Making Window Treatment Decisions
Of all the design decisions homeowners make when decorating a home - paint color, furniture, fabrics, rugs, lighting, & accessories, window treatments often get overlooked or receive inadequate attention. But window treatments are an important piece of the decor puzzle in any home. Sure, curtains, drapes and blinds can complement a decor scheme and look nice, but they’re also important for privacy, light, providing insulation and more. If you’re thinking of upgrading your window treatments, this will help you navigate the process a little easier. Privacy - Do you have nosy neighbors? Can passersby see inside your house? Or maybe you live in a rural area on a big plot of land and privacy isn’t a concern. Consider the room’s function and how much privacy you’re seeking. Are you comfortable with onlookers seeing distorted figures through semitransparent sheers at night? Or do you seek a completely opaque window treatment? Light control - How much light do you want entering into the room? Do you want the option to make the room completely dark or to just filter out some harsh rays in the middle of the day? Is a poorly situated streetlight irritating you at night? For media rooms and bedrooms, like the nursery shown here, you might want to consider adding a blackout lining to drapery panels and shades to prevent light penetration. Insulation - Is your priority to keep heat inside during the winter and block it from entering in the summer? Insulation is an especially important factor if you have an older home with drafty windows. Cellular honeycomb shades and room-darkening fabrics can help increase the insulating factor. Also, you can use multiple treatments on one window to increase insulation — a shade paired with drapery panels, for example. There’s no hard and fast rule for window treatments; it’s a personal decision. If you would like to find out more,
call us at (352) 238-1678 for a FREE in-home estimate.