As a young adult in your first apartment, you may have been perfectly satisfied with the standard white plastic venetian blinds that were provided in the bedrooms, and the plain old plastic vertical blinds covering your patio door. You may have seen more beautiful window coverings, but didn’t feel ready to take on that kind of project for a good long while.
Once you’ve started filling your home with beautiful furniture and developing your own sense of style, however, these standard options no longer fit the vibe you wanted. And so now you are ready to dive into the wide world of window coverings. Below are some of the factors that should be considered when choosing which window treatments are right for you to save yourself time, money, and headaches.
Window size and shape
Windows come in many sizes and shapes. Tiny ones in the bathroom, large sliding glass doors, and skylights are all going to need very different types of window treatments. Unfortunately, not all window treatments are practical for every size and style of window.
This is one of the first factors you should consider when deciding the right window treatment for you. The good news is that while window treatments are not universally fitting, there is still a lot of flexibility and choice, so don’t let that discourage you.
We recommend checking out pictures in a design magazine or window treatment websites to see what types of window coverings others have chosen for windows similar to those in your home. And when in doubt, a professional can help you determine if your chosen style will be a good fit for your windows. Measure your windows beforehand and take pictures of each one to bring with you when meeting with a professional or comparing are the home store so you can ensure you get the right fit.
Style
If size and shape is the first factor in choosing window coverings, style is by far the most important! Window coverings can set the decor for the entire room and bring every other piece of furniture together. It is vital that you choose window coverings that set the right tone for your room. And the good news is, you don’t have to choose the same style of window treatments for each room in the house. Window treatment companies are more than happy to help you navigate through all these styles and find the one that’s right for your space. The main categories of window treatments include:
-Blinds
-Shades
-Curtains
-Shutters
Material
The choices for material in window coverings can seem endless. There are plastic, metal, wood, or woven blinds, wooden or vinyl shutters, and curtains made out of hundreds of different varieties of fabric or even plastic! But luckily, when you break the choice down into a few different factors, it can feel much less overwhelming.
Pattern/Design
The pattern or design of the material can play a major part in matching the rest of the decor in the room. A vibrant pattern can be an attention grabber if you want the window to be a focal point in the room, whereas a softer solid color can create a calmer, more subtle effect. Window treatments can provide pops of color in a space or be made to blend into the background.
Light
Would you like your room to be bathed in soft natural light? Or would you like it blacked out to allow for sleeping past sunrise? Thicker material typically keeps more light out, and there are even curtains with special linings to keep ALL light out.
Shutters are also a great option when you want to be able to block out all light at certain times, and let all light in at other times. On the other hand, a sheer material can allow a lot of natural light in, even when closed.
Privacy
The balance between light and privacy can be delicate. It’s nice to have some light coming in, but not at the expense of allowing neighbors and passersby a view into your home. Bedrooms and bathrooms will definitely call for more privacy than a living room.
There are several options to allow for light, but also maintain a good level of privacy, such as honeycomb or pleated shades. For living rooms, sheer curtains or shades can provide may be able to provide the right level of privacy. In addition, layering different styles of window treatments, such as venetian blinds fitted to the window and sheer curtains for effect are common to ensure privacy while maintaining other factors like light and design.
Heat efficiency
Depending on your location and the time of year, you may want to keep heat in or out. You can create a much more energy efficient home and give your furnace and AC a little break by choosing the right window coverings.
As a general rule of thumb, the thicker the material, the more energy efficient it will be. Also, solid window coverings, such as cellular or pleated shades, will be more efficient than slatted, such as venetian blinds, because they allow less air flow in and out.
Cost
Since there are so many options, you can find the right window treatment selection for your home in any price range. Using a professional, made-to-order service will certainly be pricier than DIY from the home store, but with the selection available nowadays, you can get the perfect choice with either route. It just depends on whether you are ready and able to spend more time measuring and installing yourself, or would prefer to pay a professional to take on that responsibility.
In addition, some materials can be a lot more expensive than others. For example, heavy drapery will be pricier than sheer fabric curtains. Woven wood blinds will certainly come at a higher price point than plastic or aluminum.
Most traditional window treatments are operated manually with a pull string, wand, or other manual ties, but more recently automatic versions have become available. While automated window coverings are very modern and convenient, they will surely cost a bit more than their manual counterparts. Once you have chosen the style and general type of material, you can compare options within that category and find one that fits your budget.
