Window Treatments

Add Personality to Your Home!

When decorating a room, the window treatments are a very important aspect. For one thing, they make up a substantial portion of a wall. Second, during the daytime at least, the light they let in attracts all eyes their way. For these reasons, the window treatments you choose make a big difference in the overall look of the room.

Window treatments can consist of curtains or drapes, shades or blinds, or even shutters. Homes situated in the forest with no neighbors can be left without curtains, but most of us want additional window treatments to insure our privacy. Blinds or shades (the terms are somewhat used interchangeably) are the first component to consider. If you use an inside mount, other components can be layered over the blinds. One advantage to having blinds in addition to, say, ruffled Priscillas, is that you can open and close the blinds without having to redo your tiebacks constantly.

Casual decorating calls for casual window treatments. Bamboo or woven wood blinds provide simple natural window treatments that look good without any other components. Sheer or cotton curtains look nice layered over mini blinds or roll up shades. In more formal rooms, good window treatments include drapes over sheers or vertical blinds made of elegant fabrics. Wood or faux wood blinds can look good in either setting since they have a natural feel but are finished like gleaming fine furniture.

If you are choosing the window treatments for a kitchen, bathroom or laundry room, you need to consider how they will hold up in an area of high humidity. Vinyl blinds do well and can be purchased in styles that look like wood or other natural materials. Particularly in the bathroom you will want to think about the privacy offered by the window treatments, too.

These days, you can shop for your window treatments on-line. Some on-line home decor dealers provide programs in which you can see how different items would look in different rooms. On-line shopping is never rushed and the stores are never closed. Unlike the old "allow 4 to 6 weeks" days, your window treatments will be sent quickly. Shop on-line, and you're sure to find window treatments you'll love.