Hi Nicola you have a lovely room. you can give it a really luxury look by stretching curtains from wall to wal and grazing the floor. ikeas kvartal track system is great for that. i have same lay out and small window like you,so i used a double track and used identical designlcurtains in complimenting shades (latte and cream). my cream part stretches from one wall to next and the latte frames the edges. each latte side is a third of the width. so i can have many beutiful options. either have cream fully closed, latte framing on each side, or have latte gathered with tie back for this type of look, but because the cream hangs right under the latte you cannot see the wall and looks very finished. this looks particularly good in the evening, the window is dressed and pretty but noone can see thru. when the cream is open its also very nice, you see nice contrast betweenthe two. i also want to hang net curtains full width and length as cream and add one more rack (its very easy to add, but you can buy triple one too), just not done that yet. my curtains are 270 cm long. i also bought ikea hanging hooks and created beautiful even pleats it my originally pencil pleat curtains. looks like i paid a fortune to get them made. the hooks only cost £3 a pack. i dont have a pic to post but the curtain is a lined voile, its very airy and light. bought on amazon, its called rimini by curtina. but im sure you can do same with ikea curtains by pairing two shades. they have some lovely light grays and whites in few diff options!lightweight curtains dont stop the heat fromentering the room and the track is very easy to fit. it also has an option of rounded end rail for a real luxe look! worth looking into and ill try post a pic. rebecca

Hello Lisamarie, Thank you very much! Well look at it like this, I offer up ideas I would do or consider but then you need to see what works for you and what you like, in my suggestions.. My advice is never impartial though as I am far too invested in what I do and love.. You do need to consider the furniture though but despite all these ideas your bright cushions will still add a really nice contrast.. What I was thinking, because I have this same experience... I painted the chimney breast only in grey.. I then painted the walls a cream colour, skirting in white. In your case it would be Wimborne for the walls and All White for the woodwork... ... I lived with it for a while but felt bored. It wasn't dramatic or characterful.. .. So I went on to paint the left wall where the window is and the opposite wall.. So 3 sides will now have dark grey 1 of the walls has an 8 ft by 6 ft mirror though the other is the chimney breast and the alcoves will be papered Oreste charcoal by Zoffany.. When I have got around to paying my pro-forma! ;) ..... (It's going to be a dark interior for the living room).. So I then painted all the window frames and windows black against the window panes and again a purple/grey colour I made for the frames, skirting, picture rail and architrave. It is coming along but not finished.. I have very little £ so I have to do things when I can.. Why not get some A4 paper and a few sample pots of nice chalky whites and creams, I do like pointing, also Shaded White and Clunch are really gr8 ... Stick some on the wall and some of the skirting colour on the skirting... You want to butt them up close together, so you can see them together... Look throughout the day at the changes. Duplicate the wall colours at eye level too.. so you can see at more height.. The room will look like a bad shave day! : ) ) Colours will change depending on the light.. choose a colour that is just a little creamier, so that if you want the woodwork white... you can still get a contrast.. Otherwise it will be white wall and woodwork and a downpipe chimney breast... So let's just say you went with some contrast... For Downpipe you could have Plummett or Manor house grey for the wood work... You could do the floor too.... Take these ideas and extend them to the other rooms... See what feels right.. Let me know what you think and if you get all that... and have more questions.. I just can't ever write a paragraph!! :))

Hiya Jill, thanks for sending those images over. In response to your first question about your bedroom, I can think of a couple of solutions that may work. The first is the same solution as my previous French window answer to @montbray and fit something that moves with the window, either a Pleated or a Venetian which operate under tension and open with a thumb tab rather than a cord. Alternatively, it would look quite nice if a blind, particularly a Roman blind was fitted right to the top of the wall above the window, at the ceiling. This will allow the blind to be ‘dressed’ to form a valance effect above the window when the blind is open, giving full view from, and use of the window and when it is closed, it will give the illusion of the window being taller. In the case of your bathroom blind, you might like to try a waterproof Roller blind made from PVC fabric. Alternatively, Faux wood blinds are a really great idea, as they have all the look of traditional Wooden blinds, but won't warp in wet or steamy conditions. Admittedly, it is a difficult window to dress and there are not a lot of options, but hopefully, these will give you some ideas. Sarah

Laura, you could use a 10mm ripplefold track for sheers inside the reveal, it would cut out some vision width-ways, but would give you screening. Your windows open outwards which is a bonus. No nick-nacks on your windowsill with this though! Your radiator is not in an ideal location, (well traditionally it is thought to be so!). A curved track on the wall would be good if you have stack back space either side. Pamela is correct Silent Gliss would be a good choice. If you want lighter curtains you could use a 'uni' - unlined fabric or use a very light interliner matched to your fabric. Bradley do a 'French' pole which curves back to the wall. If its a living room then probably its your evenings that concern you. A sheer will still give you some privacy, & cut out some sunlight if needed. Double poles are available for two treatments, this is standard in high end or hospitality. Try Nya Nordiska Lana Lino for a wool sheer that doesn't stretch and hangs well.