I agree re plantation shutters! White would be fabulous and they can be centre opening or hinged on one side.

The way we get around this problem in our lounge is by running the (fixed) curtain rail off to the side of the window frame so that when the curtains are pulled back (and tied) none of the material covers the window panes. You can also cover the top of the curtains with a pelmet (light weight wood box covered with the same material as the curtains or a feature colour from the curtain pattern) which gives it a squared-off shape at the top. Make the curtains run all the way to the floor for a luxurious look. If you don't need them for privacy purposes consider just using a tag-topped, patterned sheer curtain (no pelmet needed) or a drape that goes around the window frame without covering the panes.

thanks Sarah - do you have any photos i can use as reference - i'm not sure i follow the second part of your suggestion - "consider just using a tag-topped, patterned sheer curtain (no pelmet needed) or a drape that goes around the window frame without covering the panes."

those who suggested plantation shutters, i have thought of those, but fear they block out the outside view, even when tilted to be open...the room is TINY, so i want to keep it as open as possible... if you have them, do you feel closed in at all?

Ikea sells tag-topped sheers (rather than continuous pocket for the curtain rail) you can look some up on the website. And a drape means just getting a continuous length of cloth and draping it around the frame to break up the starkness of the window but without covering the glass. It mostly just depends on whether you need to create a sense of privacy with the curtains?

Small room... navy walls... the plantation shutters definitely sound good to me... crisp and fresh. Or even a simple white venetian blind for a cheaper option.

Yes a nice white venetian blind would look great in that room in either a natural timber or faux wood (Veneta Blinds cheaper option). Otherwise, If you still like the idea of a Roman blind might I suggest a light filtering white colour fabric with no lining, or a semi transparent lining for that added privacy - this will still allow for the light to come through as well. We have plenty to choose from on our website and will make to your exact window measurements to ensure perfect fit.

No curtains in a small room go with white timber venetians or shutters. Why navy walls? You want light and then you paint it dark color, don't get it.

I think navy walls could work in that room also, agree it is dark in comparison to the cream, but it also has a warmth and richness, navy has a visual depth that wraps you up rather than just block out colour, itw doesn't absorb light the way black or charcoal would. White contrasting the navy would be striking and soft at the same time. Using the picture rail and keeping that wall space above it a soft colour, and the trims white would really emphasis the lovely period details, and the white shutters would filter the light we'll enough thought the room. Actually I think it would diffuse it so it had a glow instead of a harsh starkness.
Light can be used to good effect, even in rooms that have little of it. This room is not particularly dark, just lacks the punch that bright, vibrant rooms have.
Contrast could very well be the answer.

Alternative suggestion to curtains or blinds could be adhesive window film. You could google that to find the websites, there are many really good ideas, This film resembles frosted and etched glass. It is removeable and reusable elsewhere when wanted and attaches to the glass easily. It is washable and comes in transparent plain line patterns, line patterned with a little colour, and coloured patterns and a variety of frosted and clear or combinations of each, simple patterns and right up to intricate imitation stained glass patterns. You might find a clear lined pattern or a frosted that you think will work. The Innovations catalogue...(selling everything you don't know you need until you see it.) has a cheaper kind of window film for sale ..small roll for around $20.
Google www.innovations.com.au. that would give you the idea of how it performs.
Venetian blinds and plantation shutters although trendy and a revival from the 1950's and look good are a pain to keep clean no matter what the material.....unless you like cleaning with a passion. If you go with the navy walls may I suggest that the navy be mixed to contain the colours already in your room..i.e...the mats etc...at least there would be an attempt at 'relating' the colours which may help. Good Luck with your persuit of Light!

@ dooenmabest.... Navy walls in a small room? I don't get it. Can you explain what the benefit would be?

