Many consider window treatments the “finishing touch” – kind of like the icing on the cake, but savvy designers will disagree. Window treatments aren’t a finishing touch or a last minute accessory. Rather than thinking of your window treatments as the icing on the cake; consider them one of the main ingredients. If you’re wondering how to choose window treatments, the best advice we can give is to make them one of the top priorities when addressing design elements for your space.

Window Treatments Can Change the Overall Look of Your Interior Design:

Credit: @homemaker_mama, April Denheyer // Get the look with Kukui Soft Jute Woven Shades in Terra Oak.

The type of window treatments you add in your space, can significantly alter the finished look of your design. If you install a full drape paired with classic shutters in your windows, you’ll lend an air of tailored sophistication to the room. In comparison, if you install a simple Roman shade the same room can suddenly seem casually elegant and streamlined. Your window treatments are one of the design elements that you may want to build your room’s design around; not hope they suit the overall look once it’s almost completed.

How to Choose Window Treatments: the DO’s

1. DO look at the room as a whole right from the start. Try to take a mental step back and look at the entire space and think about what you’ll need to create your vision for the space. If you don’t include your window treatments in your design plan from the early stages, your final design can end up feeling disjointed and off kilter.
2. DO consider the natural light in your space. When it comes to blocking out light or not blocking out light, there are countless window treatment options for every scenario. Don’t assume you’ll want the same features you had in your last home. Your sister may love her light filtering natural woven shades that let in plenty of natural light, but you may be dealing with a massive window that’s going to create a glare on the tv in the family room every day when the sun sets. Look at the natural light in your room and consider if you’ll want to block it, filter it, or just control it. Identifying what type of light you’re dealing with will give you a starting point for which window shades, blinds or shutters will suit your needs.
3. DO consider the purpose of each room. Depending on the room, and what will be happening in the room, etc. you may want to add certain features to certain window treatments. For example, you may really enjoy the natural woven shades installed in your family cabin up north in the woods with no neighbors for miles, but you might prefer adding a privacy liner if you’ve got several street facing windows in your front room on a small urban lot.
4. DO accommodate the architectural demands of your space. Sometimes, the shape of a space demands certain types of window treatments. For example, if your home’s architecture doesn’t allow you to hang a rod on the wall above the windows, or if you are dealing with an asymmetrical group of windows that reaches around a corner, or if slanted ceilings limit your options, don’t be afraid to accommodate the architecture by limiting your options to inside mount traditional blinds or other shades that can be installed with an inside mount.

How to Choose Window Treatments: the Don’ts

1. DON’T choose an entirely different look in every room of the house. We’re not suggesting you make your window treatments match throughout the house. You don’t want every room to look exactly the same, but consistency is key to creating a unified design look throughout your entire home. You want your window treatments to compliment and support each other by choosing similar window treatments throughout your house. For example, you may add the same woven shades or roman shades throughout the entire house, but in the study and dining room, floor length drapes can add a boost of elegance.
2. DON’T dismiss practical needs in preference of design style. We’re not saying it won’t be tempting, but you can’t dismiss the fact that a window treatment installed in the window above the kitchen sink may get wet or that the windows lining the wall behind the stove top might get food on them or that you might not love the light coming in your master bedroom window so much when it’s 5am and the sun starts to rise.

For more helpful window treatment design tips, talk to one of our experienced Design Consultants. Then browse the many window treatment options and features available at BlindsChalet.com.