Some Considerations when Choosing Window Treatments
| 08/10/2015Your window treatment could either make or break the overall room design. That’s why when choosing curtains and drapes, a careful planning and decision making will truly be worth the effort. Oftentimes, though, people get overwhelmed about all the options they need to consider when giving their windows a make-over. So, to help you narrow down your options, we’re here to give you some professional advice on choosing the right window treatment for your room.
Type of Fabric
Choosing window treatments, easy ! Different types of fabric create different effects. More importantly, they serve different functions. For these reasons, the type of fabric to be used on a particular window needs to be carefully selected if one wants to achieve the desired overall room design and function. The material of the curtains or drapes will also determine how well they would hold up over time. For instance, choosing a heavy material might keep the drapes from folding the right way when drawn. In contrast, materials which are too light
might not fall properly. If your room gets plenty of sunlight into it, you’ll also need to choose the type of material that will not fade too quickly.
Almost for any type of function at all, choosing among linen, silk, faux silk, and velvet would be good enough. These materials are great choices for window treatments because they just fall nicely, whether drawn closed or open. Faux silk will especially be great for frequent use because it is often the most durable. It can even outperform real silk when used in a particularly sunny room.
Your choice of fabric will also help you make the room warm or cool. Some types of fabric like suede, tapestry, velvet or tweed are great for the winter because their heavy materials keep the heat from escaping the room. Heavy materials such as these also block outside light from coming in. With a good insulating lining, however, lighter materials can also be used in the cold weather.
Color
If your window is exposed to the sun, there is a big need for you to choose your curtains’ color carefully. Bright colors will fade quickly in the sun which is why neutral colors are advised for especially sunny room. Bright colors, however, can make a room even brighter and seem livelier. If you opt for bright colored curtains, just make sure that you’re changing them more often than usual.
Length and Lining
The length of your curtains should only be just enough to cover the whole window. For a more dramatic effect, hang your curtain a little farther above the window frame. This technique will also enhance your room by making your ceiling higher than it is. You may also consider making your curtains long enough to let it slightly puddled on the floor. A panel fall flush with the floor will also render the room with a crisp, modern look.
As for the curtain’s width, adding a little extra on both sides would add fullness and beauty to your curtain. Simply measure the total width of your window frame and add about ten to fifteen inches on the overall measurement. Adding width to your curtains will not only make the room nicer, but will also help you utilize the glass or open portion into that wall. You can draw the curtains open and expose more glass, giving your room an airy and spacious feeling.
Those extra curtains on the sides will also help you block out the sunlight that would otherwise creep into the room through the sides of your window.
Custom window treatments or getting it right off the shelf?
There are hundreds of window treatments available in the market. As long as you know the dimensions of your window, the look you’re going for and the function you need them to do, the store, both physical and online, will give you plenty of options to choose from. Getting some ready-made window treatments will be very convenient, quick and even way cheaper than having them customized.
On the other hand, custom window treatments also offer some great benefits too. Having window treatments specifically tailored for your place would help you make sure you’re getting exactly what you need and want. Custom window treatments also allow you to explore so many possibilities offered by thousands of inspirations you could find from design magazines and online resources. Needless to say, having your curtains customized would require more planning and spending. But if you think your budget won’t allow it, you could always go to the store and find the best set of window treatments that would look perfect in your room.