SFGate

Irene And this one to show the mirror

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. I don't see that you have any room beside the bed for panels to stack???? I think your windows and furntiure placement call for roman shades with cornice boards perhaps??

Can you move your bed to another part of the room. I don't like that beam that runs above the bed like that.

njmomma I think you need to take the eye away from the beam. You need to get a little creative and something like this can easily be done.

Barbara Schaver @ Furnitureland South I'm with Julie with regard to the beam. I'm not sure this would work since I don't know your room dimensions, but could you turn the bed 90 degrees and have it face the closet? The headboard would be under the beam, and you could do suspend a drapery backdrop for the bed while also draping over that pole and making it entirely disappear. If you think it might work, send me the dimensions let's chat about it. 336-822-3000 ext 2781
and if you happen to need any furniture, that would be nice for me, as that's how I make my living!

njmomma On the other windows I would do a soft roman shade.

Suzan J Designs - Decorating Den Interiors Agree with Julie. Panels are not the answer - the stack would cover a good portion of the window, and be in the way of the closet. Sleek roman shades and simple cornice - Julie's spot on with this.

Irene Thanks everyone for the quick replies. Indeed there isn't much space for the panels to stack. I thought of lightweight material that could be gathered behind the bed. The furniture has a strong Lamu style (from Kenya), and simple airy curtains seem to compliment it.

The position of the bed is the best even though I too don't like the beam above (but I guess got used to it). The room is big (two rooms joined, hence the beam) so can't position the bed facing the closet unless it goes all the way to the wall, which will then make the proportions of the room odd.Right now the room is long, and the bed divides it and it feels harmonious. Also the wall facing the closet is the master bedroom bathroom

I did think of hanging a net or similar (and it would have complement beautifully my Out of Africa idea, but there isn't enough height, since the beam rund exactly along the centre of the bed...

The headboars IS under the beam (it's actually a Lamu bed so this is part of the bed)

Look forward to reading your opinions,
Many thanks!

JMittman Designs If you are dead set on curtains, about the only option that might work is ripplefold sheers as shown in this picture. They have the least stack back.

bevballew A soft roman shade pulling in that beautiful deep purple would add drama to the room, in my opinion. It will also give you the darkness needed for sleep. Sheers won't.

megquill I would go with some sheers in red or deep purple to compliment your bedding. And nice blinds to help with the lighting control. Hang 1 panel per window. Panels should hang nearest to each wall. This will help make the space look bigger. Try some detailed black curtain rods as well.

megquill Have you thought of painting the beam black? Might add some drama. Its there so make the most of it!

Irene Thanks again to all. JMittman, where do you think the stacks should go? On one window -- there's no space on its right side because of the closet, and same with the other window. Which means I'd have to keep the stacks on the left side of each of the windows, and I'm not sure this will look good. What do you think?

The bedding changes so I would not match the windows to purple. In fact I like it more with off-white -- it complements the dark wood and style much more. I also use animal print, and red bedding, so really doing either blinds in purple or sheers in red will not suit other bedding color schemes. I have beautiful soft white sheer material which I am going to sew into curtains.

But it's true that with white sheers I won't be able to get much sleep, and if I do both blinds and sheers, I may lose the effect of the sheers...

So what's my best option?

lindola You might consider shutters.

lindola You might consider shutters.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Sheer panels DO look good over an opaque roman shade, but your sheers will have to stack over the glass, which is not the end of the world for a bedroom I think. It's not like you need to get every spec of light into the room. Romans in a silvery grey damask large scale pattern with creamy sheers in front would look pretty.
Maybe something like this fabric for romans....
http://www.fschumacher.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=175030

JMittman Designs You would need to stack on the right sides, covering some of the glass. I like the fabric Julie above has suggested.

bevballew I have duettes which you can have in white or any color. There are the pleated shades that were popular some years back. I can't remember the name but it is a sheer with a soft slat in it that you pull the cord to close for darkness and when open it is sheer that let's in light and has slats like a wood blind. Designers know them. They are expensive but very practical and delicate. When I said purple I meant just a touch of it like a piping but that does not apply since you change things up. I think wood blinds rather than shutters. The room has a look for a soft airy feeling. I suppose you could run a small rod about the mirror closet of about six inches or less and then wraps to cover part of the window.

bevballew Love what Julie picked! Very very pretty. Duettes are the honeycomb shade I believe. They have a soft look also. They can have darkening material for bedrooms.

Irene Thanks a million again for all your input. I can't have a stack on the right because of the closet. It has on that side drawers that pull out, and the sheers will be in the way every time I pull a drawer out...

I also can't put a rod above the closet doors since they go all the way to the ceiling.

But I do want the sheers very much since they will add to the room atmosphere. How do I go about it?

Re blinds, I know these are easy to choose and install, so I want to focus first on the challenge, which is the sheers.

Look forward to your advice.

