Window Treatments

Window treatment – sounds luxurious, doesn’t it? Most people consider window treatments as an afterthought, or in some cases, don’t give it any thought at all. Many interior designers don’t focus on treating windows, and this is where the problem lies. Window treatments or styling one’s windows helps pull the entire room together. 

Window treatment is the process of modifying a window using a covering or a specific styling method, which helps in enhancing the overall aesthetic of not just the window, but the room altogether. To treat windows, designers often add coverings, curtains, paneling, drapery, or decorative items to give a more aesthetic or functional covering to the window, and in turn, a more finished appeal to the room. 

Understanding a room’s overall functionality helps give it a sense of direction in terms of the interiors. This in turn makes the interior design process easier. While you may not be completely aware of how to use window coverings to brighten up your room, an interior designer will have an eye for detail and be able to get it done in no time.

Interior design professionals know the difference between blinds and shades, or even how to perfectly blackout a room – and it all comes down to the various type of window treatments.

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Window treatments and coverings are actually more important than one may think. Here are 5 reasons why

As a homeowner, you’re probably already tired of expenses and costs associated with your home – why then add to this list with energy-related costs? Confused? Let’s break it down. Window treatments help cover spaces that have direct access to the outside.

In doing so, they tend to block the cold or the heat from flowing into your home, leading you to constantly monitor the air conditioning or heating inside your home. Did you know that even a small draft has the ability to alter your home’s internal temperature, and force your air conditioning or heating system to work harder than may be required? 

Most older homes suffer from this problem. Such homes may have a lot of character but with poor window treatments, the overall insulation gets affected. Without proper window treatments, expect the sun, rain, or cold weather to dominate your interiors through easy seepage – and in turn, drive up your air conditioning or heating bills. Instead, we recommend that you take proper action to adjust your home’s temperature, and in turn, save money.

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Think of window treatment as a boundary or a border between your home and the outside world. Whether you’re walking around your home comfortably, just got out of the shower, or don’t want the neighbour or passersby to peek in, it’s important to have proper window treatments in the form of drapes, blinds, shades, or curtains to enhance your privacy and give you the intimacy you need in your home. 

If you don’t want to block out natural light, go for neutral or translucent shades or curtains – this help to not just block the view and give you privacy, but at the same time, ensure enough sunlight seeps in during the day. You can even add a blackout lining to the drapes to give them more privacy as and when required.

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If we haven’t said it earlier, we’ll say it again – window treatments mean adding drapery, curtains, shades, or blinds to your windows, and this helps in controlling the amount of light that seeps in.

If you’re someone who loves waking up to a complete blackout or needs blackout when they’re trying to sleep – window treatments are your answer. If you love having natural light seep into your home, try playing around with curtains or drapes to achieve this. 

In addition to this, window treatments also help in blocking out the harmful UV rays of the sun. UV rays aren’t just bad for humans, they’re also harmful to floorings, wood, and other materials. By keeping the shades on, you’ll be protecting not just yourself, but also your home.

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The best part about window treatments is that they can be customized to suit your needs. From choosing the right fabrics, textile, and materials, you can speak to your designer to alter, create, modify your window treatments as you please.

Get in touch with an interior designer to choose custom window treatments for different types of windows in your home. Whether it’s faux wood, cornices, or glass doors that need covering, a custom window treatment solves the problem that readymade cellular shades or window shades can’t.

There’s something about adding finishing touches to a home’s interior that sets it apart from other homes. When considering finishing touches, most interior designers focus on window treatments as the missing puzzle piece.

Visually, window treatments are elegant, charming, and can even be considered theatrical, especially if you’re looking to add a little flair to your home’s overall aesthetic. They not only help provide a frame to your windows but also help draw attention to them positively. 

Window treatments are highly useful in homes that have arched windows and/or architectural details that can be exaggerated to give a better effect.

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Double blinds add an extra layer of dimension to your windows. Instead of having only a single layer of curtains, go for a double layer. With a double layer, you can even play around with the colours and patterns.

Most people opt for the back blind to be a darker shade so that it aids in a blackout. The blind or drapes in front can then be a neutral or a contrasting shade or even cut out of printed fabric to give the window, and room, a little flair.

