What what would you do with the windows in our sitting room

[messybessie]

We have a room at the front of our house which we are planning to have as an evening 'grown ups only' room.

It is about twice as wide as it is deep with 2 large bay windows to the front (was originally 2 rooms knocked together).

We live on a fairly busy road so noise is a bit of an issue. Also, there is another road directly opposite so headlights from this road shine directly in.

I can't imagine we will use it much during the day but some element of privacy without blocking out the light would help.

So ideally we need something that will block out noise and light in the evenings, and give us privacy in the day.

The radiators are directly below the window.

We were planning on it being in a 'modernist' style before all and sundry started jumping on the bandwagon

Blinds? Shutters? Plus long curtains?

Help!

I would have said shutters normally. But I have shutters myself in front sitting room and its very difficult to block out all light. I would have thought the headlines will still come through. I would go with good quality blackout blinds and then simply frame them with voluminous curtains.

headlights even

any chance of putting in double glazing? It is fantastic at shutting out noise and keeping heat in.

How about wooden venetian blinds - slats open during the day but at an angle to provide privacy...closed at night. and long plain curtains the same colour as the walls to frame both windows.

I don't know how deep the windows are but assuming they are sash, you could etch the bottom windows so you get light plus privacy and put some really big curtains in. I have floor to ceiling curtains in my living room (really heavy and lined) and they're great re noise/draughts/privacy. Can you grow a hedge?

I second wooden Venetian blinds. They have some stunning displays in Laura Ashley, I got inspiration from there and found a company online doing them for about a fifth of the price custom-made. Then long, voluminous curtains. You could have roman blinds in addition a la Laura A, I cba but might add at some point. I love my window-dressing shame about the state of the room

OOo sorry to hijack but goodegg where did you get your wooden venetian blinds from ? would like some myself - thought would be good for privacy and better than the net curtains we used to have

The windows aren't sash windows so I don't think frosting would work (although I do like it on sash windows). They are double glazed but doesn't block out all of the noise (I'm being a bit precious about this I think)

I think venetian blinds could be the way to go.

Now, long curtains for dressing, but will be an arse with the radiators won't they (we have just had them moved to under the window to give us more wall space).

And short curtains will look naff.

I'm no good at this!

No, the long curtains will be only for decoration - you won't close them as you'll have the blinds.....I guess?!

Make a feature of your radiator or buy a radiator screen:

radiator

screen

as a suggestion!

As to pulling them closed if it's a bay you could put them across the inside edge of the bays. You would lose the space in the evening but then you can use your curtains and they would probably look quite good as well.
bay

Hi there, try www.247blinds.co.uk they do a great inexpensive range of wooden venetians. We have had the White ones with coloured ladder tapes. They do a selection of colours in the blinds and the tapes to suit your interior and they are good quality plus I think they look more contemporary. We have a period house and they suit the style, plus you get privacy if you tilt them a little x

Ps they do sell this style in Laura Ashley and are far cheaper!

OK, definitely venetian blinds plus long, unusable curtains seem to the way forward

Anything to avoid a radiator cover almost as bad as a toilet roll dolly!

Venetian blinds are no good against noise, whilst thick curtains really help (speaking with the voice of experience- I have rented flats on main roads with both and curtains win big time). Venetians are also patchy for light- some comes through the little holes where the string holds them together, and some comes round the edges, and glowyness just seeps through generally.
That said, all probably liveable with for a room you plan do be awake in.

Could you have long dress curtains around the bay, and shorter pullable ones which hide behind them during the day? Hmm, that sounds a bit dodgy...

Ponks I got mine from 247blinds who someone above already mentioned. I absolutely love them, I got them in a walnut colour with dark brown ribbons, and have these curtains hanging at the sides. I don't close them as I don't need to and there's a radiator under the window, and the blinds provide a total blackout as quality, heavy wooden ones should.

247blinds do custom made with next day delivery perfectforimpulsebuying

Oh and they only cost me about £70, Laura Ashley would have been £370 iirc for the same quality!

Can I suggest roman blinds instead of Venetian? They could then be interlined which would cut out the light, and help against the cold and the noise. You could then still have dress curtains if you wanted, BUT if you have them without something going all around the bay at the top, like you would have a pole if they were real curtains, it's obvious that they're dress curtains and that can look naff. Dress curtains should ideally look as if they can be pulled, and so need to be quite full. The only other option is to run a flat pelmet all the way round inside the bay (which would also cover the tops of the blinds, which some people like) but I'm guessing you're not the pelmet type!

If you have roman blinds they will cut a little light out during the day at the top of the windows, but if it's an evening room this won't matter. Then you could have some gorgeous fabric as blinds use less than curtains.

I would triple-glaze and go for thick wooden venetians.

Assuming that you have some garden at to front, I think you would be better off growing a hedge to about 1.6m to give you privacy and block out headlights. As sunlight comes from higher up, providing the hedge isn't up against your window, you should still get plenty of natural light into the room.

We have roman blinds which we had custom made rather cleverly: we had them made with black out blind material and interlining so they are super warm and block out noise/drafts etc.

Added bonus of not having to mess around with putting curtains behind the radiators all the time.

I like the look of Roman blinds, but it's all or nothing - with Venetians you can let some light in whilst maintaining privacy.

How about the best of both worlds?