SFGate

marcysquad I think the dark framed picture is taking away from your light wood mantle and fireplace surround. Instead of focusing on your beautiful fireplace, all I see is the picture (which I like too, but on another wall). What do you think about plantation shutters or wood blinds instead of the curtains? Looks great!

blindsdirectcanada The rod for the drapery should sit about 6'' above the window . However I agree with Marcy I think the drapery is a big heavy for the space . A shutter would work well or even a Roman shade if you still want the look of fabric.

Teri Loper Thanks, the picture is showing things much darker than they really are. The frame actually has some of the lighter tones as in the stone mantel and hearth but I'll consider something else. The side drapes are a burgundy sheer and we have white top down bottom up blinds behind them. I also have them in the kitchen / dining area so i need to tie it in to that area somehow. Since they are sheers I wonder if it is the color that is the "big heavy" ?? Ill try to get better pictures including the dining area up later, maybe that will help.

Teri Loper Okay, here is a pic of the curtains in the kitch / dining area although it is dark as well. During the day it is much brighter and the light thru the large window is blinding which is why I would like to use the white sheers with something if not these burgundy sheers also the birds crash into the window. My main questions are, knowing that I need to raise the curtains above the windows and considering that you can see the dining area and the wall with the fireplace all at once how high would I raise them? if I go 6 inches above it would put the curtains at 90 inches. The fireplace stone goes to the bottom of the tray ceiling so I would have all the curtains at the same height, the door and fireplace at two other heights, should I do some type of faux roman on the door or leave it bare? It has the blind between the glass but it can be raised to almost disappear if that means anything, also if using the colored and white sheers are the rods big enough and should I put them on rings or slip them on as well. Thoughts or suggestions on anything is appreciated.

jgoodmon I have 9' ceilings and I hung my draperies so at the top of the header was at the midway point between the trim and the ceiling at about 95".

Vintage Green Design Hi Teri, you have some lovely pieces in your living space, do you mind if I throw in an Australian decorator's perspective??
In my opinion you just need to pull back on some of the strong colours to tie it all together. I don't think the little black rods do much for the room, they are too small and getting a little dated now. The fireplace should be the focus point of the room and inform the tones of your colour palette. I would not put a picture on the stonework at all, just a nice grouping of different sized candles. If you were my client, i would suggest losing the dark drapes and replace with something in a textured weave in warm straw (similar to the golden colour on the stonework), on a similarly toned simple timber rail (no finials) combined with some greyed oak toned timber venetians (to pick up on grey in stonework). I think plantation shutters and romans are lovely, but think they would be too busy here. I love your tribal patterns and texturesand they would work will with these colours. Splashes of fiery red (like your lampshade) would add additional warmth. I hope i have not completely confused you -Good luck with the project!! Trisha Lee

Barbara Griffith Designs Purchase 95/96" drapery panels and hang as high as you can and have them just 1/2" off the floor. Second, extend the rod (living room) corner to fireplace (do same in dining room). Spread the panels out a little. Also, panels are too dark for the space. They jump out at you because they are too dark. Maybe a nice cream, milk chocolate..just lighter. Do you need the sheer? Maybe even more substantial rods, bigger finials. Hang a pair on the sides of the glass door if possible.

Teri Loper Thank you all so much! I will start looking for different rods and 95/96" lighter textured curtains, also candles for the mantel, remove pic etc.

Teri Loper Trisha, Barbara and all, I have been looking for new drapes and rods as you have suggested. I am not having much luck finding anything in the more golden colors of the stone but just to try lighter as Barbara suggested I hung some sand colored panels that I had on hand, it made an amazing difference from the dark sheers in the living room but when I hung them in the dining area the color did not seem to work at all. The walls are all painted SW7511 Bungalow Beige but looked darker and more grey in the orig pics. I thought I wanted to change the wall color to grey at some point but now I dont know about that either. I was wondering if a grey curtains would work with my current very beige walls or would it be too much if / when the walls are painted. I'll post some additional pics so you can see the other side of the room......The entryway is killing me if anyone has suggestions, maybe paint the door black and new romans and please ignore my dining room behind the sofa.....it's a whole can of worms by itself :) Any and all help on anything is much appreciated!!!

Teri Loper Could anyone help me in picking out some panels that might work in my space? If not any of the ones I have pictured do you have any other suggestions? Thanks!

Teri Loper Her'e a bit of the kitchen if that helps anything.

Teri Loper Somebody, anybody please help!!!. I am trying to get my curtains picked out and move on to lighting and other things. When I originally asked for help it was suggested to pick out lighter or even a straw color as in the fireplace stone but when I look at the gold tones with my paint color in the dining area I dont think it looks well. The panels above are linen, I was thinking the last one, but not sure....you can see all these rooms at once....Thanks!

jgoodmon It's so hard to pick colors on a computer monitor, but I agree that the more golden ones probably wouldn't look as good with the paint color on your walls. Are you ordering them or purchasing them at a store? If from a store--and you don't have to worry about paying for return shipping--then buy both. See which one you like in your space best, and return the ones you don't want.

Carolyn C Here is a quick shot of what could look lovely. If you want to keep the fabric plain, choose a couple of shades darker than the wall for the panels and then use a soft or straight roman underneath. I think I would treat both sides the same, but you could draw the panel on the door to the right if you like so drapery won't be blowing in and out of an open door.

You could choose a nice soft tone on tone or something with some texture or use the linen as you suggested and pair it with a nice geometric print or stripe on the blind

Teri and Barbara have given great suggestions and panels can be paired with wood blinds, shutters, romans etc.

These shots show a pinch pleat but you can certainly use a much less formal pleat in conjunction with a 1 1/2" rod and simple end caps.

Hope these help you with your visualization.

Teri Loper Thank you so much!!!! I think I went from one extreme (too dark) to the other (too light) The visual also helped to bring my husband on board with pic #1 and Im ordering 3 different colors all of which can be returned at no cost. Yay!!

Carolyn C :-) Great. Glad it helped

Teri Loper Help please......After 2 months I finally received the curtains that I ordered. I went with the ones I posted on the above top right. Now I'm trying to pick out rods and a new light fixture for the dinette. I'm wondering if I go with a dark rod does that mean I need a fixture with a similar finish as the rods or does it matter? Thanks!!

Teri Loper thought it was just easier to put the pic with the post :)

travisinteriors Love the stone firepl it's perfect. Remove sheers leave panels only.

travisinteriors Change panels to zebra like your pillows use on door to.

Teri Loper Thanks, Im trying to get help with the rods and light fixture in the dinette.

Teri Loper Could I get you to love the ones I posted 3 minutes ago...lol

travisinteriors If in same room should match

travisinteriors Sorry I just posted should have looked at date.

travisinteriors Panels look great good job.

travisinteriors Table is small so stay in scale. Are panels cream or tan? Your style looks contemporary . Go brushed nickel same for rods.

Teri Loper They are cream with a little tan texture in them :) Do you think the rods should have a ball shaped finial or more square?