How is your renovation coming along? How is your new place? The popular question asked when someone has recently moved into a new place or is changing up things in an already existing home. The also popular answer is: “it’s great, except for the window treatments!”

This is something we hear too often from friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends. The common denominator - they do not have an Interior Designer working with them, or an Interior Designer friend who can guide them.

That is why we wanted to start 2021's Blog with a daunting subject - Window Treatments. We are hoping by doing this it will make the decision-making process a little lighter. It is not like we can make 2021 feel lighter might as well find lightness in other matters.

Oh, and it is not that we want you not to hire an Interior Designer because as you know having an Interior Designer is only beneficial and the benefits are endless, to name a few – you have a thought out, functional, and beautifully designed home and you spend less money doing it. Yes, you read correctly, it costs you less to hire an Interior Designer. Why? Simple – 1. We, Designers, have a ton of experience so costly mistakes will be avoided; 2. We, provide clients our trade discounts. 3. Clients save a ton of $ while getting premium service from us and the companies they buy from. Shall we say more?!

Now, back to the main subject! Window treatments. We know there are a lot of options, and that goes for everything else in the home but this particular subject is the one most get stuck on. Do you go with drapery? Shades? Roller/Automatic Shades? Or how about you don’t make a decision at all and leave them naked?

We know it is quite a tough one to navigate as it is an investment and you don’t want to pick the wrong option – remember these are the kinds of mistakes some make that end up costing them mucho $. To avoid this, let us help you and give you a guideline you can follow as well as some food for thought while making your decision.

By the way, this information on window treatments applies for any type of change in the home be it a renovation, redesign, or a simple refresh to your home.

The most important thing to do is to not put the decision off! Procrastinating on this subject plays against you. This is one of the first decisions made during our design process and the reason we do this is because once this decision has been made the result plays a big role in making your space feel curated and don’t forget more often than not it is the focal point of your space. Additionally, figuring the window treatments early on set the tone on how much of your budget needs to be allocated to this important matter and how much you have allocated to the rest of the home.

The product for YOU! We know there are two kinds of reactions to the following word “custom made” one reaction is people who love the idea of having a product designed for their specific functional and aesthetical needs and there are others who hear the word “custom” and only think expensive which results in them getting online and ordering the least offensive option of window treatment they can find. We are not saying one way or the other is the best option. What we would like to say is that you should take your time to think about your options. How do you want light to filter into your space? This is the question. Once you know the answer to this question, work with it to choose the best product type for your space. Custom or not. Will it be shades or drapes?

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What material/application will best suit your selection. Wherever you choose to get your window dressing from, work with them to figure out which material and different options they have. They usually have had tremendous experience installing different types of window dressings, consult with them, have them share their knowledge so you can make the best decision for your needs. After all, you will be living with them for a very long time. Food for thought: If you are trying to choose something for your living room maybe the amount of light that comes in isn’t a concern and you are looking for something that can provide some privacy yet bring warmth to your space. In that case, finding the right type of drapery may be your answer. On the other hand, if you are looking for something that provides blackout for a bedroom, shades might be a better option. Either way, the function needs to be determined to make the best decision for your space.

If you know us, you know that size/scale is extremely important. It applies also to your window treatments. Done properly window treatments can change even the perception of heights in a room. Believe it or not, we use window treatments to correct interior architectural design. Again, make sure you are working through this with your designer if you have one alternatively discuss it with the company who is providing you with the window treatments.

We know there are many options and if you still feel like you need more support DM us on Instagram and we will be sure to help. In the meantime, here are some examples of both drapery and shade options you can think about: