Window treatments provide the finishing touch to any room. Their design, and your choice of fabric and colors, can further establish a feeling or mood that other elements in your home initiate.
And window treatments also afford privacy, help with sunlight control (and fading fabrics) and are a major aid in keeping rooms cool in summer and warm in winter.So, with as many creative curtains, shades and drapes on the market as there are today, it shouldn't come as a surprise that so many of us have trouble deciding what types of window treatments are best suited for the various spaces in our homes.
Many factors should be considered before you run out and purchase window treatments for your home. Are there really any hard and fast rules? How do you decide on your "look"? Are draperies better than shades? And one of the most important considerations for a professional-looking finished window treatment: How do you measure correctly?
Not only are they expensive, but in many cases window treatments are non-returnable. Before purchasing anything, look through magazines and design books to see what types of window treatments appeal to you and what types work well with different interiors. And, if you can, visit a designer showcase house: They're a great source of inventive window ideas.
These treatments can vary from mini-blinds to soft Roman shades, from voluminous jabots and swags to severely tailored tab curtains and from feminine balloon shades to simple lace panels. Decide what appeals to you and what works best with your interiors and taste (not to mention your pocketbook).
Also, consider what task you want the window treatments to perform. If you need privacy, for example, full draperies or Roman shades crafted of lace or other opaque materials may be an appropriate solution. If you wish to retain heat in a room, lined panels that completely cover the window space may be just right. Jabots and ornamental swags are perfect aesthetic additions to finish an interior.
If you're undecided, ask for assistance from an interior designer or a sales associate specializing in window treatments.
Once you're comfortable with your selection of the treatment, your next step is a careful and precise measurement of the dimensions of the window. Be sure to measure the width and height within the window frame. Additionally, measure the width of the window frame, the depth of the window, the height of the window from the sill to the ceiling, the height of the window from the floor to the sill and the measurement from the top of the window frame to the ceiling line.
If a wall contains more than one window, be certain to measure the distances between windows.
Once you start shopping for window treatments, be selective. Compare cost, quality and workmanship. If you are purchasing custom window treatments, be certain that the cost includes having the professional come to your home and measure your windows prior to fabrication.
Remember to bring samples of the color, fabrics and floor covering that already exist in the room; do not rely on memory alone. What you may remember as a blue carpet may actually be teal.