@mydesign0401...your advice is convincing but not the idea. i think one would need to be extra careful in selecting the correct 'navy'...there's no such colour in the natural spectrum so it would of course be a mixed colour. Navy can be mixed in many ways using many of the natural spectrum colours. Some nice ones would necessarily result but I think there would need to be a deal of discernment coupled with expert knowledge of colour and how differently obtained shades work. The suggestion of a dark colour in a small room however cleverly contrived, without having watched how the light reflects throughout the day in that room is a bit of a gamble...even if tradition dictates its a good idea. That's my 2/6- worth ( 25c!) in accordance with my colour studies and findings proven and based on Moses Harris' The Natural System of Colours from 1766...using modern pigments. Isaac Newton, Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds all supported Harris' findings, Turner obtained his light effects using Harris' methods. .I've found them 100% correct notwithstanding I've tried to find fault in disbelief and delight.
Navy might be dignified but it would need to be mixed from the perfect hues for the space...and definitely no black- guaranteed to kill any colour because it absorbs colour and spoils it.. I think its a risk one would have to take in order to prove the point..
I suspect that the reflected and refracted light through a window film playing on the white walls would contribute depth and cosiness to that lovely demure room. Wish it were mine...I'd love to experiment and play with that idea!!!

Cassandra rill, do you like the navy you selected? Along with the floor, warmth won't be as much an issue as light, so maybe ladyrobs idea of film would be best. There are period style films that replicate etched glass, and still allow star details of natural lint through, but privacy of a blackout, particularly good if the side view is awful or limited such as a close fence line. Your vertical space hopefully makes up for something here, I would love to see the navy and readdress your issues as I see them.

Cassansrabrill - This problem intrigues me quite a bit. Would you have the name and brand of that navy please? And thanks in advance! I am sufficiently intrigued with the idea of navy walls to obtain a sample pot and have a 'play'. Its been my life's work studying colour and perfecting a colour-mixing teaching text for artists that is irrefutable... so I am always interested in anything that challenges it. Living spaces are places where we need to feel 'at home' so not so much about what trends and styles dictate, personal preference always prevails. I hope you resolve your problem. I have a dark little house, all natural timber with arctic glass in all the original windows. Whilst it makes for privacy, when the light and sunlight 'bounces' of the disparity in the glass surface, its amazing how the light from a certain angle totally changes the otherwise dark walls of the room. Mydesign0401 would have experience with this too. Try the window film, there's a design for every style and preference, the cost would be minimal if not to your liking....and that's the operative word...LIKEing!
I've just had an idea from something Mdesign0401 said...'vertical space'... Are you going to anything more with the ceiling? We are fortunate to have so many products today that you should not have any drama finding some sort of paint or application for the ceiling that will reflect the light downwards. A brand called RESENE manufactures "shimmer" colours.Some very interesting effects can be achieved with this product. If you likethe idea of navy walls you may wish to consider sampling the RESENE Digital Blue ()Astronaut)...that's the base colour... M40-046-279 The base colour is applied first then a transparent coat of what they call "Pearl Shimmer",.another is "Pixie Dust", both are waterbourne pearlescent glazes..=overcoats..(.not meaning shiny like varnishes). but nevertheless ideal for creating shimmering and softly sparkled finishes over colour.
Alternatively, although I have not experimented with this myself (yet!)...from what I can acertain from the manufacturers...the "shimmer overcoats"...and there are several different types, I suspect may be applicable over...'ordinary-other brand' colours.....Just an idea...something I would try myself over either acrylic or enamel paint.
Houzz is such an inspirational site!...from the above I've recalled that there's a clear metallic for application over timber... exciting!
I'm like a kid in a candy shop whenever new paint products appear!
RESENE's staff (not the retails stockists in hardware shops) are highly trained in properties of their product. Should you want any firther information I suggest you go directly to the manufacturer. 1800 758 383 QLD Gold Coast.
Happy Houzzing!

Hi all, thank you for your comments and insights. The navy we used is resene elephant and the white for above picture rails is 1/4 villa white also by resene. I will post a photo when I return home from holidays.
The effect has worked really well, with the white accentuating the tall ceilings and providing a sense of space while the navy is lush at night, feeling very cosy and intimate. The window issue really surfaced after the navy paint, though, as I have reached maximum intimacy for my personal taste, so don't want to feel any more enclosed by the window treatment. Hope this explains things.

