Cyndi is a decor8 reader who desperately wants to add window treatments to her master bedroom. She has lived in her current home for three years with bare windows. “I’m at a complete loss and each time I start looking into beginning this project I get overwhelmed and stop”, she said. I think this is a common problem, I call it decorator’s block. For whatever reason, our brain freezes when it comes to certain spots in the home. Do you have this problem? If you do, please consider sending in your problem spot and I’ll gladly give you some advice and post it on decor8 for readers to comment on. Don’t be shy, we all have our issues! :)
Let’s help Cyndi, okay? It’s always easier to fix the problems of others instead of our own, so we’re going to help this lady spruce up these windows!
Notes: She is pretty wide open to ideas but mentioned that privacy is an issue now that her neighbors installed a pool and seem to add more and more toys all the time. A wood fence provides some privacy, but she can see over the fence from her bedroom windows. She wants to have privacy while allowing in some light.
Ideas: I suggest a single solid sheer flanked by floor length panels and I’d add a shade or wood blinds (since you have deep set windows) under the sheer to close in the evening. For more design help, you may enjoy reading this post because most of the advice that I offered Jonis applies to your windows.
Would you like to help Cyndi? If so, please leave her your advice below.
(image from cyndi for decor8)
May 29th, 2008 at 4:29 am
Hi Cindi,
i suggest you take the color you have in the bedding and put a solid of that on the sides of the window and then maybe a sheer in the middle. You want to bring more color in to punch it up a bit. To me it seems coral but not sure from the photo if so that is a hot color now so you should find it no problem. If you cannot find that color then another in the same family will help.
Also I think if you add 2 more of the prints you have over the bed and make it a 4 it will help the wall a bit having just 2 small prints the wall becomes more overbearing than the designs. If you cannot afford 2 more similar designs then maybe 2 different ones and mix match them then your wall will have major impact!!
good luck with it and have fun!!!
May 29th, 2008 at 4:44 am
It’s so surreal to see a picture of my master bedroom on a blog read by so many lovely and talented women. First and foremost, thank you to Holly for getting my dilemma out there and thanks to everyone who is willing to chime in and offer suggestions.
I’d love to hear any and all suggestions and if you happen to have a link to something you think will fit perfectly in the space, please post it. I need all the hand holding and help I can get!
The bedding is from Anthropologie (the Haya collection; no longer in stores) and is a vibrant coral/tangerine shade with just a touch more orange than you’d expect. We only recently added this bedding, which is why the prints above the bed look a little out of sorts. If you have some print ideas, toss them out…like I said, I’ll take all the ideas I can get.
Also, I hate those piddly lamps on the end table so if you have any suggestions, please throw them my way.
Thanks again to ALL of you that are willing to help me not only fix our windows but punch up our bedroom and make it a bit more of an escape than it currently is. I appreciate all of your help more than you could possibly know!
–Cyndi
May 29th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Hi Holly and Cyndi,
The suggestion I’m going to leave is not enough to solve the problem, because the windows look too bare and not so cozy, but for the privacy vs light issue, I’ll make the suggestion of using a vynil window film, with a nice design, of course.
I’ll leave a link to Emma Jeffs’ work, that is really inspiring:
http://www.surfacematerialdesign.co.uk/#/livingcollection/4523146475
Good luck, Cyndi! :)
May 29th, 2008 at 10:33 am
What about a pieced curtain? I would take 1 pair of sheers and 1 pair of opaque floor-length curtains – cut both 1/3 of the way down from top. Sew together the top 1/3 of each sheer to the bottom 2/3 of each curtain. Install 1 in each window with a cafe rod and a rod pocket right at the tippy-tip of the recess or just outside the recess. During the day, open each one (or not) to the side with a tieback or some other hook – opening away from the bed.
If you plan to add more color, I would go with a reddish-orange on the bottom curtain and a white sheer (not cream). You could even run a 2″-satin or gingham ribbon in a contrasting color across the seam. I might use this idea myself! :) Have fun!
Love your bedding!!!!!
May 29th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Hi! I suggest using white roman blinds inside the window niche and making a more ” fancy” curtain with a red/white pattern. Not like the one from your bed cover but on the same family. Or maybe mix stripes and red floral print…
May 29th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
So weird – I just posted about window coverings that may work -
http://pleasesirblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/dress-up-your-windows.html
They are nice, subtle, and would give you privacy, but let light in.
May 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
You mentioned that you’d like light, but want to maintain privacy… I think top down bottom up shades are the perfect solution for you. The link provide information about the window treatment if you’re interested, but basically they allow you to cover the bottom part of your window while leaving the top part open. Then as other have suggested you may want to put some sort of curtain on the outside to dress it up a bit.
Best of luck!
May 29th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I would NOT go for the sheer panel over the window flanked by two solid panels… That look is pretty traditional and would look even more so with your dark furniture.
With such a kickin’ bedspread, you should definitely try to spice it up a bit.
I really like the idea of roman shades or wooden blinds flanked by long panels (floor to ceiling please!). Then get some really awesome spinal white lamp bases with some bright royal blue shades for your nightstand.