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Some interior designers opt for fancy frames around their windows. These frames can range from being decadent and gorgeous to quirky and over-the-top. It all boils down to how well the frames suit the rest of the room and add to it. In some cases, the frames help give the room a little structure – especially if the room has high ceilings. 

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Many interior designers insert frosted glass panes in their clients’ homes – usually in the bathrooms. This rules out the need to add any blinds or drapes, while providing enough privacy in the shower or bathroom area.

The frosted glass also allows natural light to filter in during the day, and gives a very clean and modern look and feel to the bathroom. If you’re going for a sleek look, definitely opt for frosted glass panes. 

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Ever thought that full-length curtains are too dramatic for your taste? Maybe they’re not! Full-length curtains actually add length to a room and give a smaller room some height. Depending on the colour, fabric, and texture of the curtains, they can give the room a lot of energy, warmth, and a sense of fullness. 

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Shutters are another popular form of window treatments. Many people use shutters in their living room or in their kitchen spaces. Classic shutters often look good in white, especially when they provide glimpses of natural greenery outside.

To give a little more flair to your home, you can even opt for a combination of awnings and shutters – add a bench below the shutters to give your space a beachy vibe. If you want a more modern look, go for a set of farmhouse shutters with wooden paneling to achieve a sophisticated interior. 

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Ever wondered how short curtains would look? If you have a home which has many window frames, especially those made from wrought-iron, or steel bars, go for short curtains. Short curtains are very intriguing visually – and if laid out well, can easily give the room a very dramatic and stylish feel. To match with the length of the curtains, hang artwork around the walls. 

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A valance is a small layering of fabric on top of the window. It adds a little dramatic flair to the top of the window panel and helps your interior space look cozy. If you want a bit of a cabana feel, go for coloured valances, preferably those in coral shades, with a design cut in curves.

If you’re looking for a more modern and sleek feel, choose a valance which is linearly cut, and is in shades of neutral colours like beiges, creams, or greys. 

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Lambrequins are a great solution for when you want movement and shape in your room but are not willing to go with the whole 2,000 yards of flowy fabric. Instead of opting for a valance, which can make your space look overwhelming, especially if the ceilings are lower or the floor space is less, opt for a lambrequin – a cut-out fabric which drapes itself over your windows, and gives it a little oomph.

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If you have a problem with having small windows, it can be difficult to decide which kind of window treatment would suit your space the best. Smaller windows are tougher to do up because there’s always the question of whether a curtain will make it look too overwhelming, or cover the entire window and make the room look small.

Seek professional help when trying to get your small windows treated, so you maintain the sanctity of the windows, as well as the rest of your interior space. 

Fabric selection can be difficult when it comes to window treatments. Window treatments often end up becoming the statement piece in a room – something one can’t help but be drawn to, and that’s why it’s important that the fabric selected is the right one. Find interesting prints and patterns, or choose offbeat colors for your curtains, drapes, or blinds to give your home a more unique look. 

A huge concern with window treatments is ensuring that the blinds, drapes, or curtains provide the homeowners with ample privacy as well as light control. This makes it important to create a window treatment design which may have valance, double drapes, or double blinds, depending on which part of the interior it is located in, and how much light it receives.

If the window is a large one and the homeowner depends on it for natural light, it’s better to have neutral or lighter linen shades of curtains rather than blackout blinds, to allow maximum natural light to flow in. 

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Whether you’re opting for roman shades, a curtain rod, wood blinds, pleats, or roller shades, it’s very important to treat your windows so that your home has the perfect finishing touches. Some of the more important spaces in a home that can’t do without window treatments, are the living room and the dining room. Considering these are spaces where you entertain people or spend a lot of time, it’s important to set the design tone, with the right window treatment. 

If you’re looking for economical and affordable window treatment options, look on websites like Ikea, and Amazon, or scroll through Pinterest for design tips and window treatment ideas.

Choose window shades that compliment your home’s interiors. When it comes to window treatment, there are a few things you need to be mindful of, whether you’re going the DIY way, or hiring a professional – just look out for light filtering and paint colors to make sure your window treatments are not just aesthetic, but also functional. 

Read more about window treatments and hacks on how you can do up your home’s interiors like a pro! Join the interior design community on Foyr. Looking for more insights and design tips on window treatments? Take a look at our knowledge repository of design trends and information on interior decor, right here on Foyr! 

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