Most people don’t like a cake without icing. A cake without icing looks naked! Window coverings in your home are the same as icing on a cake. Without window coverings a home looks oddly unfriendly. With the views unframed, the rooms will appear unfinished and cold.
Here are my designer tips on how to dress those panes of glass in style.
My personal favourite for most windows is drapery. As a designer I believe drapes bring a warm aesthetic to your home, tying together the architecture of your home with the furnishings within. Drapery panels can magically make a window look wider, taller and bigger. They soften the cold look of a window and add warmth and texture to any space. Beyond aesthetics, drapes also provide a practical purpose. They can deliver darkness on demand and even keep your home cool in the summer and warm in winter.
There are two ways to decorate with drapery: Fully closing drapery is where the drapes can be pulled closed across the entire window span to block light and provide privacy. Decorative side panels, on the other hand, won’t pull to cover the window but offer the illusion that they do. Side panels are a cost effective way to get the dramatic drapery look and require less fabric and less sewing. I like to use decorative panels when using some other form of blind or shade for privacy and layer the two together.
Roman Shades are another popular style of window treatment today that will help to dress up your windows. They are especially good at visually adding height in your space. Installing a roman shade above a window frame will give the illusion that the window is much taller.
I personally like to layer my window treatments whenever I can. Opting for side panels and then some type of blind, whether Roman, Roller or Traditional Wood blinds though my favourite part of designing window treatments is selecting the fabric. Any window treatment can be made into a traditional or contemporary style depending on the type of fabric you choose. Today there are many places to find great fabric options that will offer great fresh patterns and texture. The fabric you choose will help pull the design of a room together. I always use drapery fabric as my inspiration and jumping off point for any decorating scheme. A great go to resource to look at is Maxwell Fabrics. Here you will find a vast array of styles and options perfect for any interior style as well as add in your much needed trending beautiful hardware from companies like Deco & Deco to finish the overall look.
With the right window fabric you too can create more visual interest and a luxurious feel in your home. Whatever type or style you choose, adding window treatments to your space is what elevates a nice house into a well designed home.
Rebecca Hay, is the Principal Designer of Rebecca Hay Designs Inc. This Toronto award winning boutique design firm for over decade has been offering complete design & renovation services for residential, commercial and vacation properties. Known and celebrated for her design work and appearances on various acclaimed HGTV shows, Rebecca and her team design classic livable spaces that reflect their owner’s personality. Servicing clientele throughout Canada.