If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then are your windows are the eyes to your home? To keep your neighbor’s eyes from looking IN your home, you need window treatments. But what kind?
We’re here to help with a handy guide!
- Drapery: The traditional choice of European royalty, drapery runs the gamut from old-world elegance to contemporary chic. It can be made from almost any fabric except for the very heavy or very stiff. Each fabric will give a different feeling – choose linen for beachy casual, silk for refined formal, velvet for rich & cozy or go sheer for a light, airy style.
- Cost: From $$ to $$$ – the more fabric the higher the price.
- Pros: Insulating, adds softness and warmth, can be dramatic with color or pattern.
- Cons: Can be expensive (especially for large windows), can be unwieldy to operate.
- Roman Shades: A simpler way to get pretty fabrics on your windows, roman shades use less fabric than drapery to cover the same space. The best fabrics are more structured but lightweight. Or you can go with more organic textures like grasses or bamboo for a more worldly look.
- Cost: From $ to $$$ – depends on the fabric and size, plus motorization options.
- Pros: Add the color and pattern of fabric without the big expense of drapery, good for windows in tight spaces. Can order top-down to keep privacy while letting in light.
- Cons: Can be heavy to operate when large, can be deceptively expensive with some fabrics.
- Cellular Shades: A no-frills way to manage light and heat. Pockets of air in the ‘cells’ help insulate your windows.
- Cost: $ to $$ – typically inexpensive, especially in standard (rather than custom) sizes.
- Pros: Insulating, modern & clean, easy to operate, especially when cordless. Can be ordered top-down.
- Cons: Not many color or pattern options, some tear easily and can collect dust.
- Roller Shades: A simple panel of fabric on a roll, these shades have been in style since the 1800’s. Fabrics range from decorative to UV-filtering.
- Cost: $ – usually the least expensive option, though watch out for those customizations and motorization as they will drive the price up.
- Pros: Simple & modern, wide variety of fabrics. Can only order top-down through specialty custom fabricators.
- Cons: Not very insulating, and can have ‘light leakage’ if mounted inside a window frame as they don’t fill the whole width.
Now that you have a handle on the different styles, go forth and dress up those windows!
Images via Blindster, Smith & Noble, JCPenney & The Shade Store