Window treatments are an often overlooked aspect of interior design and décor, yet they can easily dictate the look and feel of a space. Windows generally occupy sizable real estate on your walls, and therefore treatments are equally demanding in terms of visual focus. The wrong dressings can effectively throw off the mood of a room, so it’s worth doing second, even third takes to make sure you get the window treatments right.
Aside from the look of your window treatments, there are privacy and light, even temperature to think about. You might want to steer away from gauzy shades for your bathroom, whereas lighter fabrics may be your go-to when it comes to your living area. Choosing window treatments is not as easy as deciding what looks good in a space, but also figuring out how they should work for your home.
Learn how to effectively dress up your windows based on your overall design style before making that purchase. Here are the 4 main types of window treatments that you have to know in order to make that informed decision.
Curtains
Curtains are the quintessential window treatment. Economical and simple, curtains often come in pairs and hang from rods installed above the windows. Curtains come in all sorts of materials, lengths, patterns, and styles, and can work for a slew of different functions and areas in a home.
Curtains evoke a casual vibe – using these pleated fabrics feels effortless and light. They’re movable by hand, easily accessible, and are pretty low maintenance in comparison with other types of window treatments. In addition, they’re very customizable which means you’re bound to find one that works for your space. Modern patterns can pop in an otherwise neutral space, and privacy curtains in vibrant colors add a touch of drama that complements luxe interiors.
Drapery
Drapes are the formal equivalent of curtains, in that their elaborate folds, pleats, and trimmings make them appropriate for regal interior design. Similar to curtains, drapes are fabric treatments that hang on a curtain rod. They’re generally floor-length panels that are made with more substantial and weighty fabrics. The heavier material helps sustain the sophisticated drapes, fall, and the three dimensions of these window treatments.
Drapes with more intricate pleating and swags work well in formal living and dining rooms due to their commanding design. They also make sense in primary bedrooms that are styled in a grand interior design since the thicker fabrics used in drapes block out sunlight, provide needed privacy, and help maintain a stable temperature indoors by keeping cold and heat out. Just remember to install a tieback mechanism that still allows you to get natural light.
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Shades
Shades are fabric window treatments that hang from a frame instead of a typical curtain rod. There's a pulling or rolling mechanism that helps the fabric bunch into a neat stack or roll around a rod in order to adjust privacy and light entering a space. Aside from fabric, shades can also come in soft wood or woven bamboo.
There are many types of window shades to choose from, with each having their own purpose. Roller shades are minimal and modern, and can work in contemporary style homes. Roman shades are a classic iteration and unsurprisingly works for classic, timeless interior design. Woven wood shades are particularly popular in Scandinavian and Japanese design styles.
Blinds
Unlike curtains or drapery, blinds are hard window treatments typically made of hard materials like wood, plastic, or vinyl. Window blinds have slats that tilt and can be angled to customize the amount of privacy or light that enters a room. These slats can be maneuvered using a pulling mechanism (usually cord) or a rod. Similar to shades, blinds are often attached to a frame installed above the window. Vertical blinds are typically used in sliding glass doors or floor-to-ceiling windows, while venetian (horizontal) blinds are great dressings for small windows above the kitchen sink.
While blinds are visually interesting and create beautiful and intricate shadows, few people opt for them due to the amount of maintenance and effort that goes into caring for them. Cleanup is much more intensive as compared to fabric counterparts, and parts replacement is not as simple as replacing a curtain rod or a couple of clip-up rings.
Knowing the different types of window treatments so you can confidently shop for them is one thing, but understanding how they work in a space is another. These different types of window treatments exist for a reason, and that's to perform their functions in terms of privacy levels, light dispersion, temperature control, and décor. Keep these 3 simple tips in mind and focus on the emotions you want to feel when you enter your ideal home, and everything should fall into place.
First, choose your window treatments based on the function of the space.
As mentioned, drapes are appropriate in formal settings while lightweight curtains are a more relaxed option. Blinds can help create beautiful shadows in a room, but can be a pain to clean. Bedrooms may benefit from blackout curtains versus sheer ones especially if you're the type to sleep in. In nurseries and home gyms, fabric shades are highly recommended as they can just be thrown in the wash once dirtied.
And once you've figured out which treatments to use across your personal space, have fun with it.
Window treatments are supposed to embellish and beautify the space while performing their function. Curtains, drapes, shades, and blinds come in all different shapes and sizes, patterns and textures - there's no reason why you should opt for a plain jane set of curtains if you're not planning to decorate in a minimalist design style. (And even in minimalism, there are many ways to inject visual interest in a neutral color treatment by way of material feel or even fabric weight!)
Window treatments can feel boring but they don't have to be; go back to your ideal space and the atmosphere you want to cultivate when deciding what should embellish your windows, and you'll see that you're more inspired to take design risks and make unique choices.
That said, stay consistent and follow a unified design plan when decorating your home.
Be intentional when it comes to picking out your window decorations, and think twice before getting mismatched treatments just because they looked good separately. The best designed homes tell a cohesive story, and rely on smart décor to explain the narrative. You shouldn't have to overcomplicate your space's interior design if overcomplicating means visual clutter – in fact, it's sometimes the subtlest places that make such bold statements.