Palimpsest, thanks for the response. I did a lot of incubating about your suggestion. I decided that I would indeed put full-length panels each side of the window. I had a piece of fabric that was paid for--had been purchased for the adjacent kitchen but rejected (too much rectangular stuff going on to compete with "shaker" cabs). There is barely enough fabric so don't look too closely on the back side at the false hem, etc. Local store had clearance sale on mahogany red curtain rod so I figured God was sending me in this direction. Rings were a lucky find at Tuesday Morning--they dropped the curtain so it just grazes the floor. Not sure if we're going to keep this 1830s furniture piece or sell it, but for now, it's going to stay right here, my "plunk spot" for stuff entering or leaving the room. Front door will be painted to match the woodwork, once the weather warms up. I still want to put a lacy or filmy or handkerchief lineny inner curtain over the window. Readers may have seen the Kitchens forum posting about decorating with old tablecloths on Take a Risk Day, but if you haven't, here's the link, much of it very silly stuff. Imagine that pointy white lace curtain here. (references to arrows and points in the postings deal with feng shui thread going on at that same time) Here is a link that might be useful: taking a risk in decor--cut up a tablecloth?

Just a tip--for both health and to save you expense down the line. It's not a good idea to make your windows too air-tight. A house needs to breathe. Radon, for example--can become a problem if a house is air-tight. It tends to build up and become dangerous at that point. The 'fix' for radon is actually to ventilate the house properly. Secondly, some years back DH went around sealing all the windows with that recommended plastic stuff each winter. And what happened? Not only did the sealing material (which was supposed to be harmless) stripped off a lot of paint, but more importantly, within just a couple of years, we had some serious rot on our windowsills because not only were the windows airtight, but they were accumulating moisture that had noplace to go. Personally, I find that a little air exchange with the outside is healthier and cheaper in the long run. The curtains and quilts are, IMO, a good alternative. They help with the worst of the drafts, but you aren't sealing your house so tightly that it's unhealthy for you and dangerous for the household materials.

There are DIY low-pressure cavity-fill closed-cell foam insulation kits available from FOAM IT, Tiger Foam, etc. Here is a link that might be useful: Tiger foam

Love the flag on the shelf. What are you thinking? The newer electric blinds and batteries aren't bad. They charge enough during the day to keep the battery topped off. Most times, if they crap out, its the motor or some other electrical component than the batter.