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Curtains are a fast way to bring new life and color to any room, and now home decorators can create them more quickly and easily than ever. One clever example: simply clip an attractive tablecloth or tea towel onto a rod. Curtains and drapes will give you the more traditional window covering that you can combine with window shades and blinds.
Choosing a great window treatment idea can be a daunting task if you're not sure where to start.
Measure each window separately and record the measurements on paper. Be sure to check all measurements twice before you purchase a new window treatment. Measuring and installation is available in the Brooklyn, NY area. Measure from the point you'll hang the shade to the point where you want it to drop. Add an extra two inches to the top portion of the window frame to allow for mounting brackets.
There are many types of window treatments to choose from. Aside from the standard curtains and drapes here are: wood blinds, pleated shades, cellular shades, plantation shutters, aluminum mini blinds, and vertical blinds are only a few of the many options available.
Matchstick and bamboo blinds can be found at many imports stores or on the Internet. Wooden vertical blinds offer a vast choice of different natural and stained colors. The lightweight woods which offer paler colors such as ash and beech can create a warming and inviting atmosphere, for a more contemporary and dramatic effect dark woods such as dark oak and rowan are very striking. Don't forget the interior wood shutters. These give a country styled appearance to a home and kitchen. They may be painted in any color that one desires.
Wood, for example, is warm and rich and works well in home offices. Deciding on what type of blind to use in each room can be done with your own creativity or you can hire an interior designer who can offer more helpful advice.
Wood blinds can be cleaned with a cleaner suited for wood surfaces. Use water sparingly, however, as you don't want to damage the wood. Wood shutters are charming and substantial; those that cover only the bottom half of the window protect privacy but let in light, so you'll want to add roller shades or Roman shades on top. Gathered Roman shades, handsome even in simple canvas, look wonderful in a circus stripe. Shades are similar to blinds, but instead of slats, they consist of fabric.
Choosing the right kind of window treatment for your home can get very overwhelming and confusing. You should work from the design style in the room you are decorating and choose a treatment that complements the design. Since most curtains and drapes are simply vertical in design; these can work in any décor. You just have to choose a color that fits and that is done by finding the predominant color and matching it (if there is not a lot of this color) or complementing it to avoid oversaturating the predominant color.
A fabric store is the best place to start; so bring a sample of the predominant color with you.
Window treatments can transform even a mundane window into the focal point of the space. An eye catching pattern or color can draw attention to this area. Window treatments can be treated as a work of art, so be creative and have fun. You can add tassels, flowers or beads. Anything to make it more creative or to fit your particular taste. If you don't like it or change your mind, you can always take it down and replace it with something else that works!
Window treatments can reflect both your home's architecture and your personal style. Window treatments lean more toward simple straight lines. But many of these treatments are being made with luxury fabrics such as velvet, damask and even fur and leather. Using treatments to reduce glare such as sheers can be helpful if the room gets an excessive amount of sunlight.
Draperies are definitely a decorative addition to any room and they tend to be longer than curtains and produced with velvet or cotton (heavy fabrics). A valance is a fabric covering that goes around the curtain rod and they come in many different styles including roman, waterfall valances, blouson, pinch pleat, or box.
Roman Shades look very stylish in the up or down position and anywhere in between. You can combine your roman shades with valances, cornices and/or drapes for a truly designer window treatment combination. Roman shades, in not-too-fussy stripes and fringe look the part in rich, warm tones, and jacquards with simple beading or fringe. As an added touch, Roman shades often make an interesting window treatment because they are a special type of blind made to fold up into continuous, uniform, horizontal layers when raised.
Swags and cascades can be classic or casual. Draw drapes or stationary drapes are a timeless solution appropriate to any decor when installed with the right decorative hardware. Swags of sheer fabric draped across a wide window rings of contemporary elegance. A simple cornice covered in a colorful cotton fabric might be the spark that brings life to a casual room.
Roll up window treatments represent just one of the options that you have but they are undoubtedly one of the best for a number of reasons. They can be moved out of the way for cleaning and give an unobstructed view of the outside.
Curtain hardware can be expensive when you are looking at all the windows in the average house! Try sewing loops of ribbon to the top of your curtains and hanging with cheap cup hooks, or using a dowel covered with tightly shirred fabric. Curtains are a fast way to bring new life and color to any room, and now home decorators can create them more quickly and easily than ever. One clever example: simply clip an attractive tablecloth or tea towel onto a rod. Curtains and drapes will give you the more traditional window covering that you can combine with window shades and blinds.
Choosing a great window treatment idea can be a daunting task if you're not sure where to start.