Monday, January 11, 2021

6 Elements To Consider When Choosing The Perfect Window Dressings For Your Home

Window dressings tend to be an afterthought when decorating. People choose the colors that they want on the walls, pick out all of their furniture, lay their carpets, and then remember that they need some curtains or blinds on the windows. But that’s the wrong way to go about it because the windows are usually a focal point in the room and they need as much consideration as every other aspect. 

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Choosing the right window dressings is more difficult than you might think and colour is only one of the things you need to consider. What about privacy and insulation? Do you want blinds or curtains? Would a pattern work or should you go with something plain? If you can answer all of these questions and choose the perfect window dressings, it really brings a room together. If you are decorating your house and you haven’t thought about blinds and curtains yet, here are the main things you need to consider when choosing window dressings. 

Measurements 

Before you even think about style, you need to decide on the measurements. It’s not just a case of measuring from the top to the bottom of the window either because you have other options. Sometimes, you might decide to have curtains that go from the ceiling all the way to the floor, or maybe you just want them to hang a bit lower than the window sill. The height is very important because it helps to create or reduce the height of the room. So, for example, if the room is quite square shaped and you want to add height, curtains that reach all the way to the ceiling work brilliantly. But in a room with high ceilings that feels quite empty, bringing the curtains lower will make it feel more cosy and welcoming. The width of the curtains is equally important and putting up curtains that are wider than the window can make a space feel larger. Think carefully about what you are trying to achieve in the room and choose your curtain measurements accordingly. 

Light And Insulation 

Next, you need to consider how much light you want to block out and how well insulated the room is. When choosing window dressings for a bedroom, for example, you might decide that you want blackout curtains instead of thin blinds so you don’t get woken up by the sunlight in the mornings. But in other areas of the home, you might want privacy while still letting some light in, in which case, blinds are perfect. 


Think about insulation too, and consider which rooms are the hardest to heat. Rooms with large windows lose a lot of heat and thermal curtains are a great efficiency upgrade to make if you want to save money on your utility bills. 

Curtain Rails 

You probably haven’t put much thought into your curtain rails but it’s important that you do. Firstly, you need to consider the kind of curtains that you are using and what kind of rail is best suited to them. For example, if you have very thick, thermal curtains in your bedroom, you need Heavy Duty Drapery Rods to hold them up. Although thin rails can look great, they only work with lightweight curtains and they may come out of the wall if you hang too much weight on them. 


As well as the weight of the curtains, you should consider style when picking curtain rails. Do you want something with ornate decorative ends or something plain? Look at the decor in the rest of the room and think about what fits best. People often underestimate how much difference the curtain rails can make but they frame the window, which is a central focal point in the room, so they are very noticeable. 

Privacy 

Privacy is a major concern when choosing window dressings, especially in rooms like the bedroom or bathroom. In the bedroom, thick curtains are usually best because you won’t spend much time in there during the day, so light isn’t too much of a concern. However, choosing the right window dressings for the bathroom can be tricky. It’s a small space and if you use heavy duty window dressings, you will block out all of the light. Blinds are a great choice because you can still allow some light in while also maintaining privacy. Finding the right balance between privacy and other factors is essential when choosing window dressings for your home. 

Colour And Pattern

Picking the right colour is obviously important as well, and it needs to match the rest of the room. If you use a colour that doesn’t fit with the overall colour scheme in the room, the window will look out of place and feel jarring. However, you do want it to stand out, so don’t use the same colour that you have on the surrounding walls. 


When it comes to patterned curtains, you need to be very careful. Patterns can work brilliantly but only when used sparingly, so consider the size of the window. If you have a large bay window, for example, and you cover it with heavily patterned curtains, it can be overpowering and make the room look too busy. On a small window, they are much more effective but it’s best to avoid heavy patterns on large windows. 

Material

There is a range of different curtain materials available and they each have their benefits and drawbacks, so make your decision carefully. Polyester is a popular one because it’s cheap, durable, and easy to care for. However, it’s not the best for kitchens because it holds odours and it’s very flammable. Linen is great for living areas because it lets a lot of light through while also maintaining your privacy, but it is dry clean only, so it takes more work to look after. Cotton is a very versatile option because, depending on the tightness of the weave, it blocks varying degrees of light. It’s important that you consider the benefits and drawbacks of each material when making your choice. 


Finding the right window dressings for your home isn’t as simple as you might think, but as long as you weigh up all of these factors, you can find the perfect option for every room.









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