Wanted some opinions please - though unfortunately I can't show you the windows that I am dressing.  I have a lounge with windows either end.  At one end I have patio doors with side windows which lend themselves to floor lenth curtains. On the other end I have 4 deep but narrow windows.  There is no room to hang a seperate pair for all the windows and no room to run a pole right over the four and have the whole wall curtained - think it would look a bit much too even if I had room to pull them back which I haven't.  So I have decided that roman blinds to match the curtains would be the best option.  I thought they should be hung outside the window recess but the guy who came to give a quote said that they are best inside.  Apparently the blind will stand away from the wall leaving a visible gap behind.  Fitted in the recess is neater he says but that but will leave the window looking somewhat undressed if you see what I mean.
 
My question is - has anyone any experience of romans?  Do you hang them inside or outside the recess?  Do they look untidy outside the window?   Would love to hear some opinions please.

I think I understand what you are saying, but I agree with the guy who gave you the quote, in the recess is neater. I made some for the kitchen, as individual blinds. My windows, from left to right, are:- small single panel window, double doors (wood at bottom), then a 2 panel window. So over that expanse I have 4 blinds in total. I hope that makes sense. They are fixed directly onto the frames.

If it helps I could take a digital photo and e-mail you (that may be clearer)?

We moved in about 4 years ago and still can't afford to redecorate.  We lived with odd curtains at either end of our room for a while but then opted to put up some secondhand roman blinds at one end til we get sorted.  I couldn't be too picky about size so mine hang outside the recess.

You man is right, there is a gap but it's not too bad and not terribly obvious although it depends what you mount the blind on.  Ours is fixed to a wooden baton.  We have another RB in our downstairs loo - also hung outside the recess but mounted on a proper RB fixing - this hangs further off the wall.  Again no real problem as long as your blind is wide enough.

A few things to consider whichever fitting you choose.  Are you covering a window that you use quite often for ventilation?  It's easier to leave a small gap in the curtains to allow airflow.  RB's look a bit odd if one isn't fully dropped and the weights in the bottom may mean they bang/flap when the window is open.  Hanging blinds outside the window means that you can use the windowsills.  This is more difficult with a recessed blind as you're more likely to knock stuff off.

Take care with your choice of winding/dropping mechanism.  We have metal chain winders in our main room - they are very noisy and mark the fabric.  The one in the loo is a locking string type.  Cleaner and neater in appearance but a tricky beast to operate.  The angle has to be just right to release the blind.  My teenage kids can't make this one work at all!!  I also have to lift the blind out of the way to reach the string behind.  Grubby fingers would mark the fabric and even with care it's possible to see where the blind is handled.

I have to say that the windows look undressed even when the RB is hung outside the recess.  If I decide to keep mine I'm planning on hanging a false curtain to improve the appearance.  The advantage of a false one is that you need only a small amount of fabric as the curtains will never need to close.  The pole can also be used to hide the top of the blind.  Alternatively you can dress the windows with a boxed valance which also looks very effective and again, hides the top of the blind. 

Here's a couple of online companies with good advice but there are loads out there if you need to compare.  Pret a vivre and Kurtinz.com  Good luck with your choice

IT is a matter of personal taste.  Fitting inside the recess means the fittings are concealed on either side by the return wall, fitting outside would mean your woudl have to "dress" the ends of the batten and pulley, or fit a pelment.  Of course, if you like a more dressed up look for hte windos, you could fit pelmets over the outside anyway, which gives more oomph to the whole thing - depending on space you could have 4 individuals, or maybe double size ones, with 2 pelmets each covering a pair of window headings.  If you prefer them on the outside you could opt for something a little more relaxed than Romans, perhaps Liondon Blinds, or a sort of "country take" on either Roman or London, with the fabric slotted directly onto a plain batten, fixed to the top of the window, and simply cathered up with "ribbons" on the fabric, sewn back and front of the blind top.  You can incorporate a fold in the centre, giving a softer look if you want.

