Window Coverings

A window or door treatment is an interior decorating element placed on, in, around, or over a window or door. Often, a goal of professional window/door treatment is to install the elements which enhance the aesthetics of the window/door and the room.  As the term indicates, treatments can be more than mere coverings.  Treating windows/doors is thought of as “packaging” them as a design element rather than simply covering them for function. Coverings are used to protect privacy, insulate heat and cold, and filter light; and while many people consider window/door treatments more aesthetic, they too can be functional.

Treatments for covering the window/door may include:

Hard treatments – Hard treatments are made of hard materials like wood or vinyl.

Shutters are usually installed into the window frame and are horizontal slats, made either of wood or a poly resin that can either be stationary or tilt. They do not move up and down like blinds but in certain applications can fold across the window. Types of shutters include:

Wood shutters
Poly resin shutters

Blinds have blades which allow one to open to a view without lifting the shade. It allows one to manipulate the light to create a customized feel. The name blinds comes from their use in blocking people from seeing into a home; they essentially “blind the observers view”. Over time, many new options and designs have developed, including anti-dust features and fabric tapes for blinds.

Types of blinds include:

Wooden blinds
Faux wood blinds (Also known as Plaswood)
Aluminum blinds

Shades are a piece of fabric which rolls, stacks or folds, opening to a view only when the shade is rolled up. That was the classic definition, now certain shades do allow for “view through”.
Soft treatments are anything made of soft materials.

Curtains
Drapery
Sheers

Treatments applied to directly to the glass include:

Frosted glass
Smart glass
Stained glass

 

Curtains and Blinds

While blinds are common in many modern homes, curtains retain a classic appeal and are superior for insulation to retain heat in winter. Curtains and Drapes are used interchangedly for the same thing – window coverings, sometimes to the floor, and now there are sheers, which are light-weight and semitransparent privacy and shade screens

 

Along with carpet and wallpaper or paint, they have a powerful influence on the styling of a room.

 

They can be very expensive, especially if custom-made, so if you want curtains you need to plan thoroughly. When possible choose your carpet and curtain fabrics before you choose your paint colours.

 

Running up curtains can be hard work – measure thrice and drill once ! We recommend using the services of a specialist

 

Here are some points to consider when choosing curtains.

 

Cost
Your first task is to set a budget. It will likely save time looking at products that may not suit your situation. Custom-made curtains and blinds are almost always a lot dearer than ready-made products.

 

Measurements
Measure up very carefully before ordering or buying; then measure again, and again, and ensure you include the space to the side of the window

 

The length of the drop will depend on whether you want the curtains to trail or hang.

 

If hanging, they ideally want to end about 10mm above the floor or sill. Also, give thought to the size of the room: often lifting the poles/tracks 100–200mm above the window aperture, or even up to the ceiling, will make the room feel bigger. At the very least, poles should be 150mm above the aperture.

 

Always use one consistent scale of measurement, i.e. cm or mm, throughout, to prevent confusion. When measuring for drops, do so at two or three different points across the window aperture (i.e. to left, right and centre) to ensure consistency and accuracy.

 

Remember that the track or pole needs to project to either side of the window aperture; around 150mm is usually sufficient to contain the curtains when they are open.

 

If you’re opting for custom-made curtains, note that the width of material will need to be almost twice the width of the pole or track, to allow for a ‘full’ look with plenty of gather (pleating) when the curtains are drawn shut.

Ready-mades are a cheaper option and adequate for thermal purposes if bought to fully cover the windows (check the length!) but the quality of fabric and the finishing will generally be inferior to custom made.

 

Alternatives
If your home is to have a contemporary look, use sunscreen blinds as sun filters instead of sheers. This gives nice clean lines to the window and looks great from the outside, too, though the thermal qualities are not as good as curtains.

 

Not every room in the house has to have the same fabric or style. Plain fabrics may be best for a formal room, while another room may want a more casual, breezy approach through patterned, floral or striped fabrics.

 

Traditional blinds and drapes are longstanding window treatments that have remained in favour for decades, withstanding new options like venetian blinds and vertical blinds.

 

One of the strongest arguments with using drapes or blinds is their value in keeping heat inside the home in winter, and outside in summer.

When hung properly, curtains especially, and drapes to a lesser degree, provide a thermal block from the heated room to the outside through the windows, especially in older homes where single pane glass prevails. Even with double-glazed windows, a good thermal drape will add to the insulation properties, keeping you toasty and warm and heating bills low.

On top of that, they add a layer to the interior design of any room, offering a point of colour and/or pattern difference to the rest of the room, and sound quieting to lower annoying reverberation that can be a feature of rooms with few soft furnishings.