How to cover 8ft windows?

September 2, 2009 7:19 PM

What is the best way to cover 8ft high windows?

Just moved into a new apartment, we've got two windows, one of which is normal style, the other is just panes of glass in a recessed area. The problem is they're both over 8ft high. What is the best way to cover them? Googling returns results for 95" or 108" curtains which would be sufficient, but would people suggest an alternative? What about spring-rods, will they hold up? I'd like to avoid putting holes in the walls if possible.

posted by cali59 to home & garden (6 comments total)

I have successfully hung approx 15' long, approx 3.5' wide light linen fabric from a spring rod. It worked great until a cat climbed it, and then it collapsed hilariously.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 7:34 PM on September 2

Spring rods are pretty strong, especially if you get rods that are long enough to use on the shorter of their rated length. Better ones have a collar inside the bar as well to prevent the inner tube from torquing around too much and sagging in the middle.

I've hung fairly heavy fabric from them before (as well as one that was very, very close to its max extension length).

Are you looking for curtains too? As a curtain to darken a room, I got these GÖREL curtains from IKEA. They're 98" long and have a second inner layer to help block light. Mine are royal blue with a lighter blue second layer, but that doesn't appear to be available from their website.
posted by bookdragoness at 7:58 PM on September 2

We have tall windows in our apartment, and we used shoji screens. This works better in recessed windows, which ours are.

Note that we bought them in the nearby Chinatown, and they were less half the price compared to the online retailers. This might be a good option if there's a retailer near you. I imagine they'd have expensive shipping costs. You might try some other free-standing curtain thing if this is too expensive an option.
posted by chengjih at 3:37 AM on September 3

Vertical blinds. They come in lots of sizes, colors, and materials. If it is floor to ceiling glass in a sleek contemporary building, you want to be careful about using curtains because they could look noticeably tacky from the outside.
posted by comatose at 5:53 AM on September 3

A friend has similar windows, and they installed a regular curtain rod about a foot and a half down from the top and hung inexpensive "window sheets" from them.
posted by gjc at 6:03 AM on September 3

Some spring rods are better than others. Stay away from the 1/2" rods with a round shape -- even if your fabric is very lightweight. Oval rods are stronger and better made, and don't curve or sag. I agree with bookdragoness that it's safer not to use the spring rod at its full extension, if possible.
posted by wryly at 9:01 AM on September 3