Windows are one of the most significant design factors in a home. No matter how big or how small the room size, windows are the openings to the world, allowing natural light, providing a beautiful view, letting in a wonderful breeze. Deciding how to decorate a window can be a challenging task. What treatment style will best suit your needs? How much will it cost? Do you need something for privacy and to block out the light or do you want to enjoy your view and bring color in through drapery panels that just simply frame your windows?
Window treatment options are endless, ranging from blinds, shutters, honeycombs, silhouettes, roman shades, roller shades to custom draperies, and the list goes on. The question that many internet savvy home owners ponders is, “Do I really need a professional design firm to help me with my windows, or can I buy it on the internet and do it myself?”
Although Martha Stewart brought about a do–it–yourself revolution among women as she made making slip–covers, glue–gunning and stencil cutting look as easy as apple pie; these things are harder than they look. And, if you have a day job, you may simply just be too tired and decide that you don’t want to deal with one more project at the end of the day. A recent Wall Street Journal quotes an analyst from the research firm Morningstar, who says that Do–It Yourselfers are aging into Do It for Me–ers. As baby boomers age, they are not as excited about building their own decks, landscaping their own yards, tiling their own floors and creating their own window treatments.
I have found that most homeowners still feel the need for professional design services when it comes to the selection of window treatments. They need someone who can come in and help highlight their own creativity. My clients often know what they want but don’t know how to bring it to fruition. Homeowners are looking for window fashion designers who can help them tweak their own creative ideas and skillfully enhance and customize a plan, whether clear or vague in the client’s mind. They want a professional who has creative ideas and resources that aren’t available to the general public.
Window treatments from a simple shade to an elaborate drapery treatment need to fulfill both a functional and aesthetic role in the decor of a home. A beautiful design that makes a room look too dark or fails to provide the privacy you may need will end up being unsatisfactory. The many options in construction, materials, designs and styles can create a lot of confusion and indecision. An experienced window treatment designer can eliminate the confusion and make the selection of window treatments a fun and satisfying experience. A professional can help through the process of identifying and analyzing the issues of both form and function that apply to your own windows. They can also enable you to narrow and focus on the range of choices that will suit your taste and practical needs as well as your budget.
Custom homebuilders today are building homes with more windows, many of which have specially–built arches. New homes may also have windows spanning two floors to contend with. Because window treatments for an entire home can become expensive, the most popular trend I see with my clients is using plantation shutters on the front of the home, and installing blinds in the rest of the home. Putting shutters on the front of a home provides great drive up appeal to the home, while adding beauty to its appearance. Whether your style is modern, traditional, contemporary or eclectic, shutters and blinds always work in any style or decor.
I have found a real growing trend and interest in younger and first-time homeowners who want custom draperies, especially in the focal areas of the homelike the dining room and family room areas. Going with window treatments that can be motorized are the best answers in tackling those large windows.
When treating specifically designed windows or second story windows keep in mind that the window covering should complement, not detract from the beauty of the window. Decorating standard-style windows are relatively easy since they are rectangular and there are no curves to navigate. While some rooms contain identical windows, it’s more common for rooms to feature a variety of types and sizes. The goal is to unify the room with the same fabric on each window and door and to mount treatments at the same heights to create consistency and balance throughout the room setting.
To determine the best window treatment style to meet the needs in a room, ask yourself the following questions:
- Decorative Appeal: Is the treatment just for ornamental impact?
- Fabric Selection: Are the treatments meant to be statements or accents?
- Warming Touch: Does the room feel a bit cold and need to be visually warmed?
- Privacy & Light Control: Do you want the treatment to open and close?
- Energy–Saving: Should the treatment reduce energy consumption?
- Noise Control: Do you need to block out outdoor sounds?
- Illusion Effects: Do you want to hide room flaws or visually alter the window size?
Window treatments are an investment, with many options available.