@Mydesign0401
Re your comment - "navy doesn't absorb colour the way charcoal or black would..."

I have to disagree with this rather all-encompassing statement Megan on the grounds that there is no such thing as "a black" or "a charcoal" per se and not one of either that will react to light in the same manner. All dark commercially mass mixed colours, however, and even some light ones..absorb light..The Pantone system of colour mixing assures this.
Most if not all dark colours contain some sort of black introduced as an already mixed up concoction of inappropriate hues or indirectly through the combination of hues that naturally annihilate each other...and this is worse. It is the reflective qualities of the other colours used to create the final hue that give the illusion of reflection rather than absorption but basically, no dark manufactured colour purchased off the shelf today will reflect light and there's really no more or less by comparison with other hues. They all absorb and with depressing effects at different times of the day on the people surrounded by them.
Some blacks and charcoals are more reflective than some of the other dark colours...amazingly, all depends on the mix. Generally colour decisions are made by choosing from among the miriad of colour swatches that give no indication of what pigments each colour contains...and probably not of interest to many anyway...so hit or hit and miss is how we do it.

I've noticed that there's a lot going on in the decorating industry at present focussing on the reflective quality of surfaces. I wonder when "they" will discover how to mix colours to maximum reflection and a play of refraction which can occur naturally, even with dark colours. We have access to sophisticated pigments and dyes today. Missing is the science being ignored and discounted as outmoded and obsolete when we have the ability and products to really utilise that knowledge! There's a mint to be made if only somebody would dare to step outside "we've always done it this way".
Wish I was younger and still in the race.
It is possible and even easy to mix any dark colour that reflects and refracts light according to its individual hue composition and as opposed to absorbing more light than it should as a hue. This is not being achieved. It may seem impossible but a black or a charcoal can be made to reflect more light than...a navy for example....its quite intriguing but probably not of interest to anyone but a colour fanatic like me.

@ cassansrabrill...interesting that you've used Resene. I am sure that you are pleased with the result! That navy is not on the colour chart I have...its a bit old...but if its anything like all the resene colours it will be pretty spectacular and the best that can be achieved in that nice room. Would really love it if you posted a photo showing the "lush" quality.

Still no resolution fo the window though and that is what you asked for!
For the moment - Have you thought of a reflective surround actually on the window frame/surround ?...not on the part holding the glass...don't know what it is called. What I mean is something like mother of pearl Capiz shell..either in small mosaic tile strips or the finer compressed in a wallpaper that you could cut into a strip and fix. With the Resene I think it would add to the reflectiveness and attract the light. Maybe even tiny glass tiles with a mirror effect....though it may be a bit much since you've gone for subtle The Capiz even in a minute amount would pick up the "sheeny" navy and the white and bounce it back into the room.
In all, so far, it sounds lovely and looks lovely in my imagination. I am sure you will resolve the overall window treatment and Happy Houzzing cassansrabrill!

Always writing a book full of unsolicited @

I would put a pelmet above the window in the material you have chosen and roller binds. This way you will only need to cover the very tops of the window allowing the maximum light.
If it's a privacy issue you can tint the window, I do it all the time.
I use tint a car. Obviously tint will make it a bit darker but not as much as curtains or shutters. tint comes in so many colours, the people are very helpful and maybe worth a look.
During the day no one can see in.

Have you considered bonding your fabric into a roller blind. Per haps a few rollers.

Not sure what you ended up doing for curtain treatments. I think that curtain fabric would look great against the navy walls. I hope you were able to use it.

Just thought I'd suggest for anyone with similar dilemma that mounting an acrylic curtain rod just above the window architrave may work.

Oh no. :/ I didn't realise old topics would be bumped forward if I commented.
Apologies!

Try using some roller blinds, check qualityblinds.com.au to design them yourself and see if it fits