Window treatments add style, personality

Window treatments are both an accessory and an important, functional part of a room. Curtains and blinds can block or filter intense sunlight, leaving a room cooler on hot days, or they can block evening street lamps or lights from passing cars to create a more comfortable sleeping environment. They can offer a sense of privacy, especially at night when indoor lights are in use. During the winter, heavy curtains can help insulate the home, blocking some of the cool air that seeps through window seems and settings. In addition to their functional objectives, window treatments can add style and personality to a room.

Unlike the heavy velvet and brocade curtains that were a common style in the past, today’s standard for window treatments is the simple, understated effect. However, this does not mean window treatments have become dull or drab.

With their minimalist appeal, Roman shades are now a popular option. Solid Roman shades offer complete privacy and can entirely block light from entering a room. A solid Roman shade is ideal for a bedroom that is too close to a street lamp or other outdoor light. On the other hand, those who want some sunlight to enter a room during the daytime but need some privacy can opt for light-filtering Roman shades. These shades allow soft light to enter the room but block neighbors and passersby from seeing into the home. Rattan and bamboo Roman shades have taken the scene lately, adding texture and visual interest while still rolling up smoothly like traditional Roman shades. Wood blinds also offer an element of natural décor and are ideal for casual rooms. Wood blinds painted white offer a feeling of freshness and simplicity to a room and can be ideal for a sitting room or sunroom.

For a more decorative or slightly more formal look, try installing Roman shades or blinds to fulfill practical needs of blocking light and ensuring privacy, and then add curtains for softness and embellishment. In this case, the Roman shades can be set inside the frame of the window, and the curtains can extend beyond the window frame.

Many homes now feature expansive windows that are much wider the common, standard eight-pane windows. Because of their substantial size, floor-length curtains can be an appropriate option for these large windows. Placing the curtain rod high above the actual window itself can create an illusion of additional height to the window and to the room overall. When two or three windows are set next to each other with little or no space between, one window treatment can span the set. Just like with one wide window, a set of windows can be dressed with floor-length curtains hung high above the actual window frame.

Bedroom curtains should support the color scheme of the bed, which is the centerpiece of the room. In fact, using the main color of the bedspread for the curtains will bring a sense of balance and cohesiveness to the room. In the living room, the curtains might mirror the color of the couch, or they may mirror an accent color from smaller objects in the room like throw pillows. Solid color curtains or curtains with a simple pattern will allow an emphasis on the view the windows provide, while patterned curtains will distract.

From rattan Roman shades and wooden blinds that add an element of warmth and nature to elegant, translucent drapery that filters the afternoon sunlight, window treatments can extend the overall statement of a room while fulfilling a vital function.