apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I believe you can purchase custom rods up to 120" at smith and noble

http://www.smithandnoble.com/sn/product_category.jsp?sch_cat=Curtain%20Rods%20QQ%20Finials&nav_cat=-17969

You can easily make a curtain rod out of pipe from the hardware store. You can even have the ends threaded to take finials.

a panel system could also work for your sun room, these can be mounted along the length of the wall and still allow plenty of light

http://www.theshadestore.com/category/drapery/panel-glide-system/selected_index/0

I second the plumbing pipe - and with the 90 degree angle, you can handle the corner. You just have to measure carefuly and take into account the depth of the brackets, etc. to adjust down the length of the pipe if you're running it from wall to wall.

The the wall mounted sconce will be removed, right?

Ikea has inexpensive long curtain rods in black and silver (Index curtain rod), and you can even buy curved pieces to connect them up at the corners.

Here is a picture of the Ikea rod in action in my house.

Bamboo would be a great option. Check out the poles at www.calibamboo.com. You chose the diameter, color and length you need.

Also, adding panels to the sides of the end windows will give your room a nice polished look.

Or curtain wire.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20079342

Pottery barn has an outdoor curtain rod that I'm sure would look nice indoors too... The extra large option extends to 120", and it's only $89.

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p6826/index.cfm?pkey=cprwwhwrod

I definitely wouldn't suggest just putting small rods between the windows, that would look a bit weird.

go to the plumping department at Home Depot. they'll custom-cut any length of pipe you want. and not all of it is super heavy. it's easy to spray paint too.

Another suggestion is hospital curtain track mounted to the ceiling. Your windows go up pretty high and this will allow the fabric to go to the ceiling. You can even round the corner with it.

shelterrific had the same problem

http://www.shelterrific.com/2008/03/25/steal-this-idea-extra-long-conduit-curtain-rod/

I think everyone is reading it wrong. She wants SHORT rods. 9.5 inches, not feet, to go in between the windows.

Although, I do agree that long would look better and I suggest bamboo too as I was going to attempt it with my large wall of windows.

The place I was able to find the longest rods, besides expensive custom, was Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a long rod with one or two separate extension pieces added to it.

How about just painting custom-cut dowel lengths? It's easy, customizable and CHEAP. Buy your brackets and finials first and then fit in a dowel width that works for you.

You can make L-O-N-G lengths of rod with this, too.

Lindsay - I think you'll be disapponted with the results if you go through with this plan. Even if you only want them as decorative accents, and never want to close them, you probably want *some* overlap between the panels and the window to soften the edges of the window frame.

I'd go with a ceiling mount or a wire, and four panels instead of two (add one to the outside of each window.)

I had a similar issue and was able to find 120" curtain rods at Lowes. They had fairly basic styles, with three different finishes. I think they were about $45 each.

Short rods between the windows?

Ever see anything like that in a showhouse or a shelter magazine? There's a reason you haven't: They would just look goofy.

You basically want the "drapery" look, it's okay to have exposed rods over the windows. You don't have to close them if you don't want to. Alternately, drapery arms. I am blanking out on some type of items seen in a vintage hardware shop, but they still make them.

Also, you will probably have to go around the room. It's going to look weird if you are just covering the wall between those 3 windows as in your mock-up. Wallpaper is another option, as is hanging art. I hope you get the help you need on this Q, but I also think 9.5" isn't that big a deal that you need to embellish it. If you go ahead with the original concept, the same answers given for makeshift long rods can be used for super-small ones, just a lot shorter.

less is more, keep it simple, you already have blinds, no need to add a secondary system that is purely decorative.
save your money for a nice floor lamp...or something.

Thanks everyone for their comments!! I'm super excited to go through the links that were provided.

In terms of look, I wish that I could invite you that question my design over, so you can see the room size.

