Best type of curtains/blinds for this awkward window?

Rony

Hi,

So I have just bought a new place, and the window in my bedroom is a bit awkward, see the picture:

So there is a wall on the left meaning that I cannot have a "gather" of curtains properly. And if I forced a small gather there on the left hand side, I'm not sure if it will block part of the left window so that it's not so clean.

Then I was thinking maybe I'd have to get blinds, but then the window opens from the top also. So if I do install it, it will have to be on the top bit, rather than at the top of the box.

This is my bedroom so I was hoping to get something nicer (like curtains) rather than having office blinds.

What do you guys think, how shall I tackle this, are there any other products I can use?

Thanks,

Snuggles

Perfect Fit blinds

JIL

I think a roman blind would look good.
If you want curtains, why not have one big one hanging on the right, drawn to the left?

Jeepers_Creepers

If you really want curtains. the only ways I can think of are as said before - a pole long enough to take both curtains (or just have one...) extending that bit further to the right so's they can both be pulled that way only when open.

Or - no idea what this would look like - a normal curtain pole which goes right over that boxed-in part and in to the LH room corner and mounted on a normal bracket there, with an extended (by the depth of that boxing-in) bracket being needed at the RH end. Yes, that will mean a potentially 'funny' pole out further from that window wall than you'd expect, and a gap at the RH end of the curtains as it's held out a few inches from the wall, but a pulled curtain is quite billowy anyway so it might not even be noticeable. With both curtains pulled to their respective sides, I bet you wouldn't even notice anything different going on unless you looked for it. With the curtains closed, I'm almost certain you wouldn't. 

Or, fit a normal pole, long enough to take one of the curtain pairs to the right, and the LH curtain simply gets pulled tight against that boxing-in part, and have a 'gather loop' fitted high on that boxing in to really pull that LH curtain snug against the side. As you say, part of the window will be covered, but not necessarily much.

Or, devise a cantilevered curtain pole pivot-hinged on the RH side which is swung in an arc away from the window when not required and folded against that right hand wall. 

Or, assuming that boxed-in section contains nothing more bulky than a soil pipe, have a wide slot cut in that window side and finished neatly to allow the LH curtain to be effectively pulled in there.

Or, move the window. 

Not all of these ideas are to be taken seriously. 

Rony

Thank you for your comments. After thinking about it, I also came to the conclusion you had JLL, with it gathered at the right, and drawn to the left.

The only thing I am anxious about with this, is that once it is fully drawn to the left, there may be a gap on the left hand side that will let light in. So I will need to find a curtain pole/rod without large finials (or even any finial) and that goes right up flush to the wall so that the curtains can be drawn flush to the wall and no light gets in. Does this mean a curtain track, rather than curtain rod is better for this purpose? 

@Jeepers_Creepers : I'm having trouble picturing your second paragraph :P. On your third paragraph, I think I can do this, but might have problems with the window, a I believe it is a tilt and turn, I still haven't figure out how to use it yet...And regarding cutting into the wall, this might be going a bit far!

Thanks,

Snuggles

Have you looked at Perfect Fit blinds? Would be so much easier, they fit in the window frame and require no drilling. But obviously no good if you are set on having curtains. I personally prefer the clean look of no curtains, but I know some people find it a bit stark.

mrschaucer

Have you thought of fixing a bog standard slim aluminium track to the ceiling, tight up against the LH wall? 
https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-aluminium-slim-tracks-top-fixing-l250cm/p413409
Very unobtrusive.

Jeepers_Creepers

Rony said:

Thank you for your comments. After thinking about it, I also came to the conclusion you had JLL, with it gathered at the right, and drawn to the left.

The only thing I am anxious about with this, is that once it is fully drawn to the left, there may be a gap on the left hand side that will let light in. So I will need to find a curtain pole/rod without large finials (or even any finial) and that goes right up flush to the wall so that the curtains can be drawn flush to the wall and no light gets in. Does this mean a curtain track, rather than curtain rod is better for this purpose? 

