Help me with window coverings!

[StupidDeaths]

We’ve just painted our living room and got a big new sofa and rug. The main thing left is to put up new curtains/ blinds and this is where I’m completely stumped. Previously we had a Roman blind on the window and some lightweight curtains on a pole over the doors. They never got pulled down/ across unless in summer the kids wanted it dark for a disco! I find Roman blinds a real faff so could never be bothered. We aren’t overlooked, and due to the aspect and tall trees, it’s very rare that sunlight needs to be blocked. So in a way we don’t need anything at all but it does look bare IMO! I don’t really notice a draft problem, but I’m sure it’d help a bit to cover them, especially the door with the cat flap.

I’d quite like some curtains on the window this time I think, and I’d aim to actually pull them closed in the evening (although I’d have to lean over the sofa corner…). But I’m then a bit stuck for the door. If we also have matching curtains there then they will either not get shut, in which case a waste of money, or will get dirty from the cats pushing past. The room is quite dark so I don’t really want any light blocked when the curtains are open so need to make sure they pull right out of the way, but this would make the two poles almost meet in the middle! My mum suggested having the door curtain single and pull to the wall side. (There is a few inches of gap behind the sofa, so some space for curtains to go behind; if we had two curtains for the door). On top of all this I haven’t really found any patterned fabric I love either in ready made or M2M, did find something in Next but I when the samples came, it doesn’t match the rug as well as I thought. So maybe plain- but what colour?

any suggestions I haven’t thought of?! We’re so rubbish at this stuff. It took so much effort deciding on the paint colour! The actual decorating was a doddle in comparison to all this decision making!
(have NC’d so if you recognise my living room - hi!)

Sorry! Failed to add a photo.

I love the colour you have used on your walls!

I would go for full length pencil pleat curtains in a good quality woven fabric the same colour as your walls. I would mount them as high as you can get them (consider flat ceiling mounted tracks) and wall to wall. When open you would have a curtain to the left and right of the wall which would extend wall to door (left) and wall to window (right) the 2 full length curtains pulled open together in the centre (door to window).

As you rarely close them you can save a little money by going for just 1.5x width.

2 examples of coordinating curtains and walls and 1 example of curtains with whole-wall coverage to hopefully illustrate the concept a bit better!

Ooh they look good. I was originally worried that having similar colour curtains to walls would make it too dark in there; but now we have the sofa and rug in I think that is enough light to offset it.
I realised I said there’s a gap behind the sofa but it doesn’t go all the way along- there’s a radiator under the width of the window so we would have to pull the sofa out a few more inches which I’m not sure we can spare at the other end. Hmm. And the dust and cat hair it might accumulate - the sofa is so heavy I’m not going to be moving it very often to hoover behind.
do you think it would look odd to have the window curtain to sill length on the same track as full length door curtain?
Must admit I do like the simplicity of just having one track / pole across the whole wall.

Hmm that's tricky. I think you have 3 options if you wanted to go for curtains:

1. Two full length curtains and nothing in the middle. When open the curtains should miss the radiator and you would only need a very small <1 inch gap for the rare occasions you do need to close them.
2. A pair of long curtains either side of the doors and a pair of shorter curtains over the sofa. These curtains would extend lower than the sofa back but miss the radiator. This is what I would do.
3. As 2, except without the long curtain to the right of the doors.

So hung like this

Thanks Flustration (what an amazing username and something I feel every day!!)

So is the track right on the ceiling? Is there a special name for that? I only know of the bendy plastic track that attaches to the walls and you use those plastic hooks that look a bit like ears…

I have just remembered another reason I do want something on the windows now the kids are back from school - noise reduction! My kids are quite high pitched and it feels quite echoey in there atm.
i was just starting to wonder if we could just leave both door and window undressed- through the doorway at the left of my pic is a playroom and the window in there has nothing on it and absolutely no need. But now the kids are home yes we definitely need some more fabric in that room to absorb noise!

I like ceiling mounted for this sort of thing (modern low ceilings and whole-wall coverage). I have the triple version of this one in a few of our rooms:

https://thehomeofinteriors.co.uk/product/jones-double-aluminium-hand-drawn-curtain-track-ceiling-fitted/

Otherwise something neutral and mounted high to the ceiling. I would avoid eyelet curtains, but that's just a personal preference.

Thanks, unfortunately we have coving that extends a few inches into the ceiling so not sure ceiling mounted would work for us :-(

It could work, but depends how much space you have to mount them forwards off the wall, if that makes sense? Maybe a white pole mounted just under the architrave if not?

I'm jealous of all your lovely bookshelf space. Ours are dotted all around the house. I dream of having a bookcase wall.

You could go a few different ways here, depending on whether you want a decorative finish or light control.
If the room rarely needs shading, go for light, unlined curtains in a plain neutral fabric (like linen or cotton blend) to add softness without blocking light. Hang them wider than the window and door so they can pull completely clear. For the door, your mum’s idea is good — use a single curtain that stacks to the wall side. It’ll be easier to open, and you’ll avoid cat damage and clutter.
If you want something more tailored, try wave-headed curtains or eyelet panels for a clean, modern look. You could also mix materials — for example, shades on the window and a sheer roller or perfect-fit blind on the door.
For color, pick up a tone from your rug or sofa but go one shade lighter or darker for contrast. That way everything ties together without being too matchy or overpowering.