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orangecamera Wow, what a view!

I like your choice of curtains. Hanging them high and wide makes a lot of sense. I'd use the same ones throughout the room to tie it all together. Just a valance or nothing would be fine for the center window. If that were my house, I'd want to keep as much of the view as possible.

If that's the sunny side of the house and it gets hot where you live, you could install a pull-down roller shade that is see-through but blocks UV rays. Install it behind the blinds, valance, or whatever you wind up with on the center window. google "solar shades"

Gabberts Design Studio Yes, definitely hang the curtains at the same height, across the wall. And I would match the curtains to eachother so they all match. The roman shade can be different, but obviously match the panels on all the other windows. Beautiful room and view!

janishill Here's an illustration of how to hang the drapery panels.

Rita S. @janishill , do you think I should take them all the way to the ceiling or keep it at the center window level?

janishill Hang them ceiling height since you have a vaulted ceiling. Add panels to the French doors as well.

Rita S. @janishill I was actually just going to use drapes for the doors and use a valance or pelmet for the window. It doesn't seem like it will look right with so many panels, especially bunched up on either side of the window. Do you think a simple pelmet/valance would look OK? I could maybe use the same fabric or same color tones.

orangecamera Because you'll be using drapes with grommets, they should slide easily on the rod. If you put one very long rod across the entire door/window space, you can slide the drapes however you choose. I imagine someone could fabricate a long enough rod with spray-painted pipe) You could even move 1/2 of the shades all the way left and 1/2 all the way right when you really want to take in the view, and have enough to cover everything if you want privacy, or for insulation in severe weather.

Hang them nice and high, as in janishill's illustration.

I would buy enough panels to do *everything* all at once, so you get the same dye lot, and they will all match. If it turns out you don't want them all, return the extras.

Cheery Curtains Hi, it might be better if the top of the window curtains and the top of the door curtains are at the same level to create a uniform and tidy look.

Cheery Curtains have lots of nice curtains that work perfect for your situation, and attached are some photos that you may like. Also, Cheery Curtains do custom valances as well.

For more curtain designs, welcome to my Houzz page.
Nophie

designideas4me orangecamera.. do you feel that a long rod will hold the weight of several curtains without bending in the center assuming there is not support as you described. I like the idea but have found problems with some rods in supporting the weight.any suggestions.

janishill I had in mind that you wouldn't want to close the drapes and the panels would only be on the ends, so weight would not be an issue. Then you would have sheers that could be drawn. I can't imagine covering that beautiful view though.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. I would treat ALL windows the same including the window that you wanted to put a shade on. I would have a continuous rod on the long wall over all the windows with stationary grommet panels at the side of each window. For your info, grommet panels do not traverse well (travel on the rod), they tend to be good for stationary/decorative purposes. I would hang the continuous rod midway above the higher window and ceiling uniformly across that wall. Rods at different heights is too distracting and disjoint to the eye.
You should consider using a drapery professional to assist you on this.

Rita S. @Julie... do you suggest that I hang rods at ceiling height or at top of the center window height?

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. I suggest you hang rods midway between the ceiling and the top of the highest window there.....so that rod is continuous. It is a good look and unifies all those different different windows. You should really at least go with a professional for the rods and installation, even if you do not want to go custom on the drapes...but I feel you need to go custom on the drapes too if you see yourself living there for some time. You will be happier with how it all comes together.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. I'm not sure whether it is your intention to have drapes that close. That would take a LOTof fabric. I would be doing stationary drapes that fill the wall space between the windows..that really will take attention away from the odd size and placement of the windows. If you need light control on the higher window, a duette type shade could be inside mounted there.

Rita S. Well, I was just going to purchase 8 ready-made grommet panels for the doors and hang them on the same level as the center window, on two different rods above each door. That way I could close them - I do need them for sunlight control. ON the other hand, I do not want to block the mountain view. I thought a Roman shade that would just cover the top of the window would be a good alternative and could add interest to the look, instead of looking uniform.
Note how the custom panels and Roman shades are used in the same living room:
[houzz=
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janishill Rita, it's your home. Do what you like; whatever makes the rooms feel comfortable for you. We all have different ideas, so now you get the fun part ~ picking and choosing! :-)

You can certainly mix styles in a room, but putting drapes, a Roman shade then drapes again (or vice-a-versa) would look choppy.

When you have vaulted ceilings sound will often echo if there are not enough soft surfaces to help absorb it. That is why I said hang them high and wide. It not only gives you additional fabric, but it is a clean look.

I don't know if anyone has suggested Roman shades with stationary panels at the ends. Combining them can work as well. Use solid shades with printed panels or printed shades with solid panels.

Anyway, all the best. I hope to see updates soon.

