The Do’s and Don’ts of Window Treatment

Windows are an essential feature that adds to the functionality and aesthetic of any structure. You must treat your windows correctly if you want to enjoy the natural light they bring into your home.

Window coverings, such as curtains or blinds, can completely alter the feel of whatever room you decide to put them in. They add a sense of privacy, as well as a nice elegant touch to the style of decor. However, windows can’t just be treated with any old window covering.

If you want to highlight your windows beautifully, the right way, you need to keep a few essential factors in mind.

Do Hang Your Window Covering Higher

When treating your windows, you want to try and hang them as high up as possible. Hanging your curtains, blinds, and shades higher up creates a more open and expansive feeling. Placing your curtain rod far above your window frame, extending even to the ceiling if necessary, gives the room a certain grandeur that can’t be achieved in any other way- other then pushing up the ceiling itself.

With curtains, in particular, it is important to start at the top, but keep in mind that your curtains should reach the floor — or about half an inch above the floor. Hanging the curtains from the ceiling to the floor helps you avoid the awkward look of ill-fitting drapes and further adds to the spacious look and feel of the room.

Do Consider Multiple Treatments

Another factor to consider when treating your windows is attempting multiple types of window treatments at once. Having just drapes or shutters on a window does have its own allure, but this often pales in comparison to the look of a combination of window treatments such as the classic, yet contemporary shutters and drapes combination.

There are many different combinations of window treatments, and a little searching through magazines and looking through images on the internet can give you an idea of what style works best for you.

When choosing to use multiple treatments, however, you need to ensure there is a balance between the colours and materials of the various coverings. If a balance is not maintained, you could end up creating a claustrophobic look and doing more harm than good to your room.

Do Colour Coordinate

When buying your window treatments, you should look at them as you would see any other piece of furniture in your home. When purchasing your furniture, you would make sure it is a good fit for the other pieces you already have and that it matches everything else in both colour and style. Window treatments are the same.

You want your new coverings to accent what you already have going on and tie in with the current theme you have running in the room of interest. If you can’t decide what colour or pattern to go with, buying neutral window coverings is always a good idea. This is because neutral colours tend to soften a room up and make it look more spacious.

Don’t Go Overboard

Although using multiple treatments and colour coordination can work out beautifully when done the right way, you do not want to go overboard with your window treatments. Too many layers of frills and curtains on a window can prevent natural light from coming in and can clutter up your space at the same time. A window’s function is to light up your house, and you need to make sure not to obstruct that design.

For instance, Roman shades are nice, perhaps paired with some wood or faux wood blinds. Nonetheless, if you decide to add a valance and drapes over those already existing window treatments, you are ruining the purpose of your window, as well as making your room feel cramped and small. The last thing you want to do is to make your room feel suffocating, and the best way to avoid this predicament is to keep your treatments as simple as possible.

If you have more than one window in the room, you want to avoid using different types of materials and styles for each one. Consistency is key, and whatever treatment you select for one window should be used on nearby windows as well to help create a clean and modern atmosphere.

Don’t Get the Sizes Wrong

You must get the right measurements in both width and length before buying your new treatments. By measuring your window space correctly, you can make sure your curtains drape regally to the floor and that they don’t fall short. You can also ensure that your blinds and shades fit perfectly within the window frame as well.

Putting up window coverings that are the wrong size can make a room look much worse and give the room an unnecessarily cramped and claustrophobic feeling.

Don’t Choose Quantity Over Quality

You also don’t want to be afraid of investing in expensive blinds or drapes. Whether you want to admit it or not, there are high chances of your window coverings getting used a lot and accidents can happen, especially when your coverings are placed in a high-traffic area of your home.

Buying higher-quality drapes can remedy this problem. Not only do they look better, but they also last longer. Buying low-quality drapes can add a noticeably cheap look to your windows, and can decrease the overall modern look of the room.

Whether you select blinds, shutters, or drapes, the way you pair or style them can make a substantial difference in your home. Focus on getting the right measurements, aligning the window treatment accordingly, and using colours and materials that complement other important features in your room while staying away from excessive layering and patterns. Most importantly, you should never compromise on the quality of your window covering.

For more information on window treatments, call Window Blinds Direct at 647-360-7026 or contact us here.