# Can I hang curtains where there's no window? Finally some pics post #13



## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Hi all, I need to do something about my bedroom.

We moved last December. DP and I have a beautiful bedroom with a pitched ceiling and walnut floors.

Trouble is, there's a fireplace in there that we don't want to use, but can't remove because, well, that's a long, boring story. It's there, we don't want it, we can't remove it!

Anyway, it (the fireplace) takes up a ton of wall space. Plus, it was massively ugly and we took off the old mantle and tiles, so it's sitting there raw. We have a dresser in front of it now, but the dresser isn't quite tall enough, and there are still all the vents and stuff that we can see. Plus, the room arrangement is so awkward. The bed should really be on that wall.

So here's what I'm thinking: to hang curtains over the whole, ugly wall. Quieter, softer, and more interesting. Right? Or just way too weird? I want to hang the drapes on rods that stick out about 3 inches, and then put halogen lights a few inches below the top of the curtains.

OK, can anybody visualize this? I think it'll look nice, but I'm not that great at imagining what things will look like when they're done! Anybody ever seen or done anything like this?


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## tree_hugger (Aug 22, 2004)

Pics?


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KathleenRay* 
Pics?









Crapamunga! Somebody swiped my camera and I can't find it. Will post pics as soon as I find the picture making machine...


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## texaspeach (Jun 19, 2005)

sure, you can mount curtains anywhere.

I've seen interior designers do it on tv shows. it might get expensive though, unless you can sew. If you get a bunch of fabric, sew a pocket at the top, and get dowels to fit in the pocket it could be pretty inexpensive. I'd use clear tube lights (like xmas lights in a plastic tube) for the back light.


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## Jane (May 15, 2002)

How bout a whole wall treatment? Screw a ledger board against the ceiling, and use that to staple on a nice pleated or scruncted up fabric panel. It can cover the whole wall.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Sounds nice! I'd totally hang curtains in front of the fireplace. But be careful that the halogen lights are far enough from the fabric. Halogens get HOT!


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## sunnysandiegan (Mar 5, 2008)

I think you could make it look beautiful!







I like all of the above suggestions!







I second being very careful with your choice of lighting. Halogens get VERY hot and fabric combusts pretty easily.


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## captain crunchy (Mar 29, 2005)

We have done this and it looked great! We had curtains hanging behind our couch before (where there was no window) and it looked good -- it looked a lot more polished than a tapestry just hanging there. We didn't backlight it either -- it still looked good









I say go for it!


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## bender (Mar 23, 2007)

Can you make a false wall surround in front of it? I've seen them do it on trading spaces and such. It might also keep drafts down as well as give you open wall space without fabric.

When I used curtains to cover a wall in my place, it was always so awkward to do any other decoration because it felt strange to put pictures over curtain fabric.


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## californiajenn (Mar 7, 2007)

Go for it! I think it will look great. No one but you will know that their is a fireplace behind the curtains instead of a window.

I hung curtains in front of an entire wall in my last apartment and I received so many compliments. We put a small chest freeze and all of DH's work stuff behind them and nobody knew.


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Thanks, everyone, for your great input!

In a burst of wild energy yesterday and today, I did it (with the assistance of my tireless and trusty sidekick, 5 yo DS







).

I returned the lights I'd bought. I don't know why I didn't think of the heat, but I'm glad you all did! I exchanged them for some rope lights and plugged them into one of those 3-way touch pads. It looks beautiful! Really emphasizes the drama of the sloping ceiling. I'm very happy with the result. It's really unique and gives the room a romantic feeling. Major bonus - our bed used to be against the wall our bedroom shares with my 14 yo son's room. I'm sure you all can see the problem with that!







Plus, in a house with all hard floors built over a crawl space, anything that dampens sound is a good thing.

So anyway, thanks. I still can't find my camera, but as soon as it turns up (I think my sil borrowed it last week), I'll take a few pics and post them.

I'm so excited! I loved this room from the start, but it felt awkward and not like mine, iykwim. It was more like appreciating somebody else's room than loving my own. I have more work to do but it's really starting to feel like my space. After so many years of sharing our room with babies and little kids, now that we mostly sleep alone in our room, DP and I have been wanting a space that's casual but very grown up so we could have a beautiful, comfortable place to get used to privacy again.


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## Peppermint Leaf (Jan 11, 2008)

oh it sounds lovely -- pictures please


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

OK, finally, I have some pics. They're not that great; it was impossible to get far enough away to give the broad view, but I did my best.

Here's the view from the hall. In this pic, you can kind of see the sloped ceiling (up toward the right). With the backlighting, it makes that angle much more dramatic. Very pretty at night, and very romantic!

This view is from the futon at the left of the room, into the dressing area. On the far right, you can see the desk chair and desk. That's temporary, just until we build my office. In the middle, there are some curtains covering the little closet where I keep my laundry sorters, which has been uncovered since we moved in. Sooo nice not to look at my laundry anymore!

This view is also from the futon, but higher to show the slope of the ceiling. That stripe goes all the way around the bedroom and dressing area.

Altogether, I'm very pleased with how it came out. I was able to rearrange the furniture so that the whole room feels more open and bright, but the curtains make it all feel very cozy. And of course, that ugly fireplace is hidden!

I was feeling a little guilty about paying so much attention to our bedroom when our living and dining rooms are still not done yet, but no more. Having a pretty, romantic, comfortable bedroom has had a very nice effect on our love life, which is a great thing for erasing guilt.


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

I love how it turned out! Looks very romantic.


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## texaspeach (Jun 19, 2005)

it looks great!


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## tree_hugger (Aug 22, 2004)

It looks great!


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## Collinsky (Jul 7, 2004)

That looks fabulous! Love it!


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## suzyfakename (May 23, 2007)

I like it. Very polished and fancy looking. Great job.


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