These curtains with a modern trellis pattern pair beautifully with the shutters in this Dallas home.
When it comes to home decorating, choosing window treatments can be one of the most daunting parts of the process. Even when you know exactly what you want, finding drapery in the right size and color for your Dallas home can be tricky. On the other hand, you might feel like there are just too many options to choose from. If you could use ideas on where to begin, read on for some interior designer tips.
The first step to choosing window treatments is to decide whether you want 'hard' or 'soft' window treatments. Hard treatments include blinds, shades, and shutters, while soft treatments include drapes and curtains.
Drapes and Curtains
Striped curtains with bright colors were used for the formal living room in SMU's new Kappa Alpha Theta house.
The words ‘curtains' and 'drapes' are used synonymously by many people but actually have different definitions. Curtains are unlined and can run to any length. Because they’re unlined, they are more lightweight than drapes and come in a wider variety of colors and patterns. Drapes, which are more formal, are lined to block out light, often run from the top of the window to the floor, and are usually made of heavier fabrics such as velvet, damask, or silk.
Once you’ve decided on the kind of soft window treatment you’d like, you'll need to decide on color, fabric, length, and hardware. If you are buying your own fabric, see if the store will let you take home a swatch. By bringing back a swatch, you can test how the texture of the fabric will look in the light of your space. Remember that patterns will look very different in person than they will in a sample image. Stripes, for example, will not look as straight in the folds of a curtain, and small-scale patterns will lose their detail from a distance.
Fabrics
We chose sheer curtains for this living room in Kessler Park. They allow plenty of natural light to filter through.
Heavier fabrics are considered to be formal, while lighter fabrics feel much more casual. Choose heavier fabrics for a luxurious look, as they are well suited for full-length drapes with pinched pleats. If you don't need much privacy in a room, you can let in more light with sheer curtains. Regardless of what material you use, choose colors that harmonize with the rest of the room. You never want your window treatments to distract from a beautiful view (or the room itself)!
Length
Length is important to consider as well. Some homeowners like to emphasize the height of their rooms by running drapes from ceiling to floor. A crisper look is created by letting curtains hang just above the floor. You can also have 'cafe-style' curtains that only cover the lower half of the window: the kitchen is a great place for curtains like these.
Buying store-bought drapes will be less expensive than buying your own fabric, but these drapes don't always come in a wide range of styles and colors. If you buy curtains or drapes from the store, keep looking until you find something you love. You can bring the whole look together with carefully chosen hardware, finials, and ties.
Trends
Trends in curtains and drapes today include patterns, grommets, and vertical and horizontal banding. Since patterns have enjoyed a recent upswing in popularity, you can expect to see a variety of geometric, floral, trellis and stripe patterns when you shop. Valances are not as common as they used to be, but can still be useful for softening the look of an otherwise undecorated window, hiding hardware, or adding color to a set of blinds. The latest trend in hardware is to use small finials and thin rods made of metal for a more understated look. Pinch pleats have always been a classic choice, but looser pleats and inverted box pleats are popular for contemporary homes.
Valances are common in traditional design, making them a good choice for these drapes in a University Park chateau.
Even after exploring all of your options at the fabric store, you may find it difficult to get the exact color and sizes you need. In this case, an interior designer can help you order the perfect custom window treatments.
Shades, Blinds, and Shutters
Whether you should choose hard, or soft window treatments depends on your needs for each room. Consider the following: do you need to protect your colorful furnishings from the sun? Will glare make it difficult to watch TV? Will insulating your windows with shades help keep down the cost of heating your home? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes,’ you may want to install hard treatments. Many homeowners choose shades, blinds, or shutters when they want to control the light in their room without introducing a lot of texture and color.
Shades
Shades offer privacy, light control, and a clean-cut look. They can be made of either synthetic or organic materials, and come in a wide range of styles. Roller shades are a good choice for contemporary homes because of their minimalistic look; meanwhile, woven and wood shades fit with casual chic and rustic rooms. Honeycomb and cellular shades are also great insulation for your windows.
Here you can see an example of patterned Roman shades. The colors match with the grays and blues throughout the house.
Cloth shades such as Roman or balloon shades feature the patterns and soft look you normally get with drapery. The difference is that unlike drapes, cloth shades have an easy up-and-close function. Choosing cloth shades over drapes can also save space in tight areas, such as between corner windows. One brand of grasscloth shades, Conrad Shades, is only available through interior designers. These shades are custom-woven to fit the size of your window.
Some people combine Roman shades with curtains. To make this look work, you’ll need to make sure there will be space left between the two of them. You can either install the shades inside the window frame or situate the rod so that there is enough depth between the curtains and shades.
Blinds
Unlike shades, blinds can be tilted with louvers to let in light at an angle. Blinds are usually made of either aluminum, wood, or faux-wood. Wood blinds are a classic choice that suits many different decorating styles. They are also offered in a variety of finishes, such as bamboo and pine. Faux wood blinds will not warp over time, so they are a smart choice for people living in high humidity climates.
When you buy blinds, you have multiple options for the slat sizes. For reference, the most commonly chosen slat size for blinds is two inches. A good rule of thumb is that the slat size should match the size of your window: large slats for large windows, and small slats for small windows. Two-inch slats are what you’d usually choose for medium-size windows.
Shutters
This Dallas ranch home that we updated featured plenty of wood shutters.
Shutters are made of either wood or vinyl and are more of an expensive, long-term option. Unlike blinds and shades, they do not lift to reveal the view, but can be opened out at the hinges from within the window frame. Shutters add sophistication and architectural detail to your windows. In the end, they can even increase the value of your home. Regular shutters and blinds have one inch of space between louvers. Plantation shutters have two to three inches of space, which lets you see more of the view.
Not sure what kind of blinds, shades, or shutters would work best for your Dallas home? Since window treatments can be a big commitment, some people prefer to seek a professional opinion. At Chambers Interiors, we help our clients find the best treatments for their windows. To set up your free consultation, call us at 214-232-9501, or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com.