Good window treatments should enhance the aesthetics of a room, accent attractive design elements, and control lighting and noise among other things. On the other hand, choosing the wrong window treatments could clash with other elements in a room and ruin any theme you had in mind. In this article, we’re going to give seven simple tips for picking the right window treatments that anyone can implement.
Consider Everything You Need Out of Your Window Treatments
It is a major mistake to select window treatments based on appearance alone. List everything you need from the window treatment, though this might be accomplished through several layers or coordinated items.
Do you want to have privacy? Will you want to be able to pull back the blinds or drapes to enjoy the view? Is light control an issue? This can literally go both ways, such as when you want to keep outside light from reaching your room. In some cases, people want to let in natural light but block a not so desirable view. Insulation in the blinds, drapes or curtains is invaluable if you live somewhere with extreme temperatures. Tapestry, suede, velvet and tweed do particularly well at insulating a room. Remember to factor in what you want the window treatments to do both day and night.
Once you determine what you need from the window treatments, you can start shopping among the items that meet these standards for one that suits your overall décor or meets your aesthetic tastes. Beautiful blinds that don’t keep the morning sun from waking you too early or stylish blinds that cause the area to be chilly aren’t what you really want.
Think Minimalist
Forget the multi-layered drapes that make it a challenge to get them open and let in light and go for a minimalistic approach. A practical, affordable and accessible choice today is using an upholstered cornice. This gives you a stylish, horizontal layer above the window that contrasts or blends in with any set of drapes you hang below. Another option is a three-piece flap valance. This gives you a sharp contrast of two materials and colours but without the complex multi-layer window treatments that are no longer in fashion. If you don’t know where to start, online retailers like fashioninteriors.co.uk offer a wide variety of minimalist window treatments so that you can find a basic yet stylish window treatment that works for you. They also have some useful guides to curtains and blinds which may help you to figure out what size you need.
There’s another reason to go minimalist, and that may be because of your budget. If money is tight, you could initially install basic, functional window treatments. When your budget allows, then you can buy and install decorative window coverings. One benefit of this approach is that you don’t have to do every window at the same time since there is a consistent minimalist look in every room. It also gives you flexibility, since you can put the same minimalist window treatment in every room and then create unique decorative layers for each space as you get to them.
Lighten Up
A serious mistake of modern life is relying on screens and fluorescent lights to light up our lives. Change out your window treatments so that you can enjoy the natural light you receive. Many window treatments allow you to let in natural light without sacrificing your privacy or losing precious heat.
This is also a reason why you shouldn’t pick the same window treatments throughout the house. Curtains will serve a much different function in a living room or a bathroom than they will in the kitchen for instance. Opaque window treatments might work great for your bedroom, but you might want to go for something that lets some natural light in if it’s for the kitchen.
Compare the Type of Material with the Way You Want It to Act
A beautiful set of drapes or curtains may not work the way you want if you choose the wrong material. If the fabric is too heavy, they won’t fold crisply when drawn. If the fabric is too light, it won’t fall well. Think about how you want the window treatments to behave when installed, and verify that the window treatment you select will look the way you want when put in.
If your goal is to have a window treatment that hangs well, then velvet, real silk, linen and faux silk are the best choice. Faux silk is probably ideal since it won’t deteriorate as fast as real silk. Real silk will rot if it is unlined.
Consider Custom Options
Custom window treatments allow you to adjust the dimensions as you wish and achieve a perfect look tailor-made for every room. Custom panels offer tonnes of different design options, from header style to material. However, they also come with a significantly higher price tag, so be prepared to pay a little bit extra.
Consider the Room the Windows Are In
There are times when too much direct sunlight is a problem. Direct sunlight can make a room too hot, and it could cause upholstery or flooring to fade. This doesn’t mean the room has to go dark or that you have to make do with artificial light. Instead, consider woven shades, simple blinds or other window treatments that soften the natural light while still letting a lot of light in.
Another issue is the lighting in the room the window treatment will be in. Sunlight fades fabrics. If you’re going to put fabric in a room with a lot of direct sunlight, either choose to put light controlling drapes or blinds behind the delicate fabric or avoid bright colours, since they fade faster. If you really love a window treatment, almost any fabric could be interlined with “bump”, a kind of insulating material made with felt. Another form of interlining is putting a piece of fabric between the face fabric people see and the lining that receives the direct sunlight. However, if you change out the window treatments often, that colour fade doesn’t matter as much.
Another matter to address is safety. If you have children or pets, you may want to have cordless blinds for safety. And when young children and pets are running around, top treatments are safer than floor length fabric. If you go for floor length treatments, you may want to give preference to machine washable fabrics over dry-clean only materials.
Break It Up
Window treatments are an excellent way to break up a drab architectural style. For example, you can bring soft curves to a room full of straight lines and angles with window treatments like arching valances or drapes with several curved bunches of fabric. Another option is using the window treatments to bring in colour. A room full of wood panels could have soft materials on the windows to soften the feel. If you already have cream or beige stone or wood tones in the room, consider complementary colours like blue and off-white instead of brown drapes.
Window treatments can literally make a room, but only if you pick the right ones. By following the few tips in this article, you should be able to find great window treatments that will meet your personal style and needs.
