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caroline94535

Window trim begins tomorrow; inside or out or both?

caroline94535
9 years ago

My "emergency carpenter" will be here tomorrow to finish the repairing, insulating, and trimming around the interiors of two new living room windows. After that he will install the new doors and baseboards. The first contractor left me high and dry and this new man is a Saint to come in, mid-project, and do such a nice job.

My room is what it is - a small, not well-planned relic of the late 40s/early 50s that has had very little love until we moved in.

There are two windows, a large (108" wide) east window and smaller south window. They are new.

I have asked window covering questions before, but I have new issue now.

I will be using vertical blinds. Again, it is what it is. My lifestyle, with husband and our two hunting dogs (I love them!) dictates things be simple, hard wearing, cleanable/scrubable, and no fru-fru. A center-draw, oversized, vertical blind worked wonderfully for us while on base with a window that was 124" wide (and only one dog!)

The South window, 55" x 58", is a one-pane "picture window." Carpenter has to add jamb extensions and can make them deep enough to allow me to hang the Bali S-curve vertical blind as an inside mount.

The honkin' huge front window is in three parts. There is a center "picture window" flanked by two 24" wide casement windows. I cannot hang one wide blind as an inside mount. I can hang one as an outside mount. It will be sill-length and hung just above the trim.

My question! - Do I dress the smaller window with an inside mount blind and show off the pretty trim, while hanging an outside mount blind on the oversize window?

I could hang an inside-mount horizontal blind, that matches the vertical, on the smaller window and a vertical on the larger. But I suspect they should match since the room is small, 11'10" wide by 23' long. The south window is in the area used as a (very) small breakfast nook.

Both windows/blinds will be opened daily and only closed after dark.

What would you suggest? (Drapes, or anything cloth cannot be used.)

The chairs are temporary. I swing them around and sit there to watch the bird feeders. Once the room is completed I'm getting all new furniture! First...time...ever!

Comments (8)

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    I'd match them.

  • erinsean
    9 years ago

    Yes, both window treatments should match. We have our verticals covering double windows, center draw mounted just above the woodwork.. That is the way I would have them. May I ask why no drapes/fabric? Is it because of your dogs?

  • blfenton
    9 years ago

    You don't want to do 3 separate blinds on the big window? That would allow for inside mounts on all the windows..

  • annzgw
    9 years ago

    Are you sure you don't have enough room to inside mount the verticals on the large window? In the pic it appears your curtains are IM.
    My patio door has only 2" of jamb extending beyond the door frame but the installer was able to hang the rail for my fabric verticals on the inside. Yes, the vanes would hit the frame if I had them fully open when opening/closing the blinds, but I just slightly angle the vanes whenever I need to open/close them.
    Since your dogs won't be going thru the blinds (patio door) you may want to consider the fabric verticals.......mine have held up great with a dog and cat. Just have to use the sticky roller on the vanes near the patio door! : )

    Either way, I'd use verticals on both windows. Nothing wrong with one outside mount and the other inside, but I'd add a cornice to the large window if the verticals are outside mount.

    Here is a link that might be useful: simple cornice

  • caroline94535
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    BL Fenton - I would love to do that. If the carpenter adds a jamb extension around the perimeter of the entire window, what would I do about the wood dividers between the center section and the two side windows?

    If you could explain how to do this, or point me to a web-site, it would be the best of both worlds. I would seldom open the two side lights, but the center section would stay open from dawn-to-dusk.

    Grandma of 3 - That's what I had on the base. The S-curve blind was beautiful. I could leave it closed, but adjust the blades to be open - just slightly open or all the way to fully open. They could slant to the left or right, depending on the sun's angle. I could also draw the blinds open from the center and stack the blades to the left and right, just as a pinch-pleat drape would open. I loved the versatility - and being able to clean the blades with Windex and a soft cloth.

    Yes; the pups are the reason for no fabric. It would be filthy from their noses and slobbery lips and destroyed in no time. I live "in town" and have to have privacy in the fish bowl of a living room, but we're also at the edge of the out back and have a steady parade of squirrels, rabbits, coyotes, deer, turkeys, feral cats, etc.; and they set the dogs into crazy mode.

    Palimpsest - I always value your ideas! I "knew" in my heart they should match; I just needed confirmation.

  • caroline94535
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Annz; that is a lovely valance, and, it comes wide enough for my east window. Thank you for the link.

    There is no jamb extension on the windows yet. I have 4-inch walls. There is about 2" from the surface of the glass to the outside edge of the frame. The outer surface of the wood frame is in-set from the plaster wall; the carpenter is going to "build them out with a jamb" to be able to add the window trim.

    You'd laugh if you could really see the "inside mount curtains!" I'd die of embarrassment.

    I have 3/8" round tension rods set against the window frame of each section. The lace panels were too long, so I folded them over the rods as if they were dishtowels. There is one panel each on the side windows and three hung across the center section.

    They hang there and do help disguise the room at night. In the mornings I gather up each of the three center panels and tuck the bottom edge up as close to the rod as I can reach. I clip them there with a big green clothespin so I can see outside.

    I will be so pleased when the windows are "fixed," and blinds are hung.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago

    Caroline - I put my reading glasses on after you mentioned the jamb extensions because when I saw the picture of the big window without them it looked like the windows were already inset and the dividers were built out giving you three separate divisions where the blinds could be attached.

    So unless you build them out as well my suggestion is useless. That would also require a wider upper and lower frame.

  • annzgw
    9 years ago

    Had to smile at your description of opening/closing the curtains ......we all do what we gotta do to make temporary WT's work! :)

    If you decide to use a cornice check out what Home Depot and Lowes has before ordering online. I bought one from HD years ago that had really clean lines and was very affordable. You'll probably have to go to a storefront since I can't find anything on their website.

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