SFGate

Emily Hurley I wonder if the window treatments would work a little better for you if the rods were slightly higher? It's tough with the window frame connecting to the ceiling, but I think that might help it feel like a more natural placement.

Fenstermann LLC-Newport Beach If you would like as much of your nice trim showing, I suggest a slim top-down/bottom-up shade. We carry a series that has no strings in the view of the window, and no headrail. Mounted on the inside, it can be used to keep privacy, and still allow natural light from the top. You have beige treatments now, so here are some fabrics that will look similar. The last photos show the operation of the system.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Your rods need to be higher..as high as possible. Choose a subdued print close to the wall color. You'll find that panels will give you the illusion if height that you need.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Something like this linen print http://www.zimmer-rohde.com/#/item/1021096985

glomae01 the room is casual try using sheers as panel for each side of both windows not covering full window keep the sheers full on each side making sure the window is covered on both sides. The sheers used as panels will soften the room , make sure you raised your rods

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Because your windows are narrow, it would be desirable to make them look larger by flanking each window with stationary drapery panels. But in order for the panels to fall to the floor, you will need to move your furniture away from the walls. I would move the sofa so that it faces the window where your big chair is located. Then I would move the chair 6 to 12" away from the window that is behind it. The white table and the wicker chair need to be placed elsewhere as the wicker chair crowds the big chair and the white table interferes with the drapery panels.

The rods need to extend about 14" beyond the windows on both sides so that the hanging panels make the windows appear wider. I would select a color from your rug for the drapery panels. Is there a green in the rug? If so, that would be a good choice. I would place the rods as high as possible.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

glomae01 Try using the small prints in a row instead of the large picture it will add space visually

Stephanie Allen Fenstermann has a great idea. top down bottom up cell shades will do the trick. They come in a variety of colors and translucent. Functional is five star. Throw up Cornice boards to soften the look further and add color. Fabric on the windows make the room complete. Also artwork near front door is too small (off scale). Room needs transition too. Visually speaking the "eye" needs to flow around the room where things relate to each other through proper spacing of art. I recommend using a Graber product for the cell shades. I have been in window covering business since 2000. They have quality product at a reasonable price. Stay away from Hunter Douglas is cruddy construction. I love your Bohemian Style :)

Stephanie Allen One more thing, If this was my space I would highly consider painting the summer beams an earth tone contrasting color. That will bring more interest visually to the room :)

magsiemoo I agree that if curtains are used, the rods should extend at least 14" out on either side to make the room look wider & they could be lifted as well. Stephanie, just wondering....would the beams painted make the room look longer & more narrow? Maybe a beautiful stained glass window would look really nice. We have stained glass windows & they are not only really pretty....they afford privacy

Ironwood Builders I have to disagree about painting the beams. Looks like your ceiling is only about 7' high, pushing the beam to, what, 6'6"? Painting the beams will make them more visually strong...and ergo make the feel "heavier". More noticeable and bring the ceiling down even lower.

marthafish I wouldn't add curtains on the sides. Isn't that a radiator in the way? I would take down the curtain rod. I would do something like a roman shade or a woven blind. Then I would either have two tall pictures on either side of the window or a grouping of pictures that creates something visually tall. The pictures or grouping should be slightly smaller than the window.

I agree that you shouldn't paint the beams. I think it would just make the space look longer and more narrow.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I thought at first that the item behind the wicker chair was a radiator, and then decided it was a white table, but you may be right about it being a radiator. If it is, of course you could not place a drapery panel to the right of that window. And with two windows in the room, I would not want to treat one window differently than the other. So I would do as others have suggested and use roman shades on the windows, or grass shades.

blindsdirectcanada Silhouettes would really soften the space. I would stay away from drapery I think it will be to heavy for the room. You can always add Roman Valances on top of the blinds to give a more finished look and add a pop of color.

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/blinds-toronto/hunter-douglas/silhouette-toronto.html

olivepomolive Thanks for all the great feedback. There are some great suggestions and ideas I would not have come up with. The rods are extendible, so initially I had them pulled out about 12" on each side, but it seemed to take over the whole room, and particularly behind the couch, it had a hotel room feel to it - just solid wall of curtain. I think the fact that the ceilings are low, made it seem overpowering instead of making the windows look bigger. Also, as many of you noticed, that is a radiator to the right of the chair. I'm thinking of getting a cover for it at some point so I can safely utilize the space a bit more. I really like the idea of the cell shades. I'm not very familiar with them so the brand suggestions from Stephanie are really helpful. Will keep you posted. Thank you!!

olivepomolive Also regarding painting the beams, when I first moved in I considered doing that. I really love the look, but as Ironwood Builders pointed out, the ceilings are low. I think if I got everything else in place and found just the right shade it might work, but it's going to take just the right touch.

olivepomolive No one mentioned shutters. Any thoughts on that from window decorators or personal experience? A friend recommended Plantation Shutters.

mpoulsom I think plantation shutters or fabric roman shades would be great in your room. I don't think you need curtains at all.

