Window Treatment, the one that suits you.

 
Goblet Drapery

Goblet Drapery

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.

Tailored Pleat Drapery

Tailored Pleat Drapery

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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:

Options are endless we know. 

With lots of love and light.

DM Designo

DM Designo

 
 

LIGHTING YOUR INTERIORS

 

We are so excited to light it up! Yes, today it is going to be ALL about lighting. Oh, also some announcements so please do read all the way to the finish line.

For now, let us dig into the main topic on hand - lighting, lighting transforms a space and not just by brightening dark corners, but by affecting your emotions. Did you know that lighting can lift your spirits? Make you more relaxed?  AND even more productive? If you didn’t know, now you know!

Lighting is an essential part of designing and decorating a room and that is why we always suggest a mix of lighting for our projects.

 
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Let’s start off with the bulbs.


Yes, the bulbs are important and we need to be picky when choosing them. Using LED bulbs is great because you know you're increasing your energy efficiency, having a longer bulb life, and are using a better and safer light source not to mention these bulbs can be used for all fixtures. Choose a 2,700 to 3,000 kelvin, the higher in the colour temperature range the crispier/white effect you will receive – we suggest the higher ones for spaces you want a “daylight” effect. Everywhere else in the house the warmer tone of light is recommended. 

 
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Layer it.

We suggest when possible, to have more than one source of light in a room. Think of it as layering illumination – how do you like that!?  Layering Illumination – sounds sophisticated, right?

In the living room, for example, you may hang a decorative ceiling fixture near the center of the room, after that, you can look at downlighting for the outer walls. This can be used to gently wash the walls, give curtains and art warmth, and most importantly functional brightness. It can be achieved by using valance lighting, or even floor lamps that bounce light off the ceiling. The goal is to assure that there is a contrast between the center light and around the parameters and dark spaces in a room. Allowing for an interplay between light and darkness.

When looking at a layout of a room you might want to consider table lamps to be placed beside seating, accent lights could be used to highlight art, and candles can always be added to create a warm setting.

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Room Orientation.


This is something you want to pay close attention to. If it is a room that is north-facing not much direct light is entering so you want to give this one extra attention. Not necessarily extra light fixtures.  

This is where strategic layering can come in handy. For a room with little light, exposure installing recessed fixtures along the perimeter paired with a central pendant will spread light horizontally throughout the space. Once this is done you can add table lamps, sconces that can brighten any dark spots you find in the room. This brings us to the next topic.

 
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Lighting up the Corners.


There is a trick here for the awkward empty corners in your spaces and that trick is placing an oversized floor lamp in the space. What you want to make sure is that the floor lamp has the finish and material that sits flawlessly with the rest of your space. This allows the piece to feel intentional with the rest of the room design.

This is a perfect example of function meets form. You now have a piece that provides light (function) while being an accent piece (form).

 
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The Brightest of them all.

Here is the room that needs the brightest light possible – the kitchen!

It is usually the only space in the house that we suggest recessed lights {if needed}. We are not high promoters of recessed overhead lighting for residential projects, due to the shadows, unwanted spots, and excessive lighting that can be created from it. So use them with caution.

If you have a kitchen island, consider hanging pendants overhead, this is a great way to light up space without taking up any real estate. Most importantly use under-cabinet light. Placing LED light strips on the bottom of your upper cabinets is the easiest way to create an evenly lighted counter for the most important task in this room – food preparation and cooking!

Bathroom Lighting.

We find most clients over-look this space even though it is quite important. Believe it or not, recessed fixtures over the sink are probably the worst option as far as lighting is concerned in this space.

We suggest choosing wall-mounted sconces that are installed around 6’ off the floor, this will help with even illumination when looking in the mirror.

Another type of lighting to consider for the bathroom is motion-lighting at the cabinet base - this allows for a night light that is perfect for when you wake up in the middle of the night and do not want to be stricken with a bright light in your face to wake you up fully.

If you want to make your bathroom even more luxurious you can add a sculptural pendant lamp that will make you feel like you are in a spa. Especially if you have a self-standing tub that you can hang it above.

 

At home, light enlivens the things that matter – our morning routines, our meal cooking, to the moments we spend with family and friends.

Your home is your source of inspiration, comfort, support, and safety. For those reasons, it should be designed to fit you and your loved one's needs. It is the biggest gift you can give yourself and everyone living there.

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Now, some reminders and announcements:

If you are still looking for a unique gift for a loved one visit our design pack, from the comfort of your home the recipient(s) will receive the gift in their e-mail box, you don't even have to worry about delivery! 

We would also like to update you that today is our last bi-weekly blog post, starting January 2021 our bi-weekly blog posts will be switched to monthly. We have found that it has been challenging to find time for the bi-weekly and are determined to provide quality over quantity and that is why we made this decision. Stay tuned for our monthly blogs as they will continue to be full of goodies.

From our Design Studio to your homes we wish you and your family Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year filled with health, kept promises, and a heart full of joy.

With love and light,

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