But just adding them to the other windows in the room has helped immensely. We recently moved my mom to a senior independent living development and I loved how her slider grids were designed. I am not sure if I can add pics here but if not I will try and email them to you. I am sure there are after-market grids or some DIY options that you could find. Just the addition of these grids has made our space feel homier but allows light into the room.
Either way you have a very pretty room there. I like the idea of adding a “frame” of soft flowy fabric on either side of the windows. Definitely a soft cream or beige.
Never drapes! (Or valances!) Room does not look unfinished, but dark recliners could use a soft throw or pillow to lessen harsh effect. That beautiful light in the room!
Definitely drapes, not valances. Stack them to the sides.
Yes, drapes…like the ones you showed from Ikea. Soft and billowy, even if you never close them. BUT only on the slide door…not on the windows. I love your set up and I get what you are saying about feeling it is “unfinished”. Also, I think a painting on the wall behind the recliner would fill in that “white” space. Maybe if you did that first you would feel different about the slider situation. Have fun!!!!
What about cornices or valances above all the windows and the slider — the bottom edge should just cover the woodwork and the top edge should be about halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling — or whatever width on the valance/cornice that looks good.
Maybe off white drapes for the slider and matcing valances/cornices on the other windows to tie it altogether. Perhaps better than off white would be to choose a light version of the gold or gray that is in your horse picture to give just a bit of color to otherwise bland walls.
I am such a no drape person. But! once you showed the drapes you like, maybe a bit of softening at the side of the windows, just to give a softer look. I knw what ever you decide it will be perfect.
It looks more open without drapes but I think drapes or sheers really soften things. I just hung drapes that a lightweight and sheer on the sides of my windows and then hung bamboo shades and it looks light and airy. I too did not want to cover up the cool windows this condo has but it still needed something so that sheer drapes and bamboo shades worked great. So maybe something on the light sheer side. I know whatever you chose it will be beautiful.
No drapes, but maybe a macrame rectangular wall hanging or weaving next to the slider hung high behind the chair..
yes drapes! I think the type of drapery that you described, light and linen type, would look so nice in your already beautiful room.
I think you will love it:)
Marty, this is a lovely room. My immediate reaction to your question was to add valances, as another reader has suggested. Subtle in colour, perhaps rich in texture or pattern, would unify the space. We did this at my sisters home and it made a huge difference, five windows in two adjoining rooms.
If I may suggest something else: there is a variety of texture, height, colour on the right side (tv side), but where the two chairs are, there is nothing high or textured. As you had commented, a throw and some pillows would help this, but perhaps try the tree on the opposite corner? It would draw the eye up, as I find there is no variance in this area. I find the darker colour of the chairs feels a bit heavy, so perhaps a bit of texture and height would assist.
You do have great taste, so I look forward to seeing what you decide to do! Thank you for your wonderful blog, I look forward to it every time.
With or without drapes could work. But first maybe add a picture or something between the windows and slider. And as suggested throw or pillows on the recliners. That could be enough without the hanging of rods on the wall and then not liking it.
Hi Marty,
I would just put draperies on your sliding glass doors as it will add some texture and softness and also privacy for you as well.
then if you don’t think it is enough you could do the double window next to it, but I agree you don’t want to drown in draperies
either. I think it is a lovely room, and that draperies on the sliding doors would just give a lil variety and softness to the room
Hope this finds you doing well hon. Your are still in my prayers…..
Blessings,
Nellie
I don’t like drapes either. Since we have a large backyard which backs onto a treeline, privacy isn’t an issue in my house. I have a neutral linen valance on my large back windows (nearly floor to ceiling, which is pretty standard in Texas). In my kitchen eating area, I hung antique plates on the wall above the 2 windows there. In the family room, there’s a corner, so 4 windows. I made long-ish twig decor thingies (with just a few flowers to match upholstery) and put 1 between each window (on the wall above the valances) on each wall. * Hope that made sense (haha). I’d have posted photos, if I could have…
I think drapes would soften and finish the room.
I vote for drapes. I think they would finish your already beautiful room! Looking forward to your decision!
Shelley
Found a slider (one-panel) on Amazon and love it. After 20+ years of no drapes in the livingroom, I’m ready to put them up again. Mine will also be 95″ long, in a smaller room, but it needs something to finish it off for me, too. Getting a new sofa, slightly smaller, after 19+ years. Ready for a few changes, and drapes are a part of that. Think your room would look more finished with drapes!
@debanddanelle just put up linen looking curtains in their cottage – very light and airy – thinking something similar might be the softening effect you are looking for without overpowering the space.
Marty, your room is large enough and the sliding door far enough away from the furniture to allow for some soft panels if you want them.
My first thought was no to the drape panels, but when you showed the room and a different view then I think you are right that the area needs something.
Just some thoughts store panels are never even when hung, so you may want to let them puddle a bit on the ground.
Wait on the chair pillows until you add the drapes. Then think about a throw or the pillows.
I will stay tuned in to see what you decide on!
Hi Marty! NO DRAPES !! I like the idea of adding some wood molding around the windows and door. I think some nice trim molding would create the feel of a more upscale build rather than just dry wall. Your decor is Beautiful! You have such a skill to pull everything together. Have fun deciding.
The reason your room looks so inviting is the light and the windows. Sandy is right, trimming out the windows, art on that particular wall and a lovely throw is basically all you need if you feel it looks a bit unfinished. Architectural additions usually have a huge impact on a room. I have gone through the trouble and expense of putting up drapes and later decided that I preferred the look without the drapes. I’m sure you decided sometime ago that drapes would only “drown” the room. It’s a lovely room; drapes can sometimes look messy, are dust collectors and don’t always result in the look you want.
A painting or lovely set of plates on the wall between the window and the slider would look great.
LOVELY ROOM. No drapes. One for the slider if you need light control. The recliners are beautiful though large. I too have a small tv room and it is a challenge.
Drapes! We are leaving the minimalist to the past. Now it’s all about maximalist! Or you can have it bare during summer, but definitely add them in Fall & Winter for a cozier look! Great job decorating…
Drapes! We are leaving the minimalist to the past. Now it’s all about maximalist! Or you can have it bare during summer, but definitely add them in Fall & Winter for a cozier look! Great job decorating…
I prefer drapes and love the ones you’ve shown. Either way, the room is lovely.