Maybe put some of the matching shams in a guest bedroom or on a chair in the room. I’m not a fan of things being too matchymatchy, I think it really forces the look too much. Getting some different textures and patterns in there would be great. Try to work the blue into other places in the room as well, but only in tiny little bursts.
I think a vintage plate collection would look really great above the bed too.
Good luck and PLEASE!! send in after pictures :)
May 29th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Cyndi,
I know it’s very typical ‘decorator’ of me to suggest this, but another option is a set of panels with a bamboo rollup blind, I have this look throughout my home and really like it. Plus it would go well with your furniture since the bamboo usually has hints of dark brown.
Holly
May 29th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I would pull in that great coral/red color from your bed in panels on the outside of the window. For privacy I like honeycomb shades that give you the up/down option- still lets in light, but gives you privacy. Definitely need bigger based lamps- mercury glass ball bases may be fun here. I would also bulk up the artwork behind the bed. They are great pictures, but you could use a third one or some framing to make them more substantial. Try hanging them in a horizontal row to mimic your headboard. Have fun- you have a great start on the room!
May 29th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
My bedroom has a very similar layout, but faces west so I have the added pain of receiving the afternoon sun and heat. So my question to Holly and others would be, which would be better to block the heat — bamboo rollup, wood blinds, or something else, with of course fabrics of some sort on top. Any input is appreciated.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Andee – I’ve had both bamboo blinds and wood blinds. I love the look of bamboo shades more than wood ones, but they don’t block much sun and don’t offer privacy at night. Wood blinds do both. So if bright sunlight and/or privacy is an issue, I’d recommend wood plantation blinds (with the 2″ slats). (I love bamboo shades when layered with other drapes that can block light, though.)
May 29th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Ok Here goes:
I say up the style factor and go with a great Conrad Handwoven Shade…say # 243 Tiger Eye…
http://www.conradshades.com/product/RomanFold/cos/no243.html
the description reads:
Burnished reeds in shades of deep golden brown stippled with striking black markings create the vivid beauty…
Perhaps try # DL06
http://www.conradshades.com/product/RomanFold/dws/noDL06.html
One, of the many, great things about Conrad is that they are a classic. They will add texture and drama and allow light to filter through during daylight hours but you can have the option of adding lining, a solar shade or a black out roller shade behind that operates independently of the woven shade.
Think of maybe utilizing the top down bottom up feature.
Visit their portfolio pages for many, many great ideas…
Then Flank the widows in a great nubby linen or casement…try Henry Calvin or Castel for this…You could go for the gusto and select a saturated spice color or choose something safe and neutral that will withstand the many changes of bedding that will come and go.
As for the lamps …you need something that has greater scale and presence… maybe something metal or glass…like a great pair of earrings that top off a great outfit…
http://www.donghia.com/accessories/lighting/venetian_glass_collection.php
or consider swing-arm wall lamps…it would free up a lot of valuable space …
Enjoy!
May 30th, 2008 at 12:49 am
i think tortoise blinds would be an excellent contrast to your bedding. the different texture is striking and maintains the casual atmosphere.
http://www.worldmarket.com/window-coverings/Window-Coverings/blinds/Dark-Tortoise-Bamboo-Blinds/lev/4/productId/7614/Ne/1100001/sectionId/2872/N/1100333/categoryId/1100333/pCategoryId/1100325/gpCategoryId/1100111/Ns/TOP_SELLER_INDEX|1||CATEGORY_SEQ_3068|0/index.pro
May 30th, 2008 at 2:03 am
If I were decorating this room, I’d go for plain white flowing sheers. It’s hard to tell from the pic how high your ceiling is, but you could have the rail mounted above the top of the window for extra height/flowiness/breeziness (my technical know-how shining through! Heh heh).
If you need light-blocking, you could add a simple pull-down blind/shade behind the sheers.
Lamps: I see square (and quite big) working here, with white shades. Not sure about base….dark wood to match furniture probably.
Prints/walls: Go to Etsy and choose something via the colour-picker to match the bedspread.
Have fun!
Would love to see the final result!
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 am
Not sure if these are the right color…
http://www.worldmarket.com/window-coverings/Window-Coverings/window-panels/Tandori-Cutwork-Curtains-Set-of-2/lev/4/productId/7631/Ne/1100001/Ns/TOP_SELLER_INDEX%7C1%7C%7CCATEGORY_SEQ_2957%7C0/N/1100326/Nty/1/view/10000/perpage/0/index.pro
October 30th, 2008 at 3:14 am
I would say the best blind here would be a roman one in a light color, maybe a cream, the rest of the room looks great maybe a cream of mushroom on the walls just to warm up the room a bit more.
December 1st, 2011 at 10:57 pm
These shades would be perfect inside the windows, as they have a sort of linen look, but you can adjust them to let more light in, without letting more view out!
Also I would put up a single panel on the outside edges of each window, and use tiebacks to secure them open. Something voluminous would be best, as the room is large. I’d also recommend pulling in another color that would pop against the sunny colors that you have there. Maybe turquoise? And I agree with the other poster about the pics above the bed… They are dwarfed by the room and furniture. More or bigger prints would look better.
Beautiful bedding!
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