In the beginning, there was the window - square-cornered and covered with draperies.
Then came the glass arch, the peaked picture window, the round porthole in the master suite. None could be curtained. Yet people sought privacy, light control, energy efficiency.Along came the pleated shade, the honeycomb, the new Silhouette blind-and-sheer combined, and all was covered.
Granted, that chronology is a bit simplistic, but there has been a revolution in window coverings. Full-size draperies have gone the way of the dodo bird.
"They're heavy. And they're expensive," explains interior designer Char Carbone Jones.
They have been replaced by the cleaner, fresher, sleeker, cheaper and more flexible kinds of treatments. Most are functional enough to stand on their own, although some people use them behind more traditional full-size curtains.
Many first-time homeowners install blinds or shades and let it go at that, says Jones, owner of Distinctive Designs Inc. in Denver.
The effect is clean, open and simple, says Jones, although it is a little harsh for some people's tastes. But as finances improve, Jones says, "people can come back for a fabric valance to soften the look."
Miniblinds are the least expensive option. They come in hundreds of colors, fit almost any size window and can be custom-made to fill arches and other odd-size openings.
Pleated shades are one step up from miniblinds. They're made from non-woven material similar to very thin felt and also come in hundreds of colors. One drawback: Unlike miniblinds, pleated shades either block outside light or let it all in.
New versions are available with sheer fabric for lighter rooms or black-out panels for dark rooms.
Honeycomb pleated shades are more energy-efficient and more expensive. Imagine two pleated shades placed back to back, trapping tubes of air between them. The "honeycombs" of air act as insulation.
The first honeycomb shade was designed in Colorado by an architect interested in energy efficiency and was made of Mylar. Hunter Douglas bought the design, added beauty to its function and introduced it as Duette in 1985, according to brand manager Terese Theisen.
Hunter Douglas also has invented the most popular high-end treatment, the Silhouette window shade that combines the elegance of sheers with the convenience of miniblinds and the light-blocking ability of shades.
"We invented it in Broomfield after doing consumer research," says brand manager Mary Lonergan. "It's two sheer panels with woven vanes between them."
The effect is soft and sophisticated, yet functional.
Although they're the most expensive of all the window shadings, Silhouettes are still cheaper than custom-made draperies, says Jones.
Window coverings for a new home average $2,000 to $5,000 and can go as high as $10,000, according to Jones.
And although most shades and blinds come in brilliant colors, Sherry Krogman of Distinctive Designs advises clients to choose white or neutral colors that match walls or carpeting.
Window treatments of various types can be difficult for the non-professional to envision, but a new computer software system developed by Bob Leo of Drapery Service & Design in Denver, "Pictures & Prices," is making it much easier. It works like this: A designer carrying fabric samples and a laptop computer with printer visits a client in his home. The software allows the designer to put images of a given treatment on the computer screen, estimate fabric yardage required, price the job and give the client a picture of it.
Kristine Niermeyer, owner of Prime Designs Interior Designs in Arvada, Colo., says the system helps put consumers at ease by taking a lot of the guesswork out of selecting window coverings.