Curtains for awkward floor to ceiling windows

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Hi All,

Curtain novice in need of advice!

I've been lucky enough to move in to a new flat with floor to ceiling crittall style warehouse windows (see pics and measurements below) that lead onto a balcony and thinking of how to approach curtains. Ideally I want (Dark green / teal) velvet eyelet curtains with a 25mm pole running across the top but need to open and use the balcony doors regularly without damaging the curtains.

In both rooms I think I'll need poles with wall brackets either end and one in the middle due to width and weight of the curtains.

The two bedrooms pose slightly different challenges so let's start with the trickiest. Bedroom 2 the middle bracket seems to mean I'd have to draw the curtains to the left only to use the door as there isn't space behind it. Is there a neat way of doing this that won't look unbalanced / awful?

Bedroom 1 I could draw curtains left and right but is there enough space behind the open door for them to hang?

In both cases, do I have enough space either side and above to stop unwanted light coming in?

What would people do in my shoes?

I want the velvet to soften the minimal feel of the room and make it a little cosier but is this a pipe dream? Would blinds be a neater solve?

Any thoughts / opinions welcome!

Thanks,

Jack

Featured Answer

PRO

At No 19

4 years ago

Hi Jack, the best solution for both windows are ceiling mounted Metroflat tracks manufactured by Silent Gliss. A single right hand curtain for Bed 1 and a single left hand curtain for Bed 2. The ideal curtain heading is ‘Wave’ it stacks back rather like eyelets to make the smallest stack size possible. The photograph below illustrates a pair using this system. Hope this helps.

Southampton Master and guest bedrooms · More Info

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Comments (11)

Daisy England
4 years ago
In my lounge I have a bay window and floor to ceiling windows. Because they’re in a bay and full length the pole is ceiling mounted so the curtains miss the window sill. The rings that go on the pole I’m sure are called Passing Rings. Therefore there are no brackets in the way. I can pull the curtains all the way from one side to the other.

Perhaps this is an option?
PRO
Shahina Mulla
4 years ago
Hi there,

Having looked at your images, I can tell it is going to be difficult to add curtains on your window. You also don't have much wall space on either side on your windows/doors, which puts limits on what you can do.

The best window treatment for these windows would be curtains and not blinds. A single curtain panel might work out for you. Which means you'd only pull the curtain back to one side, completely away from the door. That way the curtains won't get damaged in the opening and closing of the door.

I'll attach an image to explain this further.

Hope this helps!
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PRO
Shahina Mulla
4 years ago
Single Panel Curtain
Maths Wife
4 years ago
I'm with At No 19. You can't have a pole, because if you need a support in the middle it means you can't pull the curtains one way or the other only to both sides away from the middle support. Therefore a ceiling track is the only option in order to pull the curtains whichever way you need.
rinked
4 years ago
Ceiling track.

Just make sure the curtains hang like this:

And NOT like this:

Also look into wave curtains, as they 'flow' like curtains on a rod, but mounted on a ceiling track.
Jack Smedley
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for all the advice guys. Sounds like a ceiling track is the way so ordering samples for some wave curtains now. Looks like velvet ceiling track curtains are few and far between - guessing because the weight makes them tricky but the right wave curtains will look great and be super practical so much appreciated.
Alix W
4 years ago
There are loads of online suppliers who can make the heading style you want in the fabric you want - so I would have thought you could get teal velvet wave if you want it. Not as cheap as readymade, though ...
Jack Smedley
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Alix. Any you can recommend? I’ve got a good quote from curtains2go and had someone say they’re not bad. Silent Glis mentioned above are great but out of my budget for 2 windows my size.
PRO
At No 19
4 years ago
Jack, the Silent Gliss 3840W ceiling fix track will do the same thing and is more affordable, in White it will disappear into the ceiling.
PRO
The JOY of Blinds and Shutters
4 years ago
Hi Jack,

You said you want curtains and also wanted a really neat and balanced solution. The problem with curtains is that they will always have to be pushed to the side to get in and out of inward-opening doors.

As there is some space between the top of the doors and the ceiling, yes, another option is blinds. When these are closed they will nestle in that space above the doors, you won't need curtain poles, and there are several different types of blinds that can be compressed tight into that space.

Yes, velvet curtains soften a room, however, as blinds come in so many different colours and patterns these days, the right choice could also do that. And you could still have your preference of “dark green / teal."

In the two bedrooms, blinds with a blackout fabric would block the unwanted light you mentioned. Furthermore, if they were remote-controlled they could be operated from bed, or even have timers so they opened and closed automatically at set times of the day and night.

In the end it’s such a personal decision – some people love curtains and others love blinds.

Hope that helps.

Joy

Curtains for awkward floor to ceiling windows

At No 19

Comments (11)

Daisy England

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Curtains for awkward floor to ceiling windows

Comments (11)

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