JMittman Designs Well, it looks like you are going to need to compromise if you really want sheers. The closet doors slide, right? A ripplefold curtain track can be ceiling mounted. The sheers can fabricated so that they slide both ways. So when you need to get in the closet drawers, you can slide the sheers towards the other end of the window. Curtains on a track slide much easier than a traditional drapery rod--meaning, it would not be a hassle for you.

Then I would store items you don't use a lot in those end drawers--like extra blankets. (or ugly christmas sweaters)

Sill sheers are an option too. Though NOT one I recommend. I would start with shades so your first priorities are covered-- room darkened for sleeping. See how you like it. If you still think something is missing, then try the sheers.

Irene Many thanks JMittman. You have definitely cleared a few things for me here.

Moving the curtains from side to side won't be easy since I have the side back long table. I don't know if it will look good if I pull this console table forward to allow moving the stack from left to right etc. What do you think? I also can't change the designation of the drawers on the left since they are less deep and allow items such as lingerie, stockings, etc. (which I need daily...)

shelleyuk Sorry what's on the wall facing the windows?

Irene harcoums, I believe you're referring to the mirror. I enclose another pic.

bevballew Mount a rod on ceiling or squeeze at end of the wall and so it is not quite as wide as other panels. it does not have to be perfect but look good to make you enjoy what you want. Silhouettes are the shades I was talking about.

shelleyuk How about the final wall? The one facing the end of the bed? Just wondering whether there is any space on that wall for the bed. That would then free up your window wall and remove your curtain dilemma

Irene Ah, thanks harcoums. No, unfortunately there isn't a better place. The wall facing the bed has the door to the room...

jar_hdz Would you consider putting sheer curtains along the beam to section your bed off from your sitting area? Then you could turn your bed to face the mirrored closet. It would hide the beam and even the pole in the middle of your room.

jar_hdz These rods hanging from the ceiling look like a good solution for you, as well.

jar_hdz If you hung sheer curtains from the beam you could even create your own "walk-in" closet in your current sitting room and get rid of the mirrored closet all together. It would give you more room for your bed and even nightstands if you were to place it against the wall where the mirrored closet currently stands. Just imagine!

JMittman Designs I think Irene kind of likes her big bedroom, not wanting to cut it in half again.
Irene, sheers on track rodding would only project about 3 inches depending on fullness.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. Irene
you could have your cheers as JMittman said above, ceiling mount the track, BUT you are going to have to make room for them behind that console table and you are going to have to try and re-arrange your drawers or you will be cursing them every time you want to pull the drawers out. Don't know why whoever designed that closet has the most important items being stored all the way to the left?

Drapes need room to hang and function, simple as that.

Irene Thanks to everyone again. It's really helping me to think in more accurate terms and hopefully this will lead to a solution.

Thank you for your input jar_hdz, but I don't want to separate my room into two again...

I think I am starting to see a solution through your help, JMittman. I may go with sheers on track rodding, and in this case - what color? I guess they only come in metal. How will it look with the mostly-wood decor?

Julie - It was me :( -- of course at the time I looked at things differently...
I have a short temper, so those sheers with the drawers won't last long :( ...
Maybe I will need to make a change inside the closet... As they say, change needs to come from within ;)

Irene Another thing, is it a good idea to extend the rods towards the bed on both sides, and stack the sheers behind the bed? Say maybe half the way, then decorate the remaining space between the sheers with some element that will put it all together?

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. I don't see why you cannot have the track go all the way to the beam on each side. then you will be up for more fabric to fill the length of the track, but it could look good stacked behind the bed if you so wished.

Track can be painted to match ceiling, but they are usually white.

Irene Thanks, Julie -- what about the space on the wall parallel to the beam? You don't think it will look odd, ending there?

decoenthusiaste The stacking behind the bed has been my thought from the first time I saw your thread. You also have a great opportunity to have a bed/sitting room. Country Curtains has a track that can mount to the ceiling or a wall. They are probably common. Mounting them to the beam and draping would give you two spaces and a beautiful wall to enhance your furniture.

Julie Thome Draperies, Inc. It is what it is.....you could actually get custom made drapes that would hang permanently under the cutout for the beam, so essentially a cutout either end of the drapes, and meet there, and then both panels would be one way draw out away from the bed.

Irene OK, thanks everyone. You've been all wonderful. Got to do some homework now, and make decisions...

Cheery Curtains To just make a small compromise, you may not have much room to stack back the curtains and it should not be a big problem.

However, what surprises me a little is that you have mirrors facing your bed. It's really not good a design from the point of Fengshui. Maybe you will consider some kind of treatment.

Irene I know, Cheery Curtains, from the point of Fengshui my room is totally wrong, what about the beam above the bed, and I have lots of mirrors everywhere, and the bed faces exactly the entrance door...

kellychristine7 Sheer curtains still allow light to come in but also dimming it. These are from LOWE'S.