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lucybear05_gw

Tricky Window Dressing Dilemma

Lucybear05
11 years ago

We are building a new house. Our Master Bedroom window design poses some challenges. There is a large east facing window, where we will likely just have a comfy chair. That's the easy part. The hard part is that above the bed, high on the wall, is a set of three square windows, perhaps 18" x 18", spaced perhaps 6" apart. Our bed kind size bed will be centred below these three windows. They will face south. We need to be able to cover these windows because we live in a northern climate with hot summers (in summer, we will the shade of window dressings, and it also gets bright out by 430am for part of the year and doesn't get dark until 11pm). The concern is not privacy, but rather the ability to block out light.

How the heck do we deal with these three windows??

PS - overall home aesthetic is contemporary/modern/urban. The goal is sleek and minimalist, but still warm and inviting.

Help me!

Comments (11)

  • graywings123
    11 years ago

    If you are building the house, you could eliminate the windows. From the description, they sound like they add nothing to the room and will be a decorating issue forever.

  • terezosa / terriks
    11 years ago

    I agree with graywings, but if you can't eliminate them maybe you could do some sort of external treatment like retractable awnings that would cut down on the light.

  • les917
    11 years ago

    I agree about eliminating the windows if you can. But if not, what about remote-controlled blinds? If you are only seeking light control, that should work well. Something like the cellular shades that almost disappear when opened would work.

  • Lucybear05
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks everyone. Yes, we are custom building. I just never thought about what the heck we would do with window coverings for this, so now I am in a pickle. We are past lock-up, with most electrical and plumbing done. But I suppose it's not too late to remove the windows and board it up. Nor do I think it would cost a fortune to do so (though obviously there is a cost hit, since we've bought the windows and put them in already).

    So, knowing where we're at, do you all think we should actually go so far as to remove the windows altogether?

  • lolauren
    11 years ago

    How do those windows make the outside of your house look? Better? (or do they look like three odd windows that are unbalanced on one side?)

    From the inside, what positives do you see the windows having? Do you like how they look? Do they make the room look nicer? (would they look nice even with all the light blacked out?)

  • beachlily z9a
    11 years ago

    Lucy, I have a 60" long, 3'high window above our bed. I love it, but it faces east, over the ocean. I just put a pair of 3.5" blinds, 30" long in that window. It eliminates the morning light until I open them. Not expensive, works like a champ. I like clean, contemporary looks so this works for me.

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    We had a similar situation and I really liked those windows and the light we got from them, so I would vote to keep them. Our daylight hours were not as long as yours, but if you need light control (I would if it was still light at 11 pm), I'd look at the mini cellulars that disappear when drawn. Cordless would be great if you could manage that, but that would require power controls or something to reach up and pull them down (pushing up would be easy).

  • tinker_2006
    11 years ago

    if you don't care about the little extra light - it would be easy for them to close it up now, before everything else is finished. This would be a change order, and it's a small, small job right now for them to close it up - you would be paying for labor.

  • beeps
    11 years ago

    I would not close the windows. I would guess you will appreciate the light at times, and I would also think they add architectural interest - both inside and out. If you are willing to consider closing them up, then instead just come up with a permanent solution to dressing them, not something where you would open and close them. Shutters, or shutters over a black out type of window film, or black-out blinds, or something. Bronwynsmom had some great ideas about disguising small windows in this prior thread.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Recent thread about small windows

  • Lucybear05
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I think they look nice from the outside of the house. The south-side of our home borders relatively closely on another home, so we made efforts to put in windows on that side of the home that were interesting, but high up and not huge, so as to achieve privacy. That was the thinking. We have a similar set of windows in our dining room downstairs, also on that side of the house, so from the outside I like them. I also like them inside. The east wall of our bedroom has a very large window. But other than that, there are no windows except for these south-facing ones. So I would like to keep them unless everyone thinks they are a disaster.

    I am going to do some looking into these "mini cellulars" lascatx mentions. Any brands people have liked for this kind of window dressing?

  • dakota01
    11 years ago

    I would keep them too, but I like lots of sunlight coming in. I would check out the cellular's, also would look at shutters and maybe window film, they do make some that now have a more contemporary look.

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