A Curving Resolution?
All the curved windows in the Cross House originally had Austrian Style Draperies. All the flat windows had pull-down shades. I did a previous post about my thoughts for window coverings for the round windows, which have had…
…flat sheets stapled across the openings. For ten years. Ten years.
The east window. This is the last bit of work I need to finish on the 2024 Tower Project. But now…drum roll, please…
…something new! I was sooooooooooe excited about this project, but the exterior results? Meh. Ross, crushed with bitter disappointment.
West window.
With the help of Godsend Eric, we attached a hospital track to the ceiling, which can curve. I then needed the drapes to hang below the stained-glass so the glass can be seen at night from outside (the entire interior of the house is lighted up at night so, from outside, the house is a glittering Fabergé Egg). Beaded chain allowed this. I purchased the fabric back in, I think, 2020, and elected the color because…
….it looks great with the stained-glass.
.
The drapes look terrible with the sofa, which doesn’t matter as the sofa will likely get moved to the Carriage House.
And, yes, I need to steam the drapes.
The drapes for the center window are being hemmed as they need to clear the radiator.
I got the idea for hospital tracks and beaded chain during my many blood tests these past few years. After sitting down, the nurse pulls a privacy curtain. As blood is drawn, I can’t watch and instead focus on, of course, the drapes. Oh! That might work at the Cross House!
SUMMATION
Well…poo.
On the bright side, the drapes are effortless to open/close, unlike the curved drapes in the parlor.
…and the sun will soon bleach out the dark color.
I might need to get the drapes French-pleated. Or, maybe not…
…as the Parlor drapes are not and they look fine. The sun has bleached out the teal edges.
So, I think I need to continue pondering.
But I am thrilled to get rid of the fucking flat sheets.
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Have you thought about finding vintage Austrian shades? And my guess is the curtain rod would be brass tubing, curved to the correct radius, with finials on the ends.
Drapes have been my biggest disappointment since I became a homeowner. IF I can find proper drapes, they are too expensive. And what is readily available is unacceptable. IMO.
Ooo but look how deliciously the Austrian drapes echo the scalloped shingles on the tower. Your drapes have a lovely color and shine but I would be lusting after the sumptuous swoops if I were in your place.
If you want the drapes to have nice, regular pleats, you have to sew pleated tape (curtain tape) on the top (something like these: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ftsa&q=pleated+tape&iax=images&ia=images ) There are different varieties for light and heavy drapes and for endless pleats or groups of pleats so you best go to a shop where you can see and touch samples (and maybe you find a shop that sews them on for a moderate price).
And, yes, the dark edges look out of place. It may become better, when the sun will have bleached them out.
You don’t need vintage Austrian shades. You can get them custom made to any size you need. If you knew someone who sewed and had a machine and some time, they could make them. With gathering tape it isn’t that difficult.
You can also get curved rods to hang them from.
I have mini blinds in some of my windows for privacy and ease of use. I use roller shades I custom made in my living room and swing room. I made my own silk lined drapes for my bedroom. It was a pain but I can say I did it and they look great. I didn’t use pleater tape but opted to use a regular stiffening tape and then pleat by hand. I don’t recall why but I think it was because the look of the pleater tape and then the hooks that went with it to make the pleats looked like a cheat.
That is a great solution but the beaded chain on the inside distracts me from the stained glass on the inside. At some point when you have won the lottery I would look into some custom rods and custom drapes to recreate the window coverings in that photo. I do love the scallops more than the plain drapes.
In the photo it actually looks like there are two window treatments. The Austrian in sheers that go up and down and over them regular drapes that can be opened side to side. The drapes look heavy so they can block out light. The sheers letting light in but providing some privacy.
I had to go back and check the previous post, because it’s been a while. I get the cost-factor, coupled with the longevity of the Austrian shades. I also get the hesitance to do something similar to what you did in the parlor, but why not get a vintage, drapery pull rod to open and close them? (Or, is that what you’re “yanking” with?)
Points for creativity and ease of use, but, swing and a miss. The beaded chains are visual clutter and wholly inelegant, as is the rod itself.
From an exterior perspective, those very prominent windows are lacking visual texture that the austrian shades provided in the historic photo, which the modern drapes just can’t and don’t provide.
I think a layered treatment would likely suit much better. A textured/pleated/boldly patterned sheer of some sort, paired with a heavier interior drape would do wonders.
I think you me be relegated to the irritating yank in order to achieve the correct finished look. While irritating no doubt, what price, beauty? Nobody buys old houses because they want an easy-to-care-for, maintenance free house.
In any case, yes, an improvement from the flat sheets.
I got thoroughly spoiled while stationed in Germany. The curtains there are almost all lace, so they are lovely on both sides. I promptly bought many meters of machine-made lace fabric at Ikea and made my own lace curtains. They are light so I can see out, but so billowy that no one can see inside.
If blocking out the sun is the issue, suggest you add lace panels between the window and the drapes, so your windows still have something nice to look at. Use pale colors, and when the sun bleaches them out, they’ll still look nice for a long, long time.
I know there is so much to do and everything is costly. But in my opinion those window treatments are almost as important as the stained glass. These windows are the jewels of the house and are worth an investment, especially in the round windows.
I like the Austrian shades. The texture is just so right. It f not custom, the the best off-the-shelf that you can afford.
I totally notice quality window coverings in a space. And I am struggling with what to put in my own 2 over 2s that won’t cost more the the rest of the room improvements. As a last resort, I may sew them myself. But even though my skills are very good, custom window coverings are my dream.
All said, I am confident you will come up with a lovely final design.
just do away with drapes altogeter and use what the victorians called glass curtains, that is ,sheers that just cover the glass, in this case, the lower sash. you can bend conduit easily. Use conduit painted white so it disappears. If you want drapes for color, just leave them fixed in place and have them go all the way up to the to of the casing. They can just slightly overlap the casing on the sides. The half way looks odd. It reminds me of someone wearing a ralph lauren shirt with a name tag and positioning the nametag to not cover the logo