Tricky window issue

March 6, 2014 2:18 PM

What sort of window treatment should I use for a window that is right next to the adjacent wall? Here's a picture.

This is my bedroom (or, it will be in a couple months). The room is approximately 10'x13', with the windows on one of the 10' walls. The door and closet are on the opposite wall.

I'm sort of at a loss as to how to do curtains or other window treatments in this room. A traditional curtain arrangement, with panels on either side of the window, is just going to block half of the light coming into the room. And it faces north, so I need all the light I can get.

Does anyone know of a creative solution for a window that abuts a wall? Googling is getting me nowhere with this.

posted by showbiz_liz to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

Cellular shades mounted inside the frame. Lots and lots of options.
posted by evilmomlady at 2:27 PM on March 6, 2014 [2 favorites]

I would put up a continuous curtain rod with a single panel over each window, and pull them toward the center. Might look a little abnormal, but some sort of tall lamp between them would mitigate that.

Are you looking to block light or just for privacy? If only the latter, I would just frost the glass. If the former as well, roller blinds or something.
posted by supercres at 2:29 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

Sheer blinds. Vertical or horizontal ones.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:31 PM on March 6, 2014

I would do what supercres suggest but pull the panels to each side.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 3:29 PM on March 6, 2014

I would put a "curtain rod"* across the entire length of the ceiling and hang curtains that go all the way to the floor. When I wanted light, I would move all curtains to the center. It would look elegant, give light/privacy control when needed and provided flexibility to move the curtains to the middle, not the sides.


* I am not thinking an actual curtain rod. I am thinking a copper pipe supported by closet rod supports on each end and, if necessary, one support hook in the middle. I have described this on mefi before. I have done this in an apartment. It is relatively cheap and can look extremely elegant.
posted by Michele in California at 4:16 PM on March 6, 2014 [5 favorites]

If you want curtains these curtain rails from IKEA can be suspended from the wall or ceiling, can be cut for various lengths and the curtain will go right up to the edge of the rail (unlike typical curtain rods).
posted by pennypiper at 4:21 PM on March 6, 2014

I too would pick cellular blinds, mounted inside the frame and of a length that ends at the bottom of the window, perhaps manufactured so they lift from the top and bottom. Keep them neat and unobtrusive as possible. I don't see an advantage to use drapes that draw into the center of the wall or stack to the sides of the windows unless you wish the drapery fabric to be a color or pattern statement for the room. If I saw the wall totally covered in drapes, I would wonder what's behind it.

All that being said, you could try that stick-on semi sheer window film for privacy to see how you like the wall with only a simple treatment.
posted by Lornalulu at 4:25 PM on March 6, 2014

You could frost the windows using a sheer fabric and cornstarch, or buy frosted (patterned and plain) mac tac, or use frosted cinegel (used in stage lighting) by Rosco which comes in a dizzying array of diffuse textures (B&H Photo sells it by the sheet).

There are also spring loaded tension rods.

Or, do the curtain rods have to be mounted above the window/inside the window because you could always mount the rods from the ceiling.

Or, you could place a shoji in front of the windows ...
posted by redindiaink at 5:02 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

Roman shades, maybe?
posted by MadamM at 5:27 PM on March 6, 2014 [3 favorites]

I came to suggest Michelle in California's idea. Here's some pictures to give you an better understanding. I feel like hanging them from rings, instead of threading the pipe through the curtains would look better (otherwise, what's the point of a copper pipe if you can't see it?) And here's an example of the "closet rod supports" she suggests.

Also, and this is an out-there suggestion that is potentially expensive, but what the hay, you could get dividers on tracks that would meet in the middle when you want bare windows. Here's a tutorial of some opaque panels with art painted on them, but you could also do rice paper if you wanted some light to peek through.
posted by FirstMateKate at 6:44 PM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

yea the cellular blinds mounted so they are inside the window frame - you can get them made to fit your window. The ones I have can be opened from the bottom up, or from the top down, so I can get light from the top of the window while still getting privacy at the bottom. very easy to install right up close to the window, so they don't cut much space off of your room.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:04 PM on March 6, 2014

How much do you like to look outside? Have you considered top-down bottom- up shades? they let you see the sky if you want, but don't let the neighbors look in. Which direction does the window face? If it faces east and you don't like to get up really early in the summer make sure you use something that blocks the light. If the room gets a lot of sun at any time during the summer the same holds true. It will keep it cooler.
posted by mareli at 8:49 AM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]