Blog Post

Best Practices for Layering Window Treatments

  • By Admin
  • 21 Aug, 2019
Layering Window Treatments — Interior Decoration in Sandy, UT

Windows do more than let in natural light or present the view outside. They're often also an integral aspect of your interior decorating. Every window should be dressed. If you want to do more than just hang blinds or shades, look into the best practices of layering your treatments.

Choose a Design Style

Your room may already have a décor style. Your window treatments should at least compliment that style. They can even help further the look of the style. For example, you might choose window treatments based on the kind of ambiance you want in that room, say light and airy for a beach theme or formal for a French countryside theme.

In that vein, you should choose the kind of effect you want to create with your window treatments. Do you want them to recede into the background or be an integral part of your décor? Also, consider where along the spectrum between casual and formal you want the treatment to be. Typically, formal treatments take more layers.

Start With your Base

The base of your window treatments is your light control. You have several options for this layer, including shades, blinds, and sheer curtains. Within each of those categories, you also have subsets.

The basic style of shade is the roller shade, which you pull up and down for light control. You can also choose Roman shades, which often feature pattern and even texture. They also stack in folds, the bottom of which can be decorative. Another option is the woven bamboo shade.

With blinds, the Venetian style is the basic choice. You can look for sturdier materials, such as wood, and wider louvers for a more substantial impact. Plantation shutters are in this category. They're a sturdy version of wooden blinds with wide louvers attached to a frame.

With sheer curtains, you mostly will choose color and level of sheerness. As with all the above base layer options, your choices will help drive the overall appearance of your window treatments.

Pick Your Decorative Layer

Your decorative layer consists of the outer drapes. They will drive the style of your window treatments the most of any layer. You have a myriad of choices including pattern, colors, textures, and fabrics. Likewise, you'll want to decide length, which includes whether you want them to pool at the bottom like a ball gown.

With this layer, you'll also need to decide on tiebacks. If you want a frame-like effect, consider adding metal or fabric tiebacks to the mix. Tying back the decorative layer does mean the pattern won't be as visible, so keep that in mind when deciding if you want this addition.

Look Into Rods and Brackets

To get the most functionality out of your window treatments, each layer should have its own curtain rod. If you opt for a shade or blinds, the base layer has brackets instead of a rod. If you choose sheer curtains, install a rod directly above the window.

The decorative layer is often much thicker than the first. It's also the most prominent layer. The rod here will be above the base layer's and should also extend beyond the window. The reason for the extension is because you'll typically have the outer drapes framing the window.

Consider Window Toppers

A final layer you can add is a window topper. For more casual window treatments, you'll probably omit this layer.

Window toppers include swags, valances, and cornices. Swags are a panel of fabric on top that hang in an arc. You'd probably choose these over curtain panels as a decorative layer.

Valances consist of a strip of fabric that hangs across the top of the window. They can look like a mini curtain, or they can be more decorative.

A cornice is essentially a structured valance. It consists of a box of plywood covered in fabric, paint, or wallpaper. A cornice adds architecture to the window.

Create ambiance with layered window treatments. For advice and the draperies themselves, contact House of Drapery & Blinds.

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When you're about to become a new parent, the décor of your nursery often becomes a big focus. Many new parents choose themes, such as circus or nature, while others employ a color scheme. As with any other room in the home, the window treatments help finish the look. However, you also need certain functionality in the nursery.

Keep reading for tips to help you choose window treatments for your baby's nursery.

Keep Safety in Mind

Your first priority when choosing anything for the nursery is safety. Granted, newborns don't interact much with their surroundings, but you'll probably keep your nursery décor even once your baby reaches the crawling stage. With that in mind, you want to choose window treatments that are safe for your baby.

For one, avoid drapes that reach to the floor — you don't want your baby to become entangled in them or to pull them down. For the same reason, consider cordless blinds. You can even choose motorized blinds, which operate with a switch or an app. Finally, avoid any trim or accessories small enough to become a choking hazard.

Look for Ease of Operation

Your next focus should be window treatments that are easy to operate. Once you become a parent, ease of operation will become paramount. You will often have a baby cradled in one arm, so you want items that are easy to operate with the other hand.

So, when looking at window treatments, avoid any that require both hands to operate, such as corded shades or heavy drapes. Pay attention to the overall function, too. For instance, if you choose shutters, make sure they operate smoothly.

Look Into Blackout Blinds

Another practical focus is the level of light control. In many rooms, you may favor a filtered light. Design-wise, you may like this level of light for your nursery, too. However, keep in mind you'll eventually be putting your baby down while it's still light out — you don't want the sunlight to keep your baby awake.

To that end, look into blackout blinds. They affix to the window frame snugly, and they completely block the sunlight from coming in. If you want the option of the filtered light, look into layered window treatments. You could hang semi-transparent curtain panels for when your baby is awake.

Opt for a Neutral Background

You may want window treatments that provide a neutral backdrop. So, you might start with the blackout shades as your base layer and add sheer curtains in a neutral color. White is popular, but you could also opt for a beige or greige neutral.

This approach works for a couple different situations. For one, a current trend is to move toward natural materials and décor. So, you may choose a lot of neutral colors and soft materials anyway. The approach also works in the opposite circumstance. If you already have a lot of bold colors in your décor, you may not want to add to it with your window treatments.

Stick to Your Décor Vision

Your décor vision will help you make most of the design choices. For example, you may choose the material based on a theme or general target ambiance. If you like the idea of an all-natural nursery, you may look into bamboo shades or linen curtains. If you want structure in your treatments, you might look into wood blinds or even shutters.

A décor theme will definitely drive your choice in nursery window treatments. Besides thematic curtain panels, Roman shades are one of the easiest ways to inject pattern into your window treatments. You can also find roller shades with designs on them.

The other design driving force is your color palette. Many parents adhere to the traditional gender-based palettes, but many opt for bright, gender-neutral palettes. Either way, window treatments in your target color palette can serve as the centering force of your entire nursery décor. You could even start with a pattern in your draperies and carry the palette through the rest of the room.

Try some of the above tips to help you choose window treatments for your nursery. When you're ready to explore your options, consult with House of Drapery & Blinds.
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