Any ideas?

[Cat]

Any ideas on what I could do here. I've been asked to make dress curtains, interlined silk , perhaps goblet or triple pleat for the larger window. Matching ones for the smaller long window and something for the skylight window above the fireplace. The client is replacing the existing patterned carpet for plain ivory twist. The sofas are ivory, coffee table is large square mahagony ( chinese design ) . The room doesn't look big but it's deceptive.

My thoughts so far is that goblets could work on the larger dress curtains as they are longer but not on the smaller sill length curtains. Not at all sure about the skylight window above the fireplace. The client is open to suggestions but does want a luxurious fabric, light and neutral with a wow factor but letting in as much light as possible.

Any help would be appreciated on how I could give this room a wow factor.

Cat C.

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[susie c]

Re: Any ideas?

Hi Cat
What a challenge you have. I personally would make goblet pleat curtains for the floor length windows, but make them so they can be drawn if need be. For the smaller sill length window, what about doing a stunning valance instead of curtains. Have you looked at the M'Fay patterns that Penny from Collybrook does. I have fallen in love with the Moreland Valance and shall eventually have this in my dining room. As for the skylight, I am still pondering this one but am leaning towards some sort of roman/roller blind. I think the current curtains are too much for this small window but is just my personal opinion. Have you or your client poured over any soft furnishing books for inspiration?
Good luck with this.
Susie

[mercury]

Re: Any ideas?

Would a dormer rod be suitable for this skylight window.
I wonder!

Eileen.

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Any ideas?

What a strange room! How about a valance going into the corner on the pair of small and large windows and the pair of small windows, then a full length curtain for the longer window, sill length for the shorter ones? Would that work?

A dormer rod won't work on a skylight. How about a lambrequin, with a concealed roller/skylight blind underneath?

[Cat]

Re: Any ideas?

Thank you for your helpful replies. I will look at the M'Fay patterns, perhaps I will spot something. The curtains will not be closed, secluded garden to the back and sea to the front, so the client is happy with dress curtains only for the larger windows. It is a strange room, too much has been crammed in and the curtains above the fireplace just don't work.

Pen, I am considering a lambrequin or a roman could possibly work too ( how would that work on a skylight, are there special fixings? ) The client at the moment seems keen on having a self coloured ivory silk and as the wallpaper is also ivory the lambrequin or roman would have to compliment this.

The client wants to use the existing brass poles but I could move the two above the fireplace and put them either side of the larger window for dress curtains.

Cat C.

[enid]

Re: Any ideas?

What a strange place to put a window........anyway I would go for a blind / velux type for that one, anything else I feel could be too fussy for there, and take away those poles...... What about romans on the other windows??? Its difficult to see how you could get WOW factor as there does not seem to be a lot of window space to play with, but you certainly could re-use the poles for dress curtains with goblets. Be careful though as goblets do not stack back as much as pinch pleats. Is there room for eyelets? They would use the poles and stack back enough to allow the light in.....quite modern as well, and teamed up with romans could look good.

Enid

[Cat]

Re: Any ideas?

Hi Enid, I agree, eyelets and romans would look good but I don't see client going for that. All the windows in the house have been valanced and pelmeted within an inch of their lives, so less will not more in this case. I am wondering about a dress roman for the skylight window?

Cat C.

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Any ideas?

I dont think a Roman or even a dress roman on a skylight will work, at the folds will hang down. Skylights are meant to be unobtrusive, and there isn't much you can do with them.

[enid]

Re: Any ideas?

I have to agree. I cannot think how you would stop a roman from dangling down, there might be a way, but I would be very concerned about putting anything ' working' above a fireplace......or is it just a fireplace for show? Even a roller blind would have the control cords dangling....gravity and all that. If they are 'fussy' ....a small pelmet and a velux?
Sorry, but I am glad its not mine!!
Enid

[Schuhby]

Re: Any ideas?

See Merrick & Day's book, Curtain Inspiration pages 106 and 107 - Shows a solution to two of the windows. These windows require a softer finish and simple hardware. As Pen has already said, a lambrequin with concealed roller is also a good idea for the roof window.
Philip

[Cat]

Re: Any ideas?

Hi Philip, Curtain Inspiration is one book I don't have,I have the directory black and white drawings folder and the encyclopedia. Are there similar treatments in either of these books to the one you mentioned? If not, I will buy one. Thanks for the links. the proportion of lambrequins and pelmets section is very interesting, will keep that in mind.


Cat C.

[Julie Evans]

Re: Any ideas?

Could you utilise tension rods in the skylight? this would make the window look neater. Possibly a pair of sheers tied back, or a single one gathered in the middle like a egg timer? Could you put a curved track on the corner windows and put a pelmet or valance up and just have one curtain for both windows?
Glad this is not my client!!

Julie

[Cat]

Re: Any ideas?

Hi Julie,

Thanks for the reply. I am thinking of using tension rods for the skylight window as Philip sent a very interesting idea from pg. 106-107 of the Merrick and Day Curtain Inspiration book. It shows tension wires used with a roman blind on a skylight window which I think in this case would work very well, on it's own or perhaps with a lambrequin.
It hadn't occured to me that tension wires could be used to stop a roman falling forward on a skylight.As for the other windows I'm not sure yet. The dress curtains either side of the larger square window don't concern me too much, I could use goblet,triple or double pleats on that one. ( client is not keen to have a valance or pelmet ) It's the sill length smaller windows that I'm having difficulty with in trying to create a co-ordinated look. However, the more I look at it, the more I think romans would look better on the smaller windows too. Not sure 'tho, still pondering!

Cat C.