Is anyone a decorator here?

[Carolyn]

Or likes to decorate? When they built our house they put two windows together in the living room. I didn't know that they were going to do that and I also didn't know I had the option to move the window. I'm so pissed because we're going to paint and put molding up in there and I don't know how to decorate the windows. I tried moving the furniture around and it looked horrible so now my couch isn't centered in the middle of the wall and I think drapes wouldn't look right. Plus the front window is two story so unless I get custom drapes that's staying bare.

What would you do just leave the windows without drapes? I've attached two photos so you can see what I'm talking about. I know this isn't that important in the big scheme of things but it bothers me so much!

[Janet]

I'm sure someone will have better ideas than me, but on the two story window, I would just put some beautiful lace like shears on the bottom window and let all that glorious light shine in the top ones.

For the other window, I'm just not sure. It's hard to tell from the picture just how big and how much room you have. I've seen on some of the "HOME" shows on TV how they not only have drapes over the window, but on out onto the wall to "fake" it. It can be done and look really nice. That way your couch will look centered in front of the drapes. You could put the kind up that when you pull a string, they slide open when you want more light. I forget what kind they are called. They usually use them over sliding doors.

[Carolyn]

Thanks Janet! I'll have to look into how faking it would look. It's so annoying because I can't even put a picture behind the couch.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Carolyn

Thanks Janet! I'll have to look into how faking it would look. It's so annoying because I can't even put a picture behind the couch.

We build our house in 1975. It was me, my husband and his uncle that built it. Talk about hard work. We had it built in a little over 7 weeks. I would work with his uncle during the day while hubby was at work and then Uncle would leave a list of things to be done by morning. I was involved everystep of the way and was able to decide right on the spot if I wanted this or that. We even built it so that if and when we decided to build on, it would be a snap. That's exactly what we did about 9 years ago. We added a huge bedroom with a laundry room and bath. We each have our own large closets and then we have another big spare closet. I love our room most in the house.

[rivermom]

Carolyn - All those windows are absolutely gorgeous! I am envious of all the natural sunlight that is shining in. I struggle with the opposite of having darker rooms, ugh.

Those windows that are real close together don't look bad. You could get individual decorative blinds being wide inch wood slats or whatever and add a topper or something to it. It would be a shame to cover them up too much and block all that sunlight.

Your couch looks like it still has plenty of room for some nice art work above, a picture or something.


Those taller windows that go up to your ceiling Id hate to cover them up too much also. It's all just gorgeous!!

Whatever options you choose I am sure it will be lovely. Don't forget to share with us pictures of your finished product. Have fun!!

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by Janet

We build our house in 1975. It was me, my husband and his uncle that built it. Talk about hard work. We had it built in a little over 7 weeks. I would work with his uncle during the day while hubby was at work and then Uncle would leave a list of things to be done by morning. I was involved everystep of the way and was able to decide right on the spot if I wanted this or that. We even built it so that if and when we decided to build on, it would be a snap. That's exactly what we did about 9 years ago. We added a huge bedroom with a laundry room and bath. We each have our own large closets and then we have another big spare closet. I love our room most in the house.

Janet, That is sooo incredible building your house in just over 7 weeks. You must have worked so hard you were beside yourself, wow!!

You were fortunate in many ways to have so much "say so" over your likes and dislikes of the home. My girlfriend and her hubby now are building. Seems whenever she mentions any wishes for her house they are quickly stepped on by hubby and his "man friends".

What a great idea to leave the house available for add on additions. Those large closets you have must be very handy!

[Carolyn]

Originally Posted by rivermom

Carolyn - All those windows are absolutely gorgeous! I am envious of all the natural sunlight that is shining in. I struggle with the opposite of having darker rooms, ugh.

Those windows that are real close together don't look bad. You could get individual decorative blinds being wide inch wood slats or whatever and add a topper or something to it. It would be a shame to cover them up too much and block all that sunlight.

Your couch looks like it still has plenty of room for some nice art work above, a picture or something.


Those taller windows that go up to your ceiling Id hate to cover them up too much also. It's all just gorgeous!!

Whatever options you choose I am sure it will be lovely. Don't forget to share with us pictures of your finished product. Have fun!!

Thanks Sheryl! I love the natural light too so I don't think I want to cover them either. Maybe once there's molding in there with a chair rail and molding around the windows it won't look so bad.

[Carolyn]

7 weeks Janet?!! That is incredible! They took 2 years to build our house.

[Janet]

Well just from seeing your pictures..mine is not quite as nice as yours. Back when we built, the Ranch style homes were what were being built. I like my home, but as I aged, I found I would change a lot of things, that would just be too expensive to do now. We built our home when I was around 21 or so, so I had plenty of energy back then. I would really love a second level and I would absolutely love a finished basement. Sometimes I check the newspapers for homes for sale, but I know my husband would never want to move. I would like a slightly wooded area with a small creek running through it, but I know in my heart of hearts it will never happen.

[Tink]

I LOVE decorating! I'm not a pro, but I've watched years of decorating shows and have a friend who is finishing up her ID classes soon who I discuss this topic with often.

Your windows are lovely!
My first thought when I looked at your pics was that I would love to see what it would look like if you swapped the furniture to the inside wall so that the lovely view would be what your seated guests were looking at rather than an inside wall.
In the pictures the room appears to be long and narrow, so I'd be very tempted to put some of the furniture at an angle so it would make the room flow more gently rather than coming to an abrupt stop at the end.

As Janet suggested, you can even out the placement of the windows by how you hang your curtains. I would stay away from heavy drapes since that would likely not compliment the open upper windows very well. Maybe some sheer or filmy scarfs to just frame the wimdow tops and add a hint of softness would better serve the purpose.

This page at HGTV has a good variety of ideas and examples of different window treatments that might help inspire you. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_98...:%20WindowsWow

Have fun and remember this is YOUR home... if you like it, it's the right treatment regardless of what's "in style" in the stores.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by rivermom

Janet, That is sooo incredible building your house in just over 7 weeks. You must have worked so hard you were beside yourself, wow!!

You were fortunate in many ways to have so much "say so" over your likes and dislikes of the home. My girlfriend and her hubby now are building. Seems whenever she mentions any wishes for her house they are quickly stepped on by hubby and his "man friends".

What a great idea to leave the house available for add on additions. Those large closets you have must be very handy!

If I were her, I would definitely tell them it's her house too and her income helping to pay for it. She most likely will be the one taking care of it the most and she should have some say so!!! Also, I think the "guys" may think it will be more work and are just taking the lazy way out. Tell your friend she should stand up for herself.

[Carolyn]

Thanks for that link! And thanks everyone!

[Sherry Lynn]

I'm a bad one to ask about curtains because I don't like them. I have a lot of windows, and the back of my house is all glass, and the only window with curtains is my bedroom. (Even those are sheers.) Good thing it's all wooded in the back!

I have sheers on a couple of other windows that face the front of the house, and decoupage on the bathroom windows.

Your home looks beautiful. Looks to me like you already know what you're doing!

[Carolyn]

Thanks Sherry Lynn! I know a lot of my friends told me not to put any drapes up but I just can't help myself! LOL!! In the living room I'm not worried about privacy. We're never even in that whole side of the house. But I thought maybe some sort of window treatment would dress it up but now I'm not sure. Maybe once it's painted it will look better. I have to get rid of the builders white all through the house!