Pedlee thanks for that offer however Dogs a Babe has given me a lot to chew over.  I like the idea of putting a pelmet - a good idea that one.  We were going for the chain option but I will take on board the criticisms you have given me.  I am wondering if a roller blind might be a better option - with a pelmet maybe.  I will have a look at the idea of hanging false curtains too - especially if they were a lightweight material rather than full size curtains.  Umm food for thought thanks alot - that is just what I wanted.  :-)  

Gwen you sound a bit of an expert!  Thanks - I am afraid I don't have a lot of imagination with windows.  I do need to keep it simple - we have a modern wood burner in the room and have fitted black metal (John Lewis) chandeliers with ceramic wall washers.  I don't do frilly I am afraid.  However I will explore the pelmet idea - sounds good.

I used to have Romans on the front door and 2 bathroom windows but swapped them for roller blinds .
I think they look nice but when rolled up and down daily i found the strings tangled too often .
Oh , and yes - they went inside the recess .

How about horizontal blinds ? They do some nice modern looking ones .

Another thing that influenced my view about 'in' or 'out' was the amount of light we get in our room.

Natural light.  Depending on the 'drop' you'll have a fair amount of fabric gathered at the top when the RB is in the open position (I think that mine are app 6-9 inches).  If you have tall windows with high ceilings it won't matter a jot BUT in a post-war house you might find you lose too much light to fit inside the window recess.  Also if you have quarter-light window openings then the folded blind might obscure this even to the extent that you'll have to lift the blind just to operate the window.

Fitting outside the window will allow you to mount the whole blind higher than usual so as to draw the open blind up further and give more light.  A pelmet will make this look more balanced during the day.  If you are having the blind made they will be able to tell you how long the RB will be when it is fully drawn up so you can double check how it will look - then, don't forget to add this extra drop to your measurements!

HTH :)

> I don't do frilly I am afraid.  However I will explore the pelmet idea - sounds good.

That brings up mental visions of the '80s Austrian blind!  Pelmets can be very tailored, you could go for a boxy shape,perhaps with a little padding do give some extra body, or still tailored but with shaping along the bottom edge, anything from gentle curves to a "battlement" type shape.   If you wanted something with a bit more drama, you could have Lambrequins made, these are essentially a bit like a pelmet , but often flatter to the wall/window, and coming much further down the sides.  I have a difficilt window on my landing which I am thinking about doing this for - I want some oomph wihtout lots of fabric.  Ideal with either a Roller or roman blind.

I have never heard of Lambrequins before - have just looked it up.  I have just put a photo of the windows in question on my Flickr page - have posted a link on my info page if you can view them. 

Hi again,  just had a look at the photo - what a lovely big room!  Are you looking for just straight forward functionality or do you want to add a feature element?  I think just having blinds in the window recesses will look purely functional.  Don't think lambrequins is the way to go, as littel space down the edge closest to the corner.  How about having just a single curtain for each window, but draw them back in a pair with the curtain for the adjacent window, and have a plainish pelmet over each pair, or each pair on a curtain pole (think your tight space would allow for end of a curtain pole or rod when the curtain itself is hung in the space between the two windows)  this would be more in keeping with your full length curtains at the other windows?  Hope that makes some sort of sense!

Thanks for taking a look at that Gwen - it is nice to have another opinion -  All the other windows in the house lend themselves to straightforward curtains or blinds but the lounge is difficult and it is one room where I need to get it right.  Have found useful stuff on how to make pelmets and ideas for different shapes.  Looking at some of the photos that I found I thought a pelmet and roman blinds would be wrong - too bunched up when open.  See these photos - http://www.simplyfurnishings.com/acatalog/info_17.html

I agree - a lovely room :)

Gwen's option makes sense.  Treating the windows in pairs will make it easier to dress them whichever option you choose.  Alternatively you do have the facility of running the poles into the side walls with no finials and, as long as you put your fixings in the right place you can draw the curtains to whichever position looks best.  

> I found I thought a pelmet and roman blinds would be wrong - too bunched up when open.

