The Drapery Dilemma

Once again, I am faced with curtain woes (if you'd been to our house and seen our annoying 50s windows, you can already imagine the last round). The windows in my living room are 3' wide (actual window; add 6" each side for molding, if you're counting that) and 6' tall. They currently have pull-down shades, which are adequate, but I'd kind of like, y'know, actual curtains. On the left window, this is not a big deal, though moving the bookshelves has complicated it slightly as the fit on one side would be tight; but the right window has the radiator directly below and in front of it, and also the stove is right there. O HAI FIRE HAZARD

One possible solution I thought of is, rather than two panels on each window swagged to either side, to put one panel on each window and swag them toward the center. This would keep the curtain from being nigh to any heat sources. But, I'm not sure how it would look; and also I'm not sure if that means I want a double-wide panel or what.

The reason this has come into sudden focus is, I was in Gracious Home the other day, and I found that they had really exquisite silk panels 75% off. SEVENTY. FIVE. PERCENT. OFF. This makes them cheaper than ucko polyester, kids. Said panels are 50" wide by 96" long; so that's fine on the length; but I'm not sure about the width. And anything on severe clearance is not generally returnable. --I don't have my fabric here, either, so I can't put up a test unit to see if it looks like it does in my brane.

(Still at a loss for something for bedroom window. The universe declares that there shall be no dark blue curtains. Feh.)

agh

Ranger just yorked up the cooked chicken livers I gave him to eat an hour ago; this after I got home yesterday to find two (small) pukes on the rug. He seems otherwise okay, but he's a cat who has never been ill a day in his life, so it's way off the normality scale for him.

I guess I better try and find a vet in the area who doesn't have a price list calculated for Ladies who Lunch and their toy dogs.