One of the most important tasks in home decorating is choosing window coverings. Your window covering choice depends on several factors: how much natural light you want in the room, whether you need privacy from the street or neighbors, the colors that will work in your room and how much you can afford.



Here are the eight steps that need to be taken in choosing a window covering:

1. Choose the color of the draperies. Do you want them to blend in with your wall and furniture colors or do you want them to "pop."

2. Decide on whether you need sheers with your drapery and the weight of the fabric (for privacy). You will also need to determine what type of fabric that you want. Silk draperies would work for a more formal room. You may also want to consider using window shades or wooden shutters depending upon the style of your room.

3. Do you want a plain or a patterned fabric? Choose carefully because you don't want large patterned draperies to clash with the fabric you may have on your furniture.

4. Decide on whether or not you need insulated draperies. Insulated drapes make your draperies hang better and help prevent cold air from entering a room in winter months. Insulated drapes are also used to block out light in a bedroom for people who like to sleep in or for city dwellers who have a lot of light from street lamps and traffic. They can also mute the sounds of city living.

5. Measure your windows. Be sure to add six to eight inches for the hang from drapery rods to the top of the window and from the bottom of the window to the floor.

6. Choose the appropriate drapery hardware or curtain rods that will fit your window. Other drapery hardware you may need, are tie-backs, curtain rings and finials.

7. After you have determined the type, color and size of the draperies that you need, decide on whether they will be custom made or ready made. Ready made draperies are much less expensive than custom draperies. They can be found in many different styles and colors. Ready made draperies are also pre-made in different weights of fabrics. Some people use ready-made sheers with custom draperies added over the top.

8. Once all of the above decisions have been made, it's time to go shopping. You can purchase ready made drapes from department stores, custom draperies from home interior design shops or just purchase the fabric and make them yourself. It all depends on the cost and the creation difficulty of the style that you have chosen.

Whether or not you use an interior designer, your choices for window coverings determines a lot about how your room will look when it is finished. Choosing window coverings and hardware is an important part of your home decorating projects.