Rugs are the perfect design accessory for a room. They’re stylish, functional, and serve as the definitive decorative piece for any space. But rugs aren’t the only practical yet elegant home accessory on the market—window treatments are a great way to add your personal touch to any room. Just because shutters, blinds, shades, and drapery hardware are pretty standard functions on windows doesn’t mean they can’t be works of art. You can turn sensible window treatments into beautiful decorations by choosing classy, tasteful pieces that complete the design of the room.
SHUTTERS: For shutters, choose a classic look that will match with any room’s décor. Deep, rich wood materials, such as cedar or solid mahogany, evoke feelings of sophistication and refinement. While shutters can effectively block the amount of sunlight that comes through, if you’re looking for a window treatment with more light control, then blinds are your best bet.
BLINDS: Blinds offer maximum sunlight control because you can customize just how much natural light pours in by raising, lowering, or swiveling the slats. Whether constructed from wood, faux wood, metal, or other materials, blinds can be fine-tuned to let in the exact amount of sunlight you want, whether it’s a lot or a little.
SHADES: Shades are a fun—and easy—way to dress up any room. For a living room, Roman shades (also known as fabric shades) are a good choice because they can be customized to look formal yet still modern. An endless amount of decorative options, from classic pleats to cascade designs, guarantee that you will be able to select a shade offering that will go with the living room décor. Another hot design style for shades is the layered look, especially ones that are lined.
Drapery shades offer a chic, polished appearance while the lined layers keep warm air in during the winter and out during the summertime. Lined layers not only look fabulous, but also save energy — what could be better? Another popular style is solar shades, which are window coverings that absorb heat and block out UV rays. These environmentally-friendly shades can protect brightly colored furniture from fading due to high sun exposure. However, if you just want to block the sun and not the window’s view, solar shades are sheer enough for you to see through but strong enough to keep out harsh light. To choose the right solar shade for your home, it’s important to consider how much privacy you need and how much direct sunlight the room gets, which will help you decide on the exact filter percentage you need for the shades.
HARDWARE: Lastly, like a cherry on top of the sundae, drapery hardware can add just the finishing touch you need to complete a room’s look. These days, rods and finials come in so many gorgeous decorative designs that you will have no trouble finding hardware to match your room. Whether you choose classic, contemporary, or eclectic, the fine detail of drapery hardware will add some subtle style to your space. A popular trend right now is simple hardware, or pieces that look clean and understated, adding sophistication without any chunkiness. Unique steel finishes like chrome, brass, polished nickel, and antique bronze are excellent choices if you want a modern look for your hardware.
From the couch to the coffee table to the area rug, there are so many design decorations today that you can pretty much customize your home to appear exactly the way you want it. Whatever interior décor you choose, window treatments are the final accessories that can really tie a room’s look together.
