How to maximise daylight?

[Oldhouseissues]

Hello! Looking for advice on how to hang curtains but also maximise the daylight in our combed ceiling bedrooms. Previously there was a short rail over the glazed areas but this meant that when drawn back, not much light gets in the room during the day. Does anyone have any nifty solutions for where to hang the rail?

Many thanks

 

[TudorCottage]

We tried thin curtains with tie backs but still wasn’t happy with the light they restricted during the day.

In the end we opted for roller blinds cut to size. They weren’t expensive because I wasn’t sure how they would look. A bit of a faff to cut to size but we’re more than happy with the results.

There are so many patterns to choose from these days.

Like most things with period property, there’s always some sort of compromise, but most importantly they allow 100% of the light to shine through during daylight hours.

 

[Oldhouseissues]

Thank you - did you go for blackout? Do they block most of the light in summertime?

 

[Cubist]

Sod the curtains. A pair of well made hardwood internal shutters would be much more attractive, need less care and maintenance and tidier when not in use.

 

[a twig]

Agree with both the above, shutters would be ideal and more period but in a similar situation we used thermal / blackout roller blinds primarily down to budgetary reasons at the time

 

[CliffordPope]

Mount the curtains permanently along the top, several inches above the top of the moulding, overlapping a few inches. Then have tie backs that gather each curtain up to a point about a foot below the top of the curtains, so that the remaining 3/4 of each curtain hangs well inside the edge, so obscures no light at all.
We have ours on a pulley system and cords that run through rings stiched at the back of each fold in the curtains, the bottom of the cords fastened to the lower corners of the curtains.
It may take a bit of experimented to get the angles and placement of the rings correct, but ours then work like theatre curtains at the pull of a brass knob hanging on the other ends of the two cords. This satisfies both requirements of maximum daylight when open, but perfect overlap of the cutains with each other and at the edges. No fussing around hooking tie backs - just pull or release the hanging knob and hook it on a hook at the side.

 

[fernicarry]

I've gone for blinds mainly because I can't bring myself to cover up the joinery that I've spent so much time and effort tarting up. Plenty of places do made to measure blinds with black out or thermal options or you can even have them made with your own fabric. I opted for the spring operated ones rather than the more common arrangement with the nasty white plastic chains but have to say the mechanism isn't terribly high quality. Once of them is a real chuckle brothers case, where it only stays down in a limited range of positions and if you get it wrong it shoots upwards at 90mph. I'd be very happy to find a better arrangement. I fit the roller on the head of the window between the top staff bead and the parting bead to make it as unobtrusive as possible but that may only be possible with sliding sashes.

 

[TudorCottage]

Not blackout and sunlight does filter through on sunny days. But thick enough so you can’t see in from the outside when they’re down.

From memory £120 for 3 blinds, 1 small, 1 medium and 1 large. DIY fitted so no labour costs and 2 years later still in great shape and roller mechanism on all 3 in full working order.

I would imagine made to measure and fitted by a company would cost a small fortune in a place with wonky walls and windows

We had a large blind made to measure and fitted in our last place that was in excess of £450 and that was pre Covid prices so I’d hate to think what it would cost now.

 

[jamest]

The option I went for (because there wasn't enough space for shutters) was to use a dormer rod, which is a bit like a portiere rod, but for dormers. The basic idea is shown in this link (which, I hasten to add, is not the style I'd choose):

Dormer Window Curtain Rail

Ball Finial | The elegant solution to draught exclusion, this extendable dormer window curtain rod simply swings out of the way when you need to open the window. Choose from Black, White, Silver or Brass finish, with either a ball or crystal finial.

www.scottsofstow.co.uk

 

[Drayton]

I've got blackout roller blinds on the first floor bedrooms, professionally fitted as they are remotely operated (the house looks out to sea, well worth the money to lie in bed and watch the weather at will!)

To answer one of the original questions, the blackout itself is excellent but there is a little light leakage around the edges if it is light outside. Not enough to worry most people but it isn't 100% blacked out.

To allow for the first floor expense I made my own blinds for the top floor dormers. These have a small square sash at the front and glazed elongated triangular sides. I wanted the full view to be available but also blackout for visitors if required.

After a year or two of thinking (and even more years getting them finished) I stuck the hook side of heavy duty velcro on the top of the frames and sewed several layers of fabric to make custom-fit shaped blinds. It is good exercise reaching up to stick them on - and very satisfying ripping them off! They do need to be stored in the room but they are not over-large. (Though as they are close to the glass I have to air them if I use them on cold mornings due to condensation.)

 

[CliffordPope]

Pictures:
The brass knob pulls the two cords over a pulley concealed behind the pelmet, and hooks about 2 feet lower down the moulding on the right hand side.