Unfortunately doing a (a) celing mount is impossible as the ceiling is slanted & poses it's own issues and
(b) doing a rod the full lengh of the room is also difficult because the track for the venitian blinds comes out so far that to put a rod infront, would really look bulky and far too much for a room this size.

I've held up fabric and it's just a small element to warm up the room - I'm pretty confident with the look, it's just a way of getting them up that is causing the issue.

You're welcome to take a peek at the pictures from the reno - I've been so ashamed of this one room that I don't think it's even posted in the account:

http://flickr.com/photos/lindsaystephenson/sets/72157603649988097/

To clarify, I was thinking something along this line from Crate and Barrel...
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1285&f=13299

And yes, it's 9.5 inches...not feet

Window/door sash rods would work:
http://tinyurl.com/4nxqqp

JCPenney wins the award for longest urls I've ever had to use TinyUrl for, that one was 350 characters. Gee whiz!

There are also decorative short rods, that are about 14", but you have to check each style/category to see if they are available, here's one group that has the 14" rod:
http://tinyurl.com/4atha2

Those are often used on either side of a tall window that is not covered. They add what you want, a decorative fabric treatment to either side of a window.

However, you have many windows, and you have edges, so I don't think the decorative rod is the way to go. But the rods that are used for doors with glass should work fine. They are lightweight and will NOT hold heavy items. So no heavy canvas or velvet, and I don't think you were going to do that anyway.

But it would be PERFECT for sheers, adding color and texture between the windows. Here are some:
http://tinyurl.com/6qqrjw

Click on the "larger image and more views" to see how narrow sheers would look surrounding a window...although theirs are IN the window, your's would not be. And it would create the illusion of one continuous HUGE window, if you put the sash rods at top of window height.

To further enhance that illusion, I would paint the walls between the windows ONLY from the top of the window frame to the bottom of the window frame the SAME color as the blinds. Match up that color.

So that the sheer material shows a bit of the white of the wall behind it where windows would be, if there were windows behind the material. But below the window frame would be whatever color you chose for the room.

Another option is to use the flat panels, as you have illustrated. Using the sash rods top AND bottom. Yes. Really.

It will hold the material slightly away from the wall. And rather than going all the way to the floor, have you considered just doing that bit of wall between each window?

That could be great, for displaying fabric as art, sort of like the stretched canvases do. And they would be held in place top and bottom, so they don't flutter around.

Then the sky's the limit with what you can do. There are an endless variety of fabrics that can be custom hemmed and seamed to fit each between-the-window space. They can match. The could be complementary patterns. They could be all different. You would be treating them as art.

Lastly, that is another solution. Do custom canvas items for between each wall. Here's someone's blog on what they did:
http://areallygoodname.com/2008/02/26/fabric-panel-wall-art-weekend-project/

And it looks neat with the different patterns. I am especially liking the stripes that are sideways. Ha! But not necessarily for your space. Sideways stripes would look weird between the windows.

Now you have a BUNCH of ideas to choose from. And I REALLY want to see what you end up doing. I get all excited about other people's spaces that I will never see in person.

You've heard about "runner's high" where running releases endorphins. Well, I get "design high" and when the ideas start flowing, I get giddy and loopy.

I used 'pipe nipple' which is those cast steal plumbing pipes and it looks awesome! you can buy it in any size and mount it to the wall. try it!

Thanks again for the feedback!
Mflick, I'll check out the pumping pipes!
Lindsay

I meant plumbing ... not pumping. My god, that was a typo and a half.

This post features the drapery arms that I mentioned. If I'm not mistaken, they usually can telescope out lot longer, but if they're called something else, it might be some kind of solution that you could use. It would cover the narrow space and give the illusion that you are keeping them turned away from the windows, but might move them back sometimes, which you can do!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/good-questions/sf-good-questions-what-can-i-do-with-the-empty-space-on-top-of-my-fireplace-049764

Try McMurray Drapery Hardware in Burbank for a ceiling track system. Ikea may have them too.