Dressing Your Windows? 3 Trends to Consider
- By Monneyr Jhon DE GUZMAN
- •
- 06 Jun, 2019
- •
From rugs and paint colors to chairs and other furniture pieces, decorating your home can be overwhelming. Certain parts of decorating your home, such as buying furniture, may be more important than others. However, dressing your windows is important for more than just decorative purposes. The right window treatments can add style, create privacy, and even aid in energy efficiency.
Of course, you may not know where to start when choosing the right window treatments for your home. Here are a few trends you should consider when dressing your home's windows.
1. Organics
There are numerous materials used to make window treatments — no matter what style you choose. Dressing your windows in organic materials can be a great option for any type of décor, but it can be very complementary in homes styled using natural elements and materials.
Bamboo, for instance, can be a beautiful option for window shades or blinds. Bamboo is affordable and a durable material that will stand the test of time. Bamboo shades and blinds create the privacy you want and need while still allowing some light to shine through.
Cotton is another organic material you may want to consider for your window shades or drapes. Dirt, dust, and other residue may build up on the cotton window treatments, but they can be easily washed and deodorized.
Woven rattan or wood shades are also attractive options. The organic materials are available in a variety of colors, which allows you to find a look suited to the natural appeal of the room.
No matter which style you prefer, using organic materials for your window treatments will add appeal and value to your home. In addition, these natural, organic materials can make you feel closer to nature, which can benefit your physical and emotional wellness.
2. Energy Efficiency
Many experts refer to windows as holes in the wall, meaning they are a large source of air loss. Although shocking to learn, windows can account for between 25 and 40 percent of a home's annual heating and cooling costs. Therefore, window treatments that add a layer of insulation to these holes in the wall are smart choices.
Insulated cellular shades have one of the highest R-values, ensuring they provide the best insulation for your windows. Secured correctly to the windows, cellular shades can reduce heat loss through the windows by 40 percent. In the summer when you cool your home, the shades can reduce solar heat gain by 80 percent, decreasing your overall air conditioning costs.
Roman shades and blinds are also effective window treatments for blocking heat loss and heat gain through the winter and summer seasons.
Finally, consider insulated drapes. Medium-colored, lined drapes that are closed during the days in the summer can reduce heat gain by an estimated 33 percent.
3. Technology
From smart watches and smartphones to speakers that allow you to order pizza and groceries, technology is a part of many households. Fortunately, your window treatments can also become a part of this new technological age.
Consider a motorized system that allows you to open and close your blinds, shades, and drapes with ease. If preferred, set the motorized system on a timer so the window treatments can open up, allowing the natural light to wake you in the morning, or close, creating privacy when necessary.
The motorized feature is not only helpful — it also adds a modern touch to your home, which increases the appeal and value in a surprising way.
If you are ready to dress your windows in purpose, style, and value, help is available. To get started, contact House of Drapery & Blinds today.
One of the biggest elements in your videoconferencing setup involves the windows and window treatments. Learn what to keep in mind as you shop.
The right choice in kitchen window treatment can solve specific practical challenges. Learn more about the problems certain window treatments can solve.
Look at our blog to find tips for choosing the best window treatment and to explore the benefits of both blinds and shades for your home.
When you're about to become a new parent, the décor of your nursery often becomes a big focus. Many new parents choose themes, such as circus or nature, while others employ a color scheme. As with any other room in the home, the window treatments help finish the look. However, you also need certain functionality in the nursery.
Keep reading for tips to help you choose window treatments for your baby's nursery.
Keep Safety in Mind
Your first priority when choosing anything for the nursery is safety. Granted, newborns don't interact much with their surroundings, but you'll probably keep your nursery décor even once your baby reaches the crawling stage. With that in mind, you want to choose window treatments that are safe for your baby.
For one, avoid drapes that reach to the floor — you don't want your baby to become entangled in them or to pull them down. For the same reason, consider cordless blinds. You can even choose motorized blinds, which operate with a switch or an app. Finally, avoid any trim or accessories small enough to become a choking hazard.
Look for Ease of Operation
Your next focus should be window treatments that are easy to operate. Once you become a parent, ease of operation will become paramount. You will often have a baby cradled in one arm, so you want items that are easy to operate with the other hand.
So, when looking at window treatments, avoid any that require both hands to operate, such as corded shades or heavy drapes. Pay attention to the overall function, too. For instance, if you choose shutters, make sure they operate smoothly.
Look Into Blackout Blinds
Another practical focus is the level of light control. In many rooms, you may favor a filtered light. Design-wise, you may like this level of light for your nursery, too. However, keep in mind you'll eventually be putting your baby down while it's still light out — you don't want the sunlight to keep your baby awake.
To that end, look into blackout blinds. They affix to the window frame snugly, and they completely block the sunlight from coming in. If you want the option of the filtered light, look into layered window treatments. You could hang semi-transparent curtain panels for when your baby is awake.
