Is it curtains for you?

We have real wood Venetian blinds in our house, left by the last owner. . Not in the living room though which has 7 windows. I would like white or off white roman blinds as I find the wood blinds dark. When we decorate the living room I will order blinds., and then progress around the house.

Of course in my dream forest house from the euromillions thread I have huge windows with no coverings at all facing the back of the house so I can watch the light change over the treetops.....

I hate curtains that fall just below the window ledge. I like long floor length curtains.

No nets for me, frosted glass or Venetian blinds

I do like shutters but they're pricey and youre stuck with them because of the outlay. Curtains can be changed regularly

I have an 11 foot by 6 foot frosted window at the end of my kitchen,it would only look onto the side wall of a neighbours house so having it frosted means we get all the light without the brick wall in our view.The rest of downstairs has verticle blinds and lined voile,Upstairs its lined voiles in all the bedrooms and a blind in the main bathroom .I like to wake up with the sun so we dont have blinds on bedroom windows and I love the first rays shining through especially at this time of year when daylight is so scarce in my part of the world

My 1930 house has large bay windows in the front, (through lounge downstairs, main bedroom upstairs). I do have nets up at these, as I always feel that I am living in a goldfish bowl when I take them down. The bedroom has these nets from top to bottom, as I always keep small windows open in summer, and these act to stop any little flying visitors. Would prefer not to need nets. I still prefer curtains to blinds, think they go better in these sort of houses. All are pinch pleated. If I ever manage to move into a small flat will probably then have verticle blinds.

Apart from the bathroom we just have curtains. I am a bit clueless in this respect. I bought blinds for the two windows in the bathroom but DH only manag3d to fit one, and made a mess of that, he said he just could not drill into the masonry. We have just had the kitchen redecorated and I want a new blind but DH says the old one will do. As I am not going to ask him to fit a new one I will have to get someone in and not sure I can be bothered.
I have long draped curtains by the patio doors which I like. I desperately need new curtains in the bedroom but am stuck for what to get. I got one local firm to measure and quote but it was so expensive and I didn’t like any of their fabrics. I think I will try JohnLewis.

John Lewis fitted rail in lounge, runners enclosed in a track so all you see is a white strip. All other rooms have brushed steel poles but I use curtain rings and hooks, don't just slide curtains on to poles.

Vertical blinds and custom made curtains in all rooms except kitchen where we have venetian blinds.
The sun was damaging the carpet and furnishings so I close the blinds until the sun has moved round.

Curtains (no nets) in all rooms and a roller blind in kitchen.

On the subject of curtains what type of curtain rods do you use?

Vertical blinds and curtains throughout, except for bathrooms and front sitting room bay window where due to where the fitted tv unit is, curtains wouldn't look right, so we just have vertical blinds there.

Plantation shutters throughout and would never go back to curtains now. Each window has 4 separate shutters that click shut if you want total privacy. You can fold each shutter back fully against the wall if you wish or adjust the slats of each shutter to suit. Apart from a wipe down once a month or so, they're totally maintenance free. And they help to keep the heat in the room too. If you're considering having them fitted, it's worth having them tailor made rather than the self fitting ones on offer.

Following long discussion with OH - I wanted floor length curtains in lounge to match curtains at French doors. As radiator under front window OH said would loose too much heat - Compromise roller blind and floor length mock curtains !!

With exception to the frosted glass windows in the downstairs toilet and utility room I have timber venetians for windows in the rest of my house.
These can be pulled up to window frame height if I want to fully open the windows, be in control of how much to open and close depending on time of day if you want extra light, shut out strong sunlight or need a bit of privacy and can be adjusted so I can see out but no one can see in. I have a window cleaner so I would not want to be 'on view' to any one peering through the windows These blinds add to warmth in winter keep rooms cool in summer !!! and the only attention they need is a special piece of equipment designed to clean the slats with out trapping your fingers. The best part is liberation from the laundering or dry cleaning needed for textiles .

I've got vertical blinds in the lounge, with curtains too (they are always kept open, so they're just for show I suppose).

Dining room, kitchen, spare bedroom(computer room) and landing all have Venetian blinds. The 2 bedrooms have got curtains with black-out linings. There's a roller blind in the kitchen.

Window dressing is a very interesting practical and aesthetic problem. Security is an increasing consideration. Privacy is another. The feeling of security that normal domestic inside shutters give is worth considering perhaps especially for those terraced houses with front doors that open directly on to the street, although at present they are quite expensive.
How to clean, wash and keep clean window dressings depends upon which room . For instance a window directly above the kitchen sink I think needs accessible and easily washed curtains .

EllanVannin I do agree with you , in previous houses have had many pairs of curtains in William Morris designs , also had WM wallpapers . Can’t abide nets though ! We have roller blinds now , apart from the sitting room , and our bedroom, from Laura Ashley .

Our velvet curtains were washed in the washing machine in august and they fell into shreds.
I believe they were over 100yrs old and had been red at one time.
We haven't had curtains since as I'm keen to get shutters. I had one quote but the joiner has gone quiet..
I would be interested to hear from anyone who has shutters and likes them.
Will we need curtains as well? The room can get very cold.

I have curtains; loathe blinds especially Venetian. I do have nets, but only in the "public" parts of the house as I'm not keen on them either...

I don't have any curtains but have a mixture of white wood venetian blinds, vertical blinds, roman blinds and white wood shutters.

Apart form kitchen and utility room where I have roller blinds all my other rooms are made to measure eyelet curtains. So easy to close if needs be and hang beautifully. I used to have swags and tails pelmets etc and loved them but have moved forward a bit since then. They are also so easy to hang/replace if you change your curtains regularly.

All blinds here. I find curtains a nuisance. Blinds can be hoovered or wiped. You can replace the strips if they get a bit tatty.

Mostly curtains, but I have blinds on the velux windows in two bedrooms, and a blind on the kitchen window.

Curtains mainly, plus two rooms with vertical blinds (as well as the curtains!). Roller blind in kitchen. And net curtains where needed. I'm paranoid about people not being able to look in.

Do many of you use what used to be called ' nets'.

I don't like them, preferring a clear view of the world outside!

Nothing looks grander than a pair of William Morris " Strawberry Thief " patterned curtains. I had those when I lived in the old Victorian house. Chairs covered using William Morris material too.
French voiles too looked stunning on a large expanse of windows ( floor to ceiling ).

Now in my smaller place it's Sanderson heavy/lined curtains on the patio windows with voiles..