apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

How about window film? This Lowes page describes it as "sunglasses for your home." It wouldn't totally block the light or view but would cut down the glare.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=/Energy/WndFlm.html

I can't imagine any other solutions. Someone else?...

Ditto the window film ... my parents had it installed in their sunroom because it was getting to warm with all the windows ... it doesn't block all the light but will dim it and also offers UV protection.

Another option might be to replace the glass with tinted glass. Hmmm, you know the transitions eyeglasses with lenses that auto-tint? I wonder if they make that for windows?

Good luck!

My initial thought is a cable rod (or two, one for the flat ceiling, one for the sloped) that you can secure at the both walls. Then put a heavy dark curtain fabric up with metal clips that glide on the cable. A quick google search found a pretty cool one by Umbra called the "Stream Cable Rod," available at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Sears. It would be easy to open and close, maybe noisy (?) and aside from the top of the triangle you might be able to block a good majority of the light and heat...
http://www.umbra.com/ustore/product/238656/c040/stream_cable_rod.html

If you don't want to do window film...because that is such a gorgeous view...I have an idea but let me see if I can explain it.

Basically you would cut two pieces of heavy or lined fabric (make sure both sides are pretty because you would be folding it back sometimes.) to match the shape of each of the arches. One side is higher than the other so they would be different sizes. I would use either decorative tacks or hooks to hang them from the upper sloped frames. In the inner lower corners you would put a grommet hole in the fabric and then when you wanted to open the curtains, you would lift the inner corners and hook them on the very outer corners. I do not know if this is making any sense to you. lol But I think it would be an easy and inexpensive fix to your problem. If you would like me to try to explain it further or have any questions...just email me at janetrhoads@gmail.com and I would be happy to try to help you more, maybe even sketch out a pic or something to make it clearer.

How about good old fashioned "glass paint" - translucent to opaque "glass" acrylic paint at Michaels/Hobby Lobby/Generic Craft Store? People use it to make faux leaded stained glass panels, you could do the same - apply one swirly whirly coat (think Van Gogh's "Starry Night"), let it dry than apply another one on top?

I would also use a 2 sided piece of fabric with room darkening liner in between. co-ord fabric in solid and patterned would be nice. cut them in the shape of the window and attach them to the window frame with velcro. I would use a neat grommet for folding back.
to limit the afternoon sun I would opt for a professional window film (check with sign shops). you can have them custom done and not very expensive. have a fun pattern design one that would either suit the curtains or room decor. then the view is not totally covered but it will allow some light but also some relief for hot afternoons.

I would cut some 1/2" foam to the shape of the windows, and us spray glue to attach a nice fabric to it. Place the foam blocks in the window during nap time, and pull them out during play time. Be sure to make a little tab of fabric at the bottom, for easier removal.

This is a little bit of a pain, but it will make the room really dark during nap time, and wouldn't require any permanent hardware.

Is anyone else a little freaked out by the pic of the kid with the weird sleeping mask? Sorry, no actual suggestions!

i bet the hoodie would be more freaky if the printed eyes were awake and open, lol.

i think it's rather cute...

I just wanted to say how gorgeous this nook is. It offers tons of possibilities and even more challenges.

My suggestion would be a bit off-beat - install window film AND make a crib canopy. This may help to further filter the morning light. Kids love them

Reading Nudik's post above just gave me an idea ... what if rather than making a custom curtain or film to block out the windows, you instead install floor-to-ceiling curtains at the entrance of the nook? You wouldn't need to customize anything, just purchase long room-darkening curtains (Target.com has them) and mount your curtain rod to the ceiling (ikea has curtain rods designed to mount to the ceiling, but you can probably make it work with others too as long as the rod fits through the bracket and not on top of it). Then when you want the light in you can pull the curtains back and have the beautiful windows exposed, but you can also close off the entire nook. An added benefit is an ultra-cool play hideout for kiddo as he gets older.

My first thought was shutters of some sort - barnstyle, bifold. Even with the peaked shape, if the shutters were bi-fold, you would get the same shape of shutter when they were folded in half in the open position. This may be an awkward solution as it appears that one side is closer to an oposing wall (90 degree corner) and the opposite side of the window allows some flat wall space.

My second idea was to create some sort of whimsy by fashioning an interior awning, triangular in shape mimicking the shape of the top of the window. Then you could drop some nice drapes from under the awning, maybe with some sort of tie-back. That might create some symmetry too.

Both ideas would require someone who was crafty/handy.

Tough window for window treatments ... good luck.

(yes that sleeping mask is crazy weird!)

Sometimes you have to temporarily sacrifice style for function... especially when it comes to creating the best sleeping environment for your kids.

Although we didn't have a funky shaped window, we installed cheapo room-blackout roller blinds in our kids' room. Once they hit 4 years old and no longer napped, we removed them.

They seriously made the room into a cozy, dark nest, resulting in nice long naptimes.

And they really didn't look horrible... they rolled up into nice neat rolls, you hardly noticed them.

thanks so much for all of your ideas!

Three ideas:

1. I'm not sure this would work, but what if you took vertical blinds, attached the tracks on the slanted side, and then cut the blinds so that, when closed, they were flush to the base of the window, and when open, they all come together in the center?

2. Essentially, a fabric shutter. Make a frame in the shape of the windows, and hinge it on the left side.

3. A free-form roman shade that, when closed, formed gathers all across the slanted edge. If you wanted to go crazy, you might be able to use pulleys so that you could have a single cord that pulled all of the strings in the proper proportion, but I bet the easiest thing would be to have three separate strings to pull in order to get it even all the way across.

Ok, I have placed a very rough sketch of a design for you at:

http://www.idreamofdrapery.com/window_treatment_design_s/173.htm

Scroll down to find your picture.

I was thinking that perhaps you could hang some drapery panels from the ceiling using hooks (this way you don't have to spring for expensive drapery rods). I would bump the curtains out several inches from the window perhaps as deep as the window seat so the curtains make a nice little nook behind them and block less of the view when open. You could tie them back for most of the day and let them down whenever you need to block the light. Kids love the little hidding places created on the window seat behind the curtains.

You could use any cheap industrial hook and simply make (or have someone make you) panels with ties at the top which would cover the hooks. I would also use a fun fabric on the back as it will be seen and they could be reversible which might be fun.