Q:
Hi Tobi–
I love reading your blog and look forward to it each morning!!
My family room has a cathedral ceiling with a fireplace and mantel on the far outside wall flanked by a tall window with an arch on the left and a glass door {to the deck} and an arch on the right. I would like to install to-the-floor custom window treatments, but cannot determine how to hang them so they compliment each other since one side is a door. Normally I would place the curtain rod at the top of the main window where the arch begins. If I do that over the door, I’m afraid the fabric will get caught when we open and close the door. Should I hang the rods above both of the arches? Would love your thoughts!
Shannon, North Carolina
A:
Shannon,
Thanks so much for reading the blog each day! I wish that I had the magic answer for you. It’s always challenging when builders don’t leave the clearance needed to install beautiful drapery. From your photos, it looks as though you have very little space between the door and the fireplace mantel. Hanging a pair of drapes to frame this doorway will definitely inhibit the operation of the door.
I absolutely love draperies because they add so much to a room. Unfortunately, I just don’t think you have the room. Here are few other options to add interest to your room.
Option 1: Shutters
I absolutely love plantation shutters. You can have custom shutters made that will add amazing architectural interest to your room. Add these to both the window and door. A special notch is available on the door shutter to accomodate the door knob. If sun control is an issue in this room, think about adding shutters to the fanlights as well. They’ll give you a great unified look.
And when shopping for shutters, remember to look for plantation-size shutters. 3-4 inch blades will give you a nice clean look.
Option 2: Roman Shades
If you really want the softness of fabric, Roman shades are a great alternative to drapery panels. If your going custom, why not get creative? Add grosgrain trim in a fretwork pattern at the edges!
If you wanted, fanlight shutters at the top would look great paired with the Roman shades.
A few inspiration images:
I hope this helps Shannon. Let me know which way you go and how everything turns out!
Tobi
What a brilliant solution Tobi!! I always forget about shutters as an option and I too have an issue I needed help with, so thank you for that idea!! and can I just say to Shannon……… if you are anything like me, it is a sad loss to not be able to have some fun print on the windows, so an option for you…… what do you think about picking some beautiful or fun print and make a panel for the cutout above your fireplace to fill in the white behind your beautiful photo?
Tobi, you are always so talented!!!!
As always, Tobi, you have come up with a great solution. That’s one of the reasons I love reading your blog.
Really like the roman shade idea as it will give the windows some volume and softness which I think would look great with the existing furnishings.
Ihad a similar issue and actually chose the shutters including the sunburst window. For fabric and color I simply added a small cornice to the small window and door. Be sure they are wide enought to open the shutters and you can at least have a little bit of fabric on the windows.
Hi Tobi- I love your design ideas and creative suggestions with color! I recently saw a room you designed on houzz.com and fell in love with it for my baby girls’ room! It was a bright peony pink with a white monogramed headboard and white comforter. I was wondering if you would share with me where you found the monogramed headboard and the darling comforter?? Thank you! Have a happy new year!
As with the previous question, I have an front door with an arched window almost exact to the one shown above her fireplace. I am going to attempt to make a flat, half-moon shaped drapery panel in the fabric I’ve chosen for the foyer, but don’t know how to hang it. Any ideas?