Jeanette Hauser I agree with the Roman shade idea.

Tumble Creek Interior Design Hi! You are brave to open yourself to so much feedback! :) my background is 10 years with window coverings and 5-6 interior design. I love the feel of your room... My vote is shutters would be too "hard" Altho I love them. I think your space could benefit from the warmth and texture of woven woods which also come in top down/bottom up depending on your privacy needs. A good place to get a visual and order samples is smith + noble. You can always mount on your framework or above if possible rather than inside the frame. Good luck and have fun. It's a warm and inviting space you are creating....

lindamizell I am no designer; but I think I would "show off " my windows! Move the furniture away from the windows so they can be fully seen. Place the sofa at the edge of the rug with its back to the door. Arrange the chairs on either side of the window where the sofa is currently placed.

I agree with others who say move the rods higher and use soft sheers on either side of the windows. Brighten the room with pillows and artwork.

joannpb One more into the mix... My take would be a custom shade, in a coordinating color and texture, mounted inside the window frame and a VERY minimal swag, draped from the rod.

Drea Custom Designs I would remove the curtain rod, and add either a nice cotton print roman shade, inside mount, or a simple top treatment with a blind.

olivepomolive Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm going to take the rods down - probably this weekend while we are digging out of 2 to 3 feet of snow. Meanwhile I am trying to research the different shade options mentioned here. I'm very interested in the Top down/bottom up and am going to try and take a look at some real life examples. Thanks so much!!

hohweiler Since your windows are small and there is not a lot of natural light that comes in, you don't want to cover the window anymore than necessary. Use rods that are longer than the existing ones. Hang light panels on either side of the window. Come up to the window with the panels and cover a little bit of the window, but have the panels covering mostly wall. This will give your room all the natural light that the windows provide and give the illusion of much larger windows. Which in turn will make your room seem larger and more luxurious. If you need privacy, use a sheer shade that when open you cannot see.
You are not using the space in the corner, if you will angle your couch in the corner and put 2 chairs on the side of the room in which the couch is currently on, with a small table in between, you will loose the small rectagle feel to your room. You will still be able to see the TV from every seat and give the feel of a sitting room, perfect for reading.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. This is a room I worked on where the ceilings were as low as yours...[houzz=
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Fenstermann LLC-Newport Beach Hey Olive,

Im glad you got all of these great ideas, there certainly is a lot of options! If you decide to look further into our top-down/bottom-up shades, here is a link to our website dedicated to them, www.pleatedblindsstore.com

Fabrics, and more information is all there!

ckroulek I have read some of the comments , but have you thought of using vertical blinds, instead of curtains or blinds?
It would make it seem to make the windows more easier to work with and more pronounced.

South East Installation Solutions, LLC Personally, in that scenario, I'd ditch the idea of using any sort of fabric treatment. Drapery panels will look too short regardless of how high you place the rod, and valances or other top treatments will likely cover too much of the window.

If it were my house I would use plantation shutters. And instead of trying to match paint color to the existing trim, I would use a stain wood to match the furniture, it would really make the window POP. Plus with a 3-1/2 or 4-1/2" louver size on the shutters you would have fantastic light control as well as view thru which you don't have now when the roller shades are down.

blindsdirectcanada Vertical blinds are a NO NO sorry I have been in this business over 10 years I would definitely stay away from verticals.

Stephanie Allen Historically Summer Beams were constructed of wood. I would not paint them a dark color just a shade between a tint and a tone. Don't need much color to contrast with white. I just feel they are significant in size enough to make them contrast and be more historically correct. I can't tell for sure if this room is elongated or more square from these pics but if it is elongated then the more narrow walls should be accented to make room feel more like a symmetrical square. I like the comment about the woven woods window treatment option too. If privacy is not a concern it's great but I don't recommend backing them with any liner as the liners have many problems with expansion and shrinkage being different than those natural wood, bamboo, and grasses used to construct those types of shades. Although without lining are very pretty and bring a lot of interest visually. Cell shades come with options of variations in the print. Two subtle options are point bond fabric and spun lace.