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When choosing which way to dress the many windows in your home, the options available are wide and many. A good window dressing design can totally transform a room and make a bold design statement too. Browsing design magazines and lifestyle social media sites throws up so many beautiful choices, it can feel a bit overwhelming as to which method to opt for. Often, two options can work together beautifully but how do you choose? In this article, we look at a few of the options available to help you dress your windows for success.
Curtains
Curtains serve both decorative and practical purposes, keeping a room warm and dark when needed but can also change the look and feel of a room, simply by choice of fabric and type of heading. Thick, sumptuous velvet can add a touch of warmth and opulence, whilst lighter cottons and linens with tab headers can add a feel of simplicity and lightness. Curtains give many layering options – layer over blinds for increased warmth, privacy and light control or over gauzy voiles for a romantic feel. Budget and location can determine which curtaining to opt for – ready made curtains are limited to standard lengths and widths but are a more affordable option than made to measure. Although full length curtains are not considered a practical option for bathrooms or kitchen, why not try café style curtains instead, such as these chic examples from Wayfair. Curtain headers, such as pleats and goblet styles add a classic touch or try metal eyelets or tabs for easy open and closure.
Voiles and Nets
Nets and voiles add a light and airy feel to a room in a pretty, romantic way, whilst offering privacy and light diffusing options, often being layered under curtaining. Although nets are generally still limited to whites and cream shade options, voiles come in a range of colours and have a higher thread count per square inch than nets, extending a greater level of privacy. Usually made from man-made fibres for an inexpensive way to cover your windows, voiles and nets offer the additional benefit of allowing the cool breeze to come through the window but keeping pesky insects and dust at bay – useful if you have allergies! Easy to wash and maintain, it’s not hard to see why voile and nets are a very popular choice for window treatments. Dunelm provide inspiration for some very pretty and colourful options for voiles and nets.
Blinds
When selecting blinds to dress your windows, the choice of colours, fabrics and styles is staggering. It’s important to select the right style of blind to suit the shape of each individual window, whilst considering the activities that take place in each room (heat in kitchens or moisture in bathrooms, for example) along with which privacy, light control and practical options you wish to have. Blinds make the perfect partner to standard curtaining to add warmth and style. Roller blinds are often the most affordable style to opt for, whilst venetian and vertical blinds offer directional light control. INTU blinds are an innovative, modern blind option, giving you the perfect way to dress patio doors and bifold, without interfering in the functionality of the doors themselves. If you feel a little overwhelmed at where to start, Good Housekeeping provide a practical blinds guide to help you get started.
Shutters
Shutters have become a very popular choice for window dressing in the UK and it’s not hard to see why. Previously they were only seen in countries with summer temperatures a lot warmer than ours. The solid, stable construction of shutters afford adjustable light control and superb privacy. Plantation shutters, commonly seen in the Deep South of the USA, have the benefit of a practical choice of inside or outside mounting, to make a room appear larger if desired. Most commonly available in plain wood or neutral shades for a natural textural feel, shutters can also be painted a desired shade for many more design options. Easy to clean and offering a choice of slat widths, shutters make a clean and simple design statement whilst offering a wealth of practicality. Real Homes gives a helping hand in the form of a practical guide to choosing shutters for your home.
From romantic, floaty voiles, to earthy toned wooden blinds and shutters. From rich and opulent velvet drapes to cool cotton covers, there is a window dressing option to enhance and accentuate any décor!