Opt for a Neutral Background
You may want window treatments that provide a neutral backdrop. So, you might start with the blackout shades as your base layer and add sheer curtains in a neutral color. White is popular, but you could also opt for a beige or greige neutral.
This approach works for a couple different situations. For one, a current trend is to move toward natural materials and décor. So, you may choose a lot of neutral colors and soft materials anyway. The approach also works in the opposite circumstance. If you already have a lot of bold colors in your décor, you may not want to add to it with your window treatments.
Stick to Your Décor Vision
Your décor vision will help you make most of the design choices. For example, you may choose the material based on a theme or general target ambiance. If you like the idea of an all-natural nursery, you may look into bamboo shades or linen curtains. If you want structure in your treatments, you might look into wood blinds or even shutters.
A décor theme will definitely drive your choice in nursery window treatments. Besides thematic curtain panels, Roman shades are one of the easiest ways to inject pattern into your window treatments. You can also find roller shades with designs on them.
The other design driving force is your color palette. Many parents adhere to the traditional gender-based palettes, but many opt for bright, gender-neutral palettes. Either way, window treatments in your target color palette can serve as the centering force of your entire nursery décor. You could even start with a pattern in your draperies and carry the palette through the rest of the room.
Try some of the above tips to help you choose window treatments for your nursery. When you're ready to explore your options, consult with House of Drapery & Blinds.
Keep reading for tips to help you choose window treatments for your baby's nursery.
Keep Safety in Mind
Your first priority when choosing anything for the nursery is safety. Granted, newborns don't interact much with their surroundings, but you'll probably keep your nursery décor even once your baby reaches the crawling stage. With that in mind, you want to choose window treatments that are safe for your baby.
For one, avoid drapes that reach to the floor — you don't want your baby to become entangled in them or to pull them down. For the same reason, consider cordless blinds. You can even choose motorized blinds, which operate with a switch or an app. Finally, avoid any trim or accessories small enough to become a choking hazard.
Look for Ease of Operation
Your next focus should be window treatments that are easy to operate. Once you become a parent, ease of operation will become paramount. You will often have a baby cradled in one arm, so you want items that are easy to operate with the other hand.
So, when looking at window treatments, avoid any that require both hands to operate, such as corded shades or heavy drapes. Pay attention to the overall function, too. For instance, if you choose shutters, make sure they operate smoothly.
Look Into Blackout Blinds
Another practical focus is the level of light control. In many rooms, you may favor a filtered light. Design-wise, you may like this level of light for your nursery, too. However, keep in mind you'll eventually be putting your baby down while it's still light out — you don't want the sunlight to keep your baby awake.
To that end, look into blackout blinds. They affix to the window frame snugly, and they completely block the sunlight from coming in. If you want the option of the filtered light, look into layered window treatments. You could hang semi-transparent curtain panels for when your baby is awake.
Opt for a Neutral Background
You may want window treatments that provide a neutral backdrop. So, you might start with the blackout shades as your base layer and add sheer curtains in a neutral color. White is popular, but you could also opt for a beige or greige neutral.
This approach works for a couple different situations. For one, a current trend is to move toward natural materials and décor. So, you may choose a lot of neutral colors and soft materials anyway. The approach also works in the opposite circumstance. If you already have a lot of bold colors in your décor, you may not want to add to it with your window treatments.
Stick to Your Décor Vision
Your décor vision will help you make most of the design choices. For example, you may choose the material based on a theme or general target ambiance. If you like the idea of an all-natural nursery, you may look into bamboo shades or linen curtains. If you want structure in your treatments, you might look into wood blinds or even shutters.
A décor theme will definitely drive your choice in nursery window treatments. Besides thematic curtain panels, Roman shades are one of the easiest ways to inject pattern into your window treatments. You can also find roller shades with designs on them.
The other design driving force is your color palette. Many parents adhere to the traditional gender-based palettes, but many opt for bright, gender-neutral palettes. Either way, window treatments in your target color palette can serve as the centering force of your entire nursery décor. You could even start with a pattern in your draperies and carry the palette through the rest of the room.
Try some of the above tips to help you choose window treatments for your nursery. When you're ready to explore your options, consult with House of Drapery & Blinds.
Have you ever considered changing your window treatments to correspond with the changing seasons? Discover some ideas on how to do just that.
The right window treatments home can make a big impact on the finished look of a room in your modern farmhouse. Look at these great options.
Whatever the main function of your home office, you don't want to leave it undecorated. Start with these stellar window treatment ideas.
Learn how you can find the right window treatment products that look great and avoid potential concerns like mold, bacteria, or warping.
Finding window options that work with the Boho-chic style may seem difficult, but help is available. Learn about styles of Boho-chic window dressings.
Windows are part your interior decorating. Want to do more than just hang blinds or shades? Discover the best practices of layering your treatments.
