Window Treatments for Draping Two-Story Windows

Sunshine Drapery sliding glass doors window treatment

Some designers may think that two story windows present a challenge when you are deciding on window treatments. Our experts have many ideas for framing your tall windows with flowing drapes and accenting your lovely architecture with tall ceilings.

Waterfall Draperies

Waterfall style draperies are stunning and draw the eye to them when you enter a room. They are a few inches longer than floor level so that they fall in a pool at the floor for a dramatic touch. You can also add a waterfall valance at the top with three sections of billowing material to complement the drapes. In addition, you can enlist a shining brass or natural wood pole with spectacular finials on the ends to round out your look. Waterfall draperies are a beautiful way to have window treatments without blocking the entire view from your two story windows.

Café Curtains

Some homeowners want all of the light at the top half of the window to come in without being covered. When you leave the top half open and hang the curtain rod at the mid point of a window, it is called café curtains. This allows a great view of the outdoors while it adds style to your room in the daylight and at night with a view of the stars.

Swag Draperies

Swag draperies leave a portion of your window open for the maximum of natural daylight in a room. They can be embellished with decorative trim on the edges and on the tiebacks to add another dimension to your window treatments.

Tabbed Draperies

Draperies that hang from the curtain rod with tabs at the top add geometrical shape to your room with two story windows. The tabs at the top allow light inside between them.

Pleats or No Pleats

You can choose a casual drapery that is smooth and unpleated for a more casual feel to your room. The addition of pleats in the drapes gives you a richer feel with a uniform appearance to them. You can choose highly pleated draperies for a more grand appearance.

Fabric Choices

Your fabric choices are nearly endless when you are having custom-made drapes. The type of fabric you choose is based on how much light you want to enter the room. Sheer and lacy fabrics let the most light into a room. Linen fabrics are thicker and limit the light. Heavier fabrics won’t billow in the breeze, which is a factor if you plan to open the two story windows often to let in fresh air.

Colors and Prints

To understate your drapes, choose solid neutral colors such as earth tones in tan, brown or white. A floral print works well in two story windows as long as the print is not too busy to distraction. Dark solid colors will accent your windows in a modern style home or office. You can choose colors based on your furniture that is already in your home and stay in the same color palette.

Combining Fabrics

Many homeowners want to combine two colors together in their drapes to add an accent color from a room. This can be done in a large variety of choices. You can use a lighter color fabric at the top and align the accent color at the bottom of the drapery panels to be the same height as the window casing. You may wish to put the accent color at the wall level between an upper and a lower window if they are split at some point and not a solid window.

Other Considerations

Adding a valance on the top of your window treatments will cut some of the lighting out of your room. This can be important depending on which direction your two story windows face to keep the summer heat out of your home. Consider adding coordinating trim to the bottom of the valance in one of our many styles. You can also add a Roman shade underneath your draperies to add privacy to your tall windows. Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our expert designers to create your window treatments of your dreams. You can also download our design guide to get started on your own and it will be sent to your inbox immediately.