SFGate

decoenthusiaste People have been known to remove the vanes and use the track to hang light sheers or crinkle cotton from them.

christi okay, I will look that up, "remove the vanes"....thank you for your input...;o)

Bargain Backer I would remove those and let the wonderful natural light in.
http://www.bargainbacker.com

christi Does remove the vanes mean the blinds? If so, I'm not allowed to. I will definitely let in the light once by keeping them open, but this is the only window/door that is on top of itself, so I was completely perplexed how to not make the middle part look weird whether I used long silky swags (I LOVE silky swags...Bed Bath and Beyond makes them in a brand called Element (formerly Liquid Gold) they are sooooooo pretty! the swags, the panels...i love them! is this what you meant by crinkled cotton? this is how one of units below below us has his, I think they look light & breezy... ;o)

orangecamera I think "remove the vanes" refers to just popping the vertical parts off the track. They should just be hooked on and easily removed. You can store them in a closet and put them back up when you move out.

Get your beautiful silky swags and clip them onto the places where you remove the vanes (maybe on every 3rd or 4th one?).

Nice view!

Interiors International, Inc. Yeah, the other unit does look nice. Taking down the vanes will take some time it's not hard just tedious. Then I would do panels but I would think twice before I did the swags. Taking all that down and putting the vanes back is a lot of work. Although if it is a rental that you will be in long term it would be worth the effort.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design What a great idea for dealing with the loathsome "vertical blinds", the dreaded foe of designers since they were invented! I've been fortunate to never have moved into a house that had them, so I had no idea that the veins could easily be removed and stored. What a grand idea! And certainly being able to attach a nice drapery in their stead is just short of a miracle. Bless the smart houzzers who have informed us all!

orangecamera I learned about taking down the vanes when one of mine was damaged in a sliding-door-slamming "accident". I went to the store to try to find a replacement, and found that they're sold in sets. I was able to replace the original plain white horrible ones for some nice fabric-covered ones that looked much nicer.

I know a lot of people don't like vertical blinds but when I had them I did appreciate them. I had nosy neighbors on one side, and I was able to open the slats in a way that I could see out and get natural light, while still blocking the nosy neighbor's view of the interior of my house.

blindsdirectcanada Ripplefold drapery is a great option in this case its inexpensive doesn't use a lot of fabric but looks stunning. It will be mounted to the ceiling so the whole window will be covered and it will look fabulous!!!!

South East Installation Solutions, LLC Removing the vanes refers to taking out the vertical slats that you open/close to control the light but leaving the master track that they are attached to.

If you are renting, they frequently have rules against doing such things, but it's worth checking into.

A lot of apartments & condos use vertical blinds on sliding doors or large window because you can cover larger window less expensively than with other types of treatments.

christi hi, well I need to make sure that the HOA and owner are on the same page. I was told that I could remove them if I replaced them (as in put them back up) upon move-out. Depending on the level of difficulty in removing or putting back into place I would definitely prefer to only keep blinds/vanes in the bedrooms and use the blinds as needed for privacy and or light blocking. I think these windows look so pretty without the blinds. I will definitely check to make sure this is okay with the HOA before I do anything. Thank you. So can the master track be used to open and close curtains and/or panels if the blinds are removed properly, or are these totally different things altogether? I could be wrong, but it seems that for the novice ceiling mounting outside of blinds might be the best choice, at least based on level of difficulty. if this correct?? but finding the lengths I need for the longest of the windows is nearly impossible.

decoenthusiaste Usually, vertical blinds are pretty cheaply made. I wouldn't rely on them for opening and closing panels regularly. Your idea of a ceiling mount might be a better idea. The weight of a floor to ceiling panel - even crinkle - might be too heavy for the plastic hooks you'll find on the track. I've seen ceiling mountable tracks at Country Curtains. Item #R843 - come in lengths from 38-120" and you can get additional slides item #R843-SL - a little more than $50/set I think. Not sure how many it will take or what shipping would be.

kitasei The building may also want to preserve a consistent look to its facade by having uniform window treatments. The streamlined appearance of a modern building (i.e., without architectural trim and divided light windows) depends on this. They also may be even more interested in sparing others the view of you in your pajamas (or less) than you are in protecting your privacy! I mention all this to add the collective view on window treatments. All residents have a shared interest in maintaining a beautiful facade. If you look at the most expensive new glass apartment buildings in Manhattan, you see how quickly the effect is ruined by the sight of the backs of furniture, wastebaskets, calendars and holiday cutouts taped to windows - and yes, swags in a building other residents expected to be sleek and modern. Consider putting up a one way film that attaches to the glass.