Interior Design Window Treatments
Practical and Stylish Tips and Advice

Discover practical, interior design window treatment tips and advice, to bring you a stylish home.

Are the eyes the windows to your soul? Or is it that windows are the eyes and soul of your home?

Without a doubt, your windows, together with your curtains or blinds are an all important aspect to your interior design scheme.

Think about your window treatments carefully - it really isn't worth rushing or skimping on your interior design window treatments decisions.

Read on to find out more ....

Tips for choosing curtains to suit your room

• Try to enhance your windows, as a focal point to your room.

  If your window is an attractive architectural feature in its own right, you will want to dress your windows in a way that will emphasize the features - without obscuring them.

• If your window is quite ordinary, plain or ugly, you might want to use curtains or blinds to conceal the problem.

  Check out which styles and designs of curtain or blind suit different types and styles of window - some great window treatment tips.

Think about proportion and scale

• It is important that you consider the scale and proportion of your window, and the room in general, when choosing your curtains or blinds.
• Low ceilinged rooms will appear taller, if you position your curtain pole or track high up, close to the ceiling or coving.

  Also use long, floor length curtains, to make your room appear taller.

  A valance or pelmet will help with this too.

• Make a narrow window, or a narrow wall, appear wider, by using a longer curtain pole or track, and extending it quite a distance on either side of the window itself.
• Use short, sill length curtains to make your window or room appear wider.
• If you have a large room feel free to use opulent and heavy, draping fabrics such as velvets and damasks.

  These look good in large, luxurious rooms, but take care in a small room, as they can get a bit overpowering.

Architectural considerations

• Do consider the architecture of your room, and especially the window itself, when choosing your interior design window treatments.
• If you have a timber architrave (frame) around your window frame (rather than just a plaster recess) it tends to look better if you keep your curtains inside the timber frame.
• If your window is set within a plaster recess (rather than within a timber frame) it looks better if you position your curtains on the outside of the recess.

Let the light in

• Consider the light coming in from a window too - after all, giving light is really the main purpose of a window!
• If your windows are small, or north-facing, giving little light, do try, as much as possible, not to obscure any of the light coming into the room, with your interior design window treatments.

  Extend the pole or track well beyond the window at each side, so that the curtain can be pulled back well clear of the glass.

• If you are not overlooked and so not so concerned about privacy, you may want to leave your window totally 'undressed', or just stick to 'sheers' (transparent nets and voiles).
• Sheer curtains are actually also a very good choice if you are actually overlooked, or at all concerned about privacy.

  In this case, the sheers will be used during the daytime, with additional curtains to be drawn at night.

  Don't forget, if you are using sheers, that when you put the light on they do become see-through - not so private!

Nets and sheers are not just practical - they suit any style or look - but don't they look fab in this pretty country style?

Traditional and period styles

• If you have a period property, and choose to decorate your home in a traditional style, it is best to stick to traditionally styled curtains too.

  Traditional, period style curtains can actually be made up quite inexpensively, using plain fabrics such as calico, and adding more luxurious fringing or tassles.

• Even if you are going for a period style, remember the proportions and style of your home too.

  Period style curtains for a palace or stately home will be quite different from period style curtains for a normal home, from the same year.

  Each would look very odd and inappropriate, in the wrong surroundings!

• To get an easy country cottage curtain style, put frills along your curtain edges, or use a 'cafe-curtain' (covering just the bottom half of the window).

Modern curtain styles

• Very modern curtain styles are actually very simple - straight panels, hanging simply from un-gathered tops - tab tops, eyelets or clips.
• You can choose a fuller look, without it looking fussy or stuffy! Soft, draping curtains, in light weight fabrics, with swags and tie-backs, will really soften up your whole look.
• Plain curtains, narrow curtains and roller blinds will all give your room a simple, clean, modern look.

Choose your curtain length

• It used to be recommended that curtains finish just a little bit above the sill.

  This may be very practical, especially if you have a radiator right under your window - but, it can look quite unattractive.

• It is becoming common these days for curtains to finish below the window ledge.

  An ideal length is said to be somewhere between 6 inches (15cm) below your window ledge, down to a position half-way between the window ledge and the floor.

  In this way, you get the style, elegance and drape of longer curtains, but without the formality of full length curtains.

Fullness and fabric

• Sumptuous, gathered curtains give a very luxurious look - but can seem overpowering, or even a little old-fashioned.
• For more information about the different types of fabric that you can use for your curtains, click here for the window treatment fabrics guide.

Choosing curtain color

• When you choose your colors for your interior design window treatments, consider how your curtains will look both open and closed.

  When closed your curtains will form quite a large block of color (and perhaps pattern) in your room. Can your room cope with this?

• Choose either, colors which blend seamlessly with the wall color (perhaps with a small or subtle pattern)...

  Or bright, contrasting colors which will call attention to themselves, and be a focal point to the room.

Learn more window treatment tips - there is a curtain style for every type of window.

Angelica has a question about drapes for her tall ceilings

Learn more about the different styles of curtain - and find your best curtain decorating idea and style.

Read about the different styles of blinds for windows - which style will suit your room the best?

Buying fabric? Or making your own interior design window treatments? Read easy-to-follow instructions for measuring for window treatments - don't make an expensive mistake!

Still need more info? Look at my selection of window treatment books here!



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