Rita S. I do appreciate all the suggestions. The problem with one long rod is that it would have to be about 25 feet long, and the longest rod available locally is just under 20 feet. The local professional suggested using two rods but I wonder if it would look odd to have such a long rod.

designideas4me Do 3 rods put at the ceiling height . One for each of the doors and one for the window. All the same curtains.

designideas4me Do you have to cover the doors at all? I had curtains that came with the house which were custom made and attached to the door with a tiny rod. It looked ok but when I removed it it looked better. Why do you even need curtains. It looks very private.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. If you have a shop somewhere nearby that sells curtain rods, they will be able to help you purchase a continuous rod for that area if you give them the dimensions of the space. No rod comes 25' long..it would be a series of rods spliced in the correct places, and several brackets to support it where needed. As I stated , you will need the help of a drapery professional with the rod. If you take all the widths of the windows and the spaces between to the store, they will be able to help you.

I think you will like the continuous look. I know if would be easier to hang individual rods but one rod will give you a seamless unified look.

Your choice at the end of the day.

orangecamera I like the look of one long rod. It doesn't need to function as one long rod. The idea would be basically 3 rods (over each door and the window), with all the appropriate brackets to hold them up and be functional, and non-working extensions between, just for looks.

That would mean fabric between the doors and window, that's the look you want, yes?

OR...if you do 3 separate rods not connected, put decorative finials ONLY at the very far ends, and keep the middle "ends" as visually non-existent as possible.

You can get one wide panel for each door, and 2 panels to flank the window.

pinkroc Where did you find those teal and gray panels? They are gorgeous and I need a pair that very color!

Bonnie Beautiful home! Whatever you chose...whether it is all drapery panels or a combination of valance and panels...mount them all at the same height so you don't create a visual roller coaster with higher and lower treatments. Also, my preference would be for all drapes rather than a mix of valance and drapes. Mounting as high a possible is your best look but if you do a valance too then I don't think you will be able to mount that high as then the valance will either be too long or you the valance won't meet the top of the window. Good luck.

Bonnie I agree the panels you have selected are gorgeous!

JMittman Designs You can definitely find a professional to help you with a rod spliced to your length as mentioned above. You will need a bracket every 4 feet or so. I like curtains installed high, but in this case, you will have a LOT of blank space above your window if you installed at the ceiling. I would do mid way in this case. And Julie is correct, grommet panels are not meant to slide--they will, but not like you would want them to if you plan to open and shut daily.
Look at this picture I have attached from one of my client's home. Those french doors spanned over 20 feet.--there is another panel on the far left not seen in the picture. We used 3 eight foot rods cut to size with appropriate brackets. Each panel is 1.5 widths. A nice continuous look..

orangecamera I also assumed that grommet panels would slide easily, so now I'm curious. What is recommended for curtains/drapes hung on a rod (not a channel) that will be opened and closed often? Thank you.

JMittman Designs Traversing rods are made to do just that, traverse. Or track rodding. Even rods with rings don't always slide easily. Don't think of traversing rods as the ugly white utilitarian rods your grandma had. You can still use those--under a valance or cornice so the rod does not show (EVER!), but there are plenty of decorative traversing rods on the market. Many nice lines are only available to the trade. Ask a professional!

orangecamera I did ask a professional (you), so thanks for answering. :) So it's really a function of the rod, and not the curtain/drape that decides how it easy it is to move?

I've googled "traversing rod" and what I'm seeing are the ones with hooks in them. Is there a rod that's best for curtains that have back tabs, to help them open and close most easily? I like the curtains I have, but am willing to buy whatever rods make the most sense with them. Can/should I hook my back tab curtains into traversing rods?

I appreciate your input, thank you again.

Interiors International, Inc. Hanging them high and wide makes would be great. I'd use the same ones throughout the room. This will tie it all together.

JMittman Designs @orangecamera You put curtain pins onto the curtain tabs, and then hook these into the hooks onto the curtain rods. There are many, many different types of rods/curtains. Do the curtains you refer to have pleats? If not, they are probably meant to be stationary and hang from rings, not necessarily a traversing rod.--If they do not have pleats, they will hang flat when pulled closed, whereas curtains with pleats will hold their pleats whether open or closed. Does that make sense?

orangecamera JMittman, the curtains I have are called "back tab", and look like the pictures below. (the picture of the back is of homemade drapes, mine are manufactured that way). I like the way they hang because they are neat folds when open, and smooth when closed. Thanks :)

designideas4me Ok I have a question. On my back patio I put up grommet panels for shade and privacy on a wire rod that is hung from the wood beam over the house which is just beneath the stucco or tile roof. So this gave me the ability to have a firm support to mount this bracket(which comes with little screw in brackets) and then you tighten the tension. I open and close these very often and the wind blows them as well. It slides super easily and I love it. I want to do this same idea in one of the bedrooms which has a wide window. Since the call and ceiling is drywall and screws fall out easily and the length of the wire would be over 100 inches, how do you guys suggest I try to hold up the wire so it wont sag in the middle or over time from the weight of the curtains. The wire is strong ( holding up 4 somewhat heavy panels outside) but it needs something solid to attach the brackets to. Thanks for any ideas. Here is how it looks. I love it. You dont even see the rod. But whats really amazing ( just for laughs) these crazy birds outside who seem to build nests where ever they can when they need to lay eggs, they built a nest on top of the curtains. Check it out. Birds are amazing.

