I have 1 large window and 4 huge windows in my bedroom. H works at night and needs to sleep until noon, at least. We also get blasted by the sun through 3 of those huge windows in the afternoon. That is great in the winter but something that needs to be shielded in the summer.
I have double rods, with sheers underneath heavier drapes. The heavier ones are not technically “blackout”, more like “room darkening”. I have a link here for Overstock because they sell lots of really long drapes, and many stores only stock up to 84" (but may have longer ones online). Use the filters so you don’t get overwhelmed by all the results!
Also, I love the look of tab tops rather than grommets but grommets work so much better. They just sliiiiiide.
The sheers are not with grommets, so I made sure to position the rod in the way that I typically open the sheers. In other words, if you slide the sheer from left to right, have the rod so that the fatter part is on the left, so it won’t catch on the edge between the fatter rod and the skinnier rod that slips inside it.
I agree that valences look a bit dated. But I’m keeping our custom valences / sheers (with blinds behind) in the living room / dining room. The rooms are still beautiful to us.
In my bedroom, which is a corner with four large windows, I have heavy, lined drapes on wooden traverse rods. The drapes are pinch pleated and hooked to large wooden rings that attach to a groove on the backside of the rod - nothing is visible and they look like they can be pulled by hand across the rod, except that there is a pull on the wall to the side behind the curtain. They work great - I’ve had them for years - installed by a decorator, tho, and I cannot imagine figuring out the mechanism and installing myself. I have something similar in my D’s old bedroom.
If you want to know if it is OK to have valences, then do remember that what is “out” this year could well be “in” next year. If you like valences, ignore the decorator and put in the valences.
If you want to know how to keep your room dark, then keep shopping around for blackout curtains. Yes, nothing is perfect, but you can get things pretty thoroughly dark by choosing lined insulated curtains. The ones I have were picked up on mark-down at Target.
@Gourmetmom - that curtain rod is on sale for $657! My eyesight isn’t good enough to pay that much money for something that is 10’ off the floor and collecting dust!
Valences are out? Not according to my decorator. Maybe the gathered ones on rods, but I’m currently doing 3 bedrooms and all will have a custom valence made by a seamstress, basically fabric on a curtain box. Her suggestion. All will have a honeycomb room-darkening blind. Decorator says they can no longer say blackout because they don’t block 100%, but it will be close.
Plus, I like the look of the curtain box, have it in my living room and office, with sheers hanging below.
We have plantation shutters in all the bedrooms for a uniform look as the bedrooms have the only street-facing windows in this house. Closed, they completely darken the rooms but not to a blackout state. I made the drapes for our living and family rooms which are just decorative gathered panels on 24” stationary rods on each side of the large windows that face a very private backyard, no need for closure. No valances.
Our bedroom has a giant slider off the balcony which faces west (hello, city!). Gotta have blackout something on that wall of glass! I opted for 2 very wide grommet-top curtains (semi-custom from Amazon; the Chinese seller agreed to shorten the length to 92 inches!). I had trouble finding an inexpensive and nice looking rod for such big window, but was able to assemble one from 2 Umbra rods. The total was about $300. It is not palace quality, but who cares! Most of the time, the drapes are pushed to the side. They are almost the same color as the walls, so they blend in.
Wood and fabric-covered simple valances are still fine. The gathered grandma-style - not so much.
Smith and Noble makes blackout curtains that work. Hang them at @momofsenior1 suggests. All made to measure, nice fabric options, etc but not cheap! Btw, their catalog and website will give you a lot of ideas, including for blinds.
I am a curtain fabricator. To answer some of your questions: yes, there is lining that is 100% blackout. I use it often for drapery panels and Roman shades. Yes, I still do valances and they are mostly tailored box pleat valances over drapery panels. In this case, one could do a functional traverse rod underneath since it won’t be visible and the customer saves quite a bit on hardware. Decorative traverse rods are taking over the custom market and I rarely do a rod with rings anymore, unless the customer won’t be opening and closing the panels. Finally, Ripplefold panels are HOT and I am doing at least half my panels now with this header style, even in traditional settings. Everyone loves it! Any other questions, ask!
@murray93 …thank you so much!! What I really would like is to just open and shut blackout panels and have sheers. No blind. Sounds like it’s possible, but perhaps only with custom panels? But that’s going to cost for custom. I’m glad people are still doing valances, but it’s nice to know what is currently being used!
@murray93 Are ripplefold panels the same as back tab panels? Aren’t they on rings?
I spent hours searching for new drapes yesterday and can’t find anything. When I find panels I like, the company doesn’t have 8 panels available. Is dupioni silk or faux dupioni still in style? How about pooling on the floor?
Silk and puddled drapes are not trending, at least where I live. 90% of my work is linen. Honestly, though, I think a quality interlined silk is always in fashion And would never dissuade on that (beware it does fade easily). But puddling is not practical or functional and I have not done that in many years. Have them skim the floor.
@murray93 , my husband and I have actually made a box valance years ago for a family room. Do you think it would look okay to do a patterned valance (muted colors of cream, taupe, etc), and have panels just a solid color that matched the valance material?
I have blackout curtains in both kids rooms - there rooms stay super dark! Got them on Amazon and they weren’t expensive. I think I’m getting them in my master when we finally get around to doing it.
We have blackout curtains that are hung as corolbrook described And room darkening duet shades. The drapes are on a rod that is remote control. The curtains and the rod were purchased from Amazon. I love the remote rod–I can open the curtains and have a little light as I wake up without being pulled into the day suddenly. (written by a true night owl)
Lucky you! We have distant city lights shining into our slider, hence the drapes. Other than that, the house is a fishbowl without a drape or a blind in sight. I just bought a giant potted hibiscus plant and strategically placed it by the dining room window to shield us from the new neighbors.