@Jeepers_Creepers : I'm having trouble picturing your second paragraph :P. On your third paragraph, I think I can do this, but might have problems with the window, a I believe it is a tilt and turn, I still haven't figure out how to use it yet...And regarding cutting into the wall, this might be going a bit far!

Thanks,

If the curtains have enough material and, as you say, the end finials are small (actually, you might get away with not having a finial on the LH end but simply butt the rod end tight against that bit of wall?), then you should be able to pull them tight against that wall leaving only a small partial gap. But, I agree, there will almost certainly be a gap as the curtain isn't able to be pulled 'past' that window side as it would normally.

There was nothing imaginative in my second paragraph, alas. It was just to employ a curtain gather loop against that LH 'wall', possibly even two of them one above the other (one near the top of the curtain, and one closer to the bottom) just so that a retracted curtain could at least be pulled tightly against that LH 'wall', so not covering too much of the window during the day.

Looking at that boxed-in section, it's - what? - around 3, 4" deep? I actually think there's some mileage in my first idea; a normal curtain pole has support arms that come out around 3" from the wall to allow the curtains to scrunch up nicely behind the pole when pulled open. However, it could cope with being just, ooh, 2" sticky-outy - most curtains would still pull back neatly enough, tho' they'd be in closer contact with the wall (tho' you wouldn't see this). Ok, get your local handyperson to buy a normal curtain pole with two fixings long enough to span that window as if it were 'normal'. Now cut one pole support down to 2" (or even less if you can get away with it) and that gets fitted on that boxed-in section, the usual 6"-ish from the pole end, so close to that LH wall. Cool - that's one end taken care off. The support bracket at the other end, to the right of the window, will need extending by around 3" (easy) so that the curtain pole is parallel with the main window. 

This will allow the curtains to be pulled sideways, both ways, as normal (the LH side over that boxed-in section). What's more, whether the curtains are open or closed, I don't believe you will actually notice that they are any different from curtains on a flat wall; you'd have to go up to that wall on the RH side and look at the curtains end-onish to really notice. 

I think.

twopenny

Don't dis the single curtain. I did this for some time because of a street lamp outside and one curtain effectively blocks out the light. It looked ok too.

Depending on your decor one that sweeps to the floor would look elegant but if that's a no all sorts of ways to play with them.

I have a seeping light problem at the edges. At the moment I'm putting books on the window sill to hold them tight there but allowing fresh air or radiator heat to come from the middle. I'm going to put self adhesive velchro in small tabs on the wall and curtain edge eventually. I have not only a street light but also the sunrise direct. Lovely in winter, nightmare at 3am in summer.

Perfect fit I've looked at. Smart but bulky. They now do some that fit into the double glaze seal area that keeps them flush with the window. Think they are called INTU blinds. A good furnishing shop should have examples for you to look at and play with.

https://www.barlowblinds.com/blinds-upvc-windows

My concern is that light is let in through the holes where the threads go through so would depend on how dark you like your room and if the morning sun is a problem.

gozaimasu

You can just chop the end of the curtain rod off. Don't need the finial at all.

JIL

Rony said:

Thank you for your comments. After thinking about it, I also came to the conclusion you had JLL, with it gathered at the right, and drawn to the left.

The only thing I am anxious about with this, is that once it is fully drawn to the left, there may be a gap on the left hand side that will let light in. So I will need to find a curtain pole/rod without large finials (or even any finial) and that goes right up flush to the wall so that the curtains can be drawn flush to the wall and no light gets in. Does this mean a curtain track, rather than curtain rod is better for this purpose? 

@Jeepers_Creepers : I'm having trouble picturing your second paragraph :P. On your third paragraph, I think I can do this, but might have problems with the window, a I believe it is a tilt and turn, I still haven't figure out how to use it yet...And regarding cutting into the wall, this might be going a bit far!

Thanks,

We have a similar window in our house, we have a curtain pole,  it hasnt got the end bit on and it fits snugly against the wall. Over the years I have had one curtain at the left and currently I have two curtains either side. I'm not keen on fussy curtains and prefer the ones with eyelets, they fold up small and would look good. It would also sit snug to the wall.
Here's a couple of pictures of what I have used.