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I recently rehabbed my bedroom and have been considering how I want to finish the window seat area. I’ll have some kind of cushion made for the seat itself. The lid lifts up and there is a large storage area underneath which I need to be able to access.

I’ve been kicking around ideas for window treatments but not really coming up with anything that screams “this is it.” I have some thoughts but want to get a fresh perspective from other creative minds. There are several considerations that are probably the reason I can’t commit to anything. Here’s the basic outline of things that need considered and some overall description of the room.

The room is wallpapered in a deep blue, has antique furniture, and Venice paintings. I want the paintings to be the primary focus of the room. There is a French upholstered bed and the rest of the furniture is English. The room when seen IRL comes off as kind of sumptuously conservative without a lot of fluff sitting around. The WTs will need to support the overall without being too simple or too opulent. The fabric for the WTs is navy blue velvet with a navy blue tassel trim with gold accents. I plan to make a bed skirt out of this fabric as well.

Here are the considerations:

The wall space from the window to the edge of the seat is 2 feet. There are 9” between the window wall and the bulb of the wall sconces. While there are only 40w bulbs in the sconces and they are usually dimmed way down to 10-15w, they are still a heat source and need to be considered as a potential fire hazard.

There is a heat vent centered on the floor in front of the seat which should not be obstructed. It is at least 2’ from the window.

Then there are the cats that like to play with moving things. They use the window seat more than I do so it needs to be something cat friendly-the fur on the velvet is going to drive me nuts as it is, but it’s fairly snag-proof.

The other rooms have/will have 2” blinds. I would love Austrian shades next to the glass on this room. We live in the country where no one really notices or cares about continuity. Use them together or skip the blind or the shade?

Keep the treatments at the window or put them out at the front of the seat and pull them back on each side. At the window, space is a factor. At the front of the seat, the floor vent is a factor. It may also provide a visual stop that accentuates the smallness of an already small room making it seem cramped.

Here are the windows in question. Yes, it’s dark, but that’s how it usually looks and it isn’t much lighter during the day. I actually love it this way, but dark is what there is to work with.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: *~Bella~*,

Here's what the rest of the room looks like as well as the fabric and tassels for the WTs.

Give it your best shot! Someone has to have a "this is it!" idea!

I don't know how you feel about lace but, I see a heavy lace panel in darker antique ecru top to bottom (on each window) with an elaborate swag in the velvet with the tassels across the top (maybe jabots, too). Don't see long panels in the velvet and even though Austrian shades are opulent, I don't seem to "feel" them in this room.

ETA: Didn't finish my thought process...because it's a window seat, I see a "lighter" treatment with most of the weight at the top.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Belstone,

Belstone: I think that's a great idea, Lace.

Regards,
jean

Well, I have no advice/opinion on your window -- I have zero decorating sense, but know whatever you do will turn out looking great.

Your room is wonderful. Did you refinish all the woodwork. It looks great.

ETA: You installed the wallpaper right? It wasn't already up when you purchased the house was it?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MyLifeVacation1,

Belstone, you're pretty much thinking what I was thinking-some kind of valance, jabots, with something not white next to the glass. For the Austrian shades, I was thinking not real tight on the gathering. A balloon shade in sheer or a delicate lace might be a better solution. A roller shade of some kind of sheer/lace is a consideration as well.

I dragged out one of my WT books and came up with some things to put in my thinking bin. Many of them have full panels shown with them,but I am only looking at the top and shorter side treatments. I'm not sure where where the book originated, but you'll have to overlook some of the colors and fabrics and envision the design in navy velvet. Some of the pics are very different from our tastes. You'll see.

MLV-The woodwork isn't showcase material or condition and I considered replacing it but decided to go with my amateur faux graining. It's just a couple of paints, stain, and poly over the old white paint that was there. Makes a big difference though doesn't it? Thanks for the compliment.

Yes, I hung the wallpaper a few weeks ago. It was some we were going to use at the other house and it suited the paintings very well, so I used it here. It really brings out the colors in the paintings.

Ok, so here are the WTs designs I'm weeding through. Which ones do you like best? Keep in mind, navy velvet.

Here are some top treatments-some of which are in the other pics.

For the dark blue/black one on the top right, I'm thinking the side panels would be much longer and proportionally wider to fit the wind. They're very flat and would pose danger with the sconces.