designideas4me I wanted to post a pic of the rod system so you can see what it looks like.http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60075295/

designideas4me Link didnt work. here is the pic. .... sorry to intrude on your post but maybe its an idea you can use elsewhere.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Cute birds nest!!! I'm familiar with that system. They all loosen over time. They are not intended to have any bracket at all in the middle. If you did use one you would see sagging either side of it over time. You really cannot mount this into drywall alone and expect that you can tension it. It would need to be mounted into studs at least.
Why not go for a thin rod? There are half inch rods on the market that would work.

Apologies to the original poster on this thread.

Bonnie Love the bird nest!

Margaret Phillips The traverse rods work great, I have some you just pull the string to open and close them.

JMittman Designs LOVE the bird's nest! Agree with Julie. Those wire systems are cool, but I have heard the same thing about sagging over time. Would not attempt to use on 100" window.

designideas4me Ok thanks. I guess I will look for very thin rods. So based on what the original discussion was about, its ok to mount a very long rod thats over 100 inches into drywall with no middle bracket and assuming that you have blinds as well would you suggest just sheers or sheers and thicker panels in a bedroom? I saw pictures in the Houzz photos of both the 3 separate rods on windows like she has and one continuous rod. I guess its just a matter or preference. Are you suggesting she gets blinds as well or just curtains? I mainly have blinds that keep the light out much better but in one room have just curtains and no blinds and it doesnt seem to block the glare plus you can kind of see in at night if the lights are on ( not good).

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. No, you MUST have center brackets for that length. The wire system is different. Whether you have blinds or drapes is a matter if what function you need them to perform . Drapes that close take a lot of fabric. If you don't want to go with a lot of fabric, a combination of stationary panels and shades works . The shades function, the panels add softness/ color/ pattern and a vertical line.

designideas4me Oh you see or make drapes? I was at a fabric store yesterday. Is it expensive to get drapes made? Can I show you a pic of my living room and ask if you think blinds would work behind the curtains ( such as the verticals that are in all the other rooms in the house). I couldnt find an exact match but something close from a good manufacturer was $600-800. I was shocked. Just for one room. I dont even like them but I wanted it to match the others. If I was to push the sheers together and get darker panels to put around them, than it may darken the room too much. However it bothers me a lot that with the bright track lights I put up ( which are very bright) people can see inside at night. I should have taken care of this already but have not. Can you help me please? You can email me if its not ok to talk here. Ok the first pic shows the sheers in the living room. Again there are no blinds. Then in the den you see what the blinds look like that came with the house. They are in all rooms with no curtains at all. On a few windows i have shade screens that keep the heat and sun filtered. On my bedroom window I have a dark adhesive tint and blinds and darkening curtains ( to sleep). But this room is always kinda dark. Plus the rod is nice but not really modern like the rest of the room. I need a better pic but for now I am showing you how bright it gets and the rod which is a wrought iron heavy brown color. So lastly ( hopefully this may help others) how do you match the curtain rod? What do you match it to? The hardware on the dresser? The metal on the lamps? The coffee table? I could use suggestions. Oh and do you suggest the double rod system?

designideas4me Rita.. did you buy your grommet panels yet ? would love to see how they look. Remember you can always return rods and non custom curtains so maybe you can try to hang it and see how it looks. I buy and return all the time. Its not easy to visualize til its in your own house.

Rita S. To answer one of the questions: I found those grommet panels on overstock.com. I have not bought them yet. They don't have enough panels to cover my living and dining windows. I was going to do 4 panels per door, and I still have that center window dilemma. If the doors were the same height as the center window, I would have done one continuous rod like suggested here but with different heights I don't know. I see a lot of odd-looking white space over the French doors.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Hang the rod lower then, skim the top of the high window with the rod, and mount all at that height. I would avoid treating that center window different to the others as it will stand out more than it does now. Apart from that, change the window.

designideas4me You sound like me Rita.. you get fixated on something and it drives you crazy. The builder of your house should have made those doors and windows all the same height. I have these 2 walls in my house that were built on an angle to widen the corner of the hall and one to open up or widen the entrance to a bedroom. I just hate them. I like everything linear and straight angles. So I finally had a guy frame it and make it straight( add 2.5 feet on both sides) and drywall and texture. You could if you hate it that much have it altered by changing the structure of the window. Its a drastic suggestion but an option.

Rita S. So I came across this DIY project for "fake transom" over a french door. How about that!?
Would solve all my problems! :)
http://inmyownstyle.com/2011/08/how-to-make-a-fake-transom-for-a-doorway.html

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. designideas4me, if you want to talk further about your project I am happy to help you but please contact me direct on my email listed on my professional listing on Houzz.

designideas4me Rita.. what a cool idea. I like that a lot.