Drapes

Not one of my favorite topics. However, it was definitely something we needed in the living room/den/family room/etc. A bank of three large windows are on the wall opposite the TV. Watching TV during the day was virtually impossible due to the glare. Even with closed blinds the amount of sunlight filtering through made viewing uncomfortable at best. So when she said she was going to buy some drapes, I really didn't object. Her job was to pick the colors and style, my job was to haul the stuff from the store and assist in installation.

So, there is a traverse rod which allows the curtain to open and close. There are shears, translucent panels beween the traverse and windows, and a valance (nothing to do with electrons) which is a showy header piece furthest from the window. Three horizontal rods all told.

The first step is to position the traverse rod. Intuitively simple, this is actually a complex calculation depending on window size, including the overall length and depth of the sill, as well as the actual (not published) height of the curtain, including the clearance needed above the floor. Obviously each side must be level and the fixed datum (ceiling or floor) is not necessarily so. In addition, this rod requires additional supports which must be installed in line with the primary brackets. Fortunately this primary bracket includes the support for the shears and the drapes. An additional 'klugey' bracket needs to be attached to the primary bracket for the valance.

We ran into a few problems. First, the drapes were the wrong size. The clerk calculated the wrong width, we didn't order the right length. Shears and Drapes were exchanged, valance was OK (extra width included on initial order). Second, the drapes have pleats. To work with a traverse rod, the pleats have to be reversed. (They need to fold out away from the rod, a non-standard manufacturing option.) After completing the ironing we were pleased with the color, style, and installation, but disappointed to find a manufacturing defect. One drape panel was hemmed incorrectly allowing the liner to show beneath the drape. This forced another reorder. Finally, the valance rod is incorrect. Evidently there are many size options for these things, and the kit included a 4" wide rod and the curtains require a 1" rod to support them. This is an unusual specification for the span required so it may need to be special ordered. At least I can remove the kluge bracket.

Saturday was spent on this operation. That may sound like a long time, but understand that a lot of time was spent reading (mis)interpreting ambiguous instructions, and finding errors that needed to be resolved. We like what we see so far, but regret the amount of time required to reach this interim stage. I had the opportunity to test the blackout capabilities while watching NFL football on Sunday afternoon. I'm delighted with functional enhancements this solution provides.

BTW, did you know that Penn State beat Ohio State Saturday night?