I had a quick look at these pictures and I see what you mean but it may just be a question of size and scale.  You can have a deeper pelmet and fit it slightly higher above the window so that more of the blind is drawn up behind them.  Keeping to a simple box shape will make it look less fussy.

Otherwise here's two completely different options -

1) Wooden shutters  or 2) Use panels of fabric on rails.  I'll see if I can find a picture of what I mean - I think Ikea sell something similar.
I also once visited an art gallery that used large panels with the facility to hang pictures on them - these slid across the windows at night and during the day they all moved to the walls in between.  Does that make sense?  I must say it was very dramatic as theirs were electric and operated by a light sensor...

I love the wood burner, and agree, what a lovely room!

>>>Otherwise here's two completely different options -

1) Wooden shutters<<<<

I love wooden shutters and do think they'd look good here. I can see your dilemma though, quite difficult to dress windows like these. IMO a pelmet would be too much. What sort of fabric were you thinking of for the curtains/blinds?

Blindsgalore supplies panel track blinds, shutters, as well as every other type of blind and curtain.  Worth a look :)

Pelmets can be very plain, if you want, you don't need all the shaped edges, but of course they don't appeal to everyone.  What are the floor length curtains going to be hung from, and what is the header on them?

Got some in one of the flats and they are insude the recess, you could always "dress" the window by having some really classic drapes with tails ect to each side of the bay? but use the Romans to close the windows (what im saying is the other for show only!!) If you get what I mean.

> What sort of fabric were you thinking of for the curtains/blinds?

Thank you Pedlee - do you know I haven't really seen the fabric that I think is right yet.  The website that dogs a babe put up has piles of different fabrics on - but all a lot more than I can afford - running out of money at this stage of the build - already gone over budget!  We have just had a Dunelm open just down the road - haven't seen anything that has really caught my eye.

The floor length curtains at the back will be ordinary gathered - there is a metal pole up there.  We also have two other glass doors going out of that room - just to make it more difficult.  The lounge is on the first floor - so there is a walkway out to the garden through one glass door and then another door out on a balcony at the front.  Both will have a curtain across - hung from one side only.  Don't want the curtains to take over the room.  

Do you have any discount fabric outlets in your area?  You will find a much bigger range than in somewhere like Dunelm (which also restricts you to ready made).  It might help in a big way if you fell in love with a fabric, and the style then would come from the fabric.  Patterned or plain?  Light or heavy?  Also, forgot to ask, do you plan on acutally using the curtians/blinds or are they going to be jsut to dress the wall/windows?  Will find some pics to post links to of a few ideas which might adapt.

Had a quick look and come up with these which may give a starting point for some ideas:

http://www.inside-storey.co.uk/curtains.php

This is face fixed roman blinds in a situation a bit like yours.

http://www.designingwindowsinc.com/_images/enlarged/Roman-Shades/04.php

Thsi is a much less formal roman  blind (I woudl call it a London blind), it can be fixed on a very narrow batten so ideal for face fixing, but less practical if you want to put it up and down regualarly - especially with 4 windows.

http://www.decor-medley.com/image-files/small-bathroom-decorating-ideas-window-treatments.jpg

This is a hinged fabric panel working like  a shutter - can also be done with stretched rather than gathered fabric (or even pleated)

Sorry cna't do links so had to post the whole thing!

Thanks Gwen - interesting sites - thanks for taking the trouble to find them - yes we do have a fabric warehouse type shop - several in the area actually.  The one I have used a lot before seems to have gone over to having less of their fabrics in rolls on the shelves and more to hanging samples which have to be ordered in - they seem to be more leaning towards getting them made for you. 

As for shutters, panels attached to the windows - can't do those because they are sliding sash.  To clean them they tilt into the room.  I went to look at the windows to consider hanging 2 pairs of curtains but couldn't get into the house today because the painter was working on the stairs.  He was banning anyone from getting anywhere near!  He threatened to go home if he wasn't left alone! 

Thanks for everyones input - I feel more motivated to go and make some decisions now I have more options in mind.