Your windows are bare. You know that you want window treatments, but knowing which to choose has you feeling overwhelmed. From draperies to blinds, your choices are almost limitless when you consider style, colors and patterns.
The good news is that there are ways to choose window treatments to ensure that you get the perfect look for each window in your home. Take these things into consideration in order to pick out window treatments that you won’t be rushing back to the store to return.
1. Amount of Privacy
Know the amount of privacy that you desire. You will want more privacy in your bathroom or bedroom than you will in your kitchen. If you are looking for privacy, blinds or shutters are your best bet. Sheers or a simple valance will leave your room accessible to prying eyes. Privacy is always more important on the first level of your home than it is on upper levels.
2. Desired Light
If you are stuck with a single window in your living room, you may want to let as much natural light in as possible while blocking the view from outside. Horizontal or vertical blinds will allow you to let the light in during the day and block the view into your home at night.
If you sleep during the day do to work, consider blackout curtains, shutters or blinds. You may want to consider thicker treatments for guest rooms and other bedrooms as well. Blackout treatments also help keep the sun from warming your house during the summer.
3. Size of Windows
Floor to ceiling draperies give a contemporary look to your room. These treatments are perfect for large windows. Hang them on a smaller window and your room lacks balance. Pay close attention to the size of your windows when deciding which treatments to purchase. An extra-long scarf will make a small window seem smaller, but a scarf will look great on a picture window.
4. Current Decor
A pair of thick, plaid curtains isn’t going to look right with your modern decor. Black blinds will look out of place in a cream and teal colored room. Look at your current decor when deciding which window treatments will work best in your room.
5. Ease of Use
A window that’s hard to reach needs treatments that are quick and easy to manipulate. A window that’s accessible can handle more complexity. For example, you may want to consider a decorative window shade and a pair of tie-back curtains for that window behind your headboard. Tie-back curtains and mini-blinds are best used on a window that you can reach easily.
6. Color and Pattern
You have an almost endless list of choices when it comes to colors and patterns. If you don’t want your window to be the focal point of your wall, choose a color in the same family as the wall the window is on. If you want your window to get the attention, pull a color from the accessories in your room.
According to Atlanta Custom Interiors, small patterns can make a small room look smaller, but small patterns can also be lost in a large room. When we talked with them they said, “Be very careful when picking out patterned window treatments. Stripes and swirls are relatively safe; flowers and busy patterns can be difficult to work with.”
Window treatments, like any other aspect of your interior decorating scheme, are a matter of personal preference and style. When you take the size of your windows, your desired amount of privacy, your current decorating scheme, and the room in which you will hang your treatments, you are better able to make a great choice.