Bottom right would be one of the underpanel options along with the other blinds, shades, etc. except not quite so 1980s if ya know what I mean.

I'm kind of liking the simplicity of #2 on the left too, probably for its simplicity. I can just see the dust collecting on all those horizontal opportunities. Can't you? I still kinda like it though.

I haven't envisioned any of these on the actual window or gauged their appropriateness, so some of them might seem absolutely bonkers. Such is the process, I guess.

Here ya go:

Baby Allister was helping with the choices. He's so darned nosy!

If you go with an elaborate swag (lots of pleats and gathers), I think the Austrian or even Romans would be too much. On the other hand, if you keep the topper simple, the gathered effect of Romans could work. Austrians are just a bit too funereal for me, but if you love them, keep the topper flat. JMHO, of course!

Since the room is already small and dark, why not accentuate it? I find it such a pleasure to stay in a guest room like yours. Why not put the curtains on the outside of the wall to give the window seat a sense of separation?

I think Donnie may have come up with a solution.I decided I wanted the WTs near the glass to be straight panels so I can pull them shut if I want which would ruin my initial thoughts for a softer area at the windows. Donnie mentioned the idea of hanging WTs at the front of the seat, but I thought it would make the room uncomfortably small.

So, the solution I'm going to try is panels and a straight cornice at the window and longer jabots and swags at the front of the window seat. See the WT pic, top middle for the front of the seat. And probably the sheer treatment at bottom left to accompany the straight panels (which will be lined for summer heat and winter cold.)

Here's a quick mock-up of what I mean. The gray lines are just there to give definitions to the different layers. I have dark blue tassel trim for the real thing. I also have some $1 a yard fabric in deep blue in the attic for a trial run to see if it works IRL before cutting the velvet.

What do you think of that as a solution? There will be about 2' of space between the sets of WT.
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: *~Bella~*,

Love the cat in your last pic

That's cuddly, sweet tempered, Red. I'm not sure I've ever had such an easy-going cat. He's the last one I have left from those who moved from Nashville with me. He's a sweet boy.

That's a great WT solution for this window seat area. I would love to see the fabric that you are going to make them out of. I will have to watch to see a post hopefully of the finished WT's. I know they will be "Bella" Beautiful!!

I made some panels out of some lightweight fabric yesterday and plan to trial the jabots and swags today-if I can get the energy to think it through. I want to see if I'm going to like the configuration before cutting the velvet. It's just a plain dark blue velvet. I'll post pics...IF it they turn out nice.

Bella -

Beautiful victorian room and progress since purchase - lovely to drop in and see your handiwork. I love the concept of navy velvet bedskirt and drapery with this wallpaper.

From my perspective, using/ curtaining the wall itself across between the doors / placing full height velvet panels there will not make the room look smaller, and will increase making the nook feel cozy, private, etc. Since they will usually be held open, outside the seat the You may not need to make any full height panels at all - you don't really need them for light control or privacy - perhaps lace at the pane and the valance / jabot treatment at the front will be sufficient on its own?

Bella,

Love the velvet fabric/trim and design for your WT. It's fun to watch your progress with selections and the creativity to make it happen.

Do you have patterns or create them free style as you go along? Have fun stitching!

I finally got around to finishing enough of the trial configuration to see how it "feels." I think we've decided the mock-up plan above accomplishes the coziness and separation of the seat area while using the panels at the window itself from a possible function perspective keeps from the whole thing encroaching on the space in the room. I cant' wait to see the finished product....if I could only get motivated to do it!

The pic is two photos that I altered to make it look like what I'm shooting for (only had one shower rod to borrow for the experiment.) The "swag" across the top is just one of the straight panels I tossed up there to get a feel for the thing. One of my concerns is the length a swag has to be to look right with the top of the window behind it. I don't want it to hang down 2 feet or it seems like it will be "off" with respect to the rest of the arrangement. Still have a few issues to work through, but I think they can be addressed once the WTs are made. I want to think about the sheers/shades, etc. a bit more as well. I suspect once I get the primary pieces in place the answer to that question will become obvious.

BR-I just free styled the trial pieces. I wanted something more professional and correctly done for the real thing so I picked up a couple of patterns on eBay. I want to do some water/washing/spot cleaning testing with the fabric before I start making them though. Had to take a break to work another project this weekend, but I'm hoping to get them started soon.

Here's the trial config. & placement.