5 Tips For Making Your Window Treatments Stand Out
By Jane Lasky
Windows are not simply functional aspects of your home-sweet-home—they're actually an opportunity to showcase your inner interior designer. With the right design and window treatments, a window can transform a room.
For those who seek to make their home as appealing and welcoming as possible, consider the following ideas that will turn those old, drab casements into windows of opportunity.
Select Blinds
With the many types of blinds available, it's important to select the ones that make your window treatments stand out in the best way possible. For larger windows or sliding glass doors, opt for vertical blinds that can transform these encasements into stylish focal points. For rooms that get a lot of light, try cellular blinds that do double duty by lowering energy costs and ensuring privacy. If you're going for a natural look, consider wood or faux wood custom blinds. Mini and vinyl blinds are perfect for the budget-conscious interior designer, and can be punched up with coordinating window treatments.
Plantation Shutters
There's nothing quite like the classic look of plantation shutters. Crisp, white plantation shutters can brighten up the look of your room while adding a touch of sophistication, while wooden shutters immediately add rustic charm to any living space. These beautiful shutters not only add value to your home, but also convenience and functionality. Simply lift the slats up to flood the room with light or pull them down for added privacy.
Roller Shades
Roller shades are perfect for homes that need versatility from room to room. Choose classic, streamlined roller shades in durable fabrics for the family living space or kitchen area and get more eclectic in the dining room with textured patterns. Dress them up with added window treatments like valances or curtains to add a dramatic flair to the function of these versatile window coverings.
Draperies
It's not always the draperies that blend in that make the best statement. Indeed, a current trend in interior design is to go against the grain by choosing drapes that are bold and beautiful instead of homogeneous and adaptable. Why not go with a print portraying pretty flowers or eye-catching abstracts? You'll be amazed at how this one simple approach totally changes up the look and feel of a room.
If you have a window through which you are able to catch an unforgettable view, ensure that window is the centerpiece of the room by choosing draperies in a contrasting color scheme. For example, if the space is predominantly done in subtle tones of beige and ivory, select curtains that are done in royal blue silk or bright orange satin. Then, add some adornments to that room—like a small centerpiece or a pair of sconces with colored shades—that also add in that same splash of color.
Roman Shades
Add warmth and diffuse light with roman shades to create gentle folds made from premium fabrics that cascade down your windows. Keep them down to add texture and color to a room, or roll them up to create an elegant valance that showcases the outside view. If you're looking to cover a hard-to-reach window, opt for roman shades with a motorized operating system to effortlessly let light in or dilute bright sunlight.
Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains and blinds are best utilized in areas of your home that receive a lot of direct sunlight, or in rooms that need to be significantly darkened during daylight hours—think theater rooms, nurseries and bedrooms that get hit by the early morning sun. To achieve this room-darkening effect, select curtains made of innovative fabrics, look into "blackout blinds" with a room-darkening option, or opt for liners that can be added to your existing draperies.
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to freshen up a room, always start with the windows. It's a sure fire way to liven up the look of your living space.