Planning
An architect friend of mine told me "Windows are like the eyes of your home, they define the architecture of your home", therefore the type of treatment we use to cover the eyes will affect the way we view the outside world. Come to think of it he was absolutely right. Today an average home has anywhere from 30-40 windows of different size and shape. You can have square, rectangle, round, oval , arch, bay window, garden window on the same home. When you plan to cover your windows consider wall covers, light that comes through, views, type of room, furniture in the room, style of your home, style of window itself and most importantly your budget. Window treatment defines your mood and speaks of your personality. You need to consider if you like to make window covering with the interior decor or just a focal point of your room and have its own personality. There is so many styles, choices and design to choose from country to classic, from modern to traditional.
Fabric*
Another important consideration is fabric. There is a wonderful variety and style to choose from, fabrics define and effect the appearance of your windows more than any other factor. To just mention a few here, you can choose from
Chintz, a lightweight cotton, drapes well. But chintzes with heavy glazes often stiff. Prices vary according to the complexity of the patterns, and the number of colors. Line chintz and other printed cotton or cotton blends to avoid sun damage.
Linen, which is spun from the flax plant, creates strong, smooth, sophisticated fabrics. Linen creases and drapes stiffly, so it frequently is blended with cotton for added softness.
Damask, is woven of silk, cotton, linen, or other fibers. It is distinguished by its contrasting satiny and matte surfaces created by different weaves. Heavy damasks are best for grand sweeping statements, such as full draperies, that show off the sumptuous fabric.
Polyester, blend with other fibers without compromising their best features. It has its own assets, including wrinkle resistance, resilience, clean ability, and an ability to retain pressed-in pleats.
Rayon, dyes beautifully and drapes well, making it a good candidate for soft window dressings. Plus, it blends well with natural or other synthetic fibers to retain color.
Sheer, include any soft, translucent fabric, such as muslin, voile, or lace. Varying in opacity, these textiles gently diffuse the light. Pair them with shades or blinds for privacy.
Silk, makes soft and graceful window dressings and takes dye well. However, sun can fade or weaken silk, so line, interline, and protect silk treatments with shades or blinds.
Taffeta, a crisp, plain-weave fabric, feels almost stiff enough to stand alone. In some window coverings, this is an asset. Taffeta retain its shape with little support.
Toile, refers to a tightly woven cotton, usually with a pictorial scene printed in one color. As with all cottons and linens, ward off sun damage with lining.
Wool, wears like iron and drapes and flows like butter, making it perfect for long draperies and for keeping out heat and cold. The down side : It is one of the priciest fabrics.
Velvet, the most elegant of fabrics, also blocks draft and light with ease. The price of velvet depends on the fibers, Velvet can be woven of silk, cotton, linen, rayon, wool, or even mohair.
Each fabric represent a different definition and representation. Whatever fabric you decide on will make a decoration statement about the windows of the room. *Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Versatility
Window treatment is probable the most versatile and sometimes complex part of dressing a home.You have so many options and style and so many frames like, french door casement, arch shape windows, tall rectangle window walls, oval shape windows and the list goes on...Its important to understand what style should get what kind of coverage. Hardware
In the last few years window hardware transformed from a basic curtain holder to a jewelry and accessory for windows with such dramatic looks, colors, shapes and designs. You can see hardware in wood, iron, brass, plaster or acrylic. There are some you can paint according to your design to match your decor. You need to choose a hardware that matches and compliment your total design. Do it yourself
If you decide to create your own window treatment, there are a lot of good sources available. There are specialty magazines, publications and specialty stores devoted to help you out. You need to invest a lot of time to educate yourself and familiarize yourself with the products before you start.If you don't now how to sew there are shops available that do the sewing for you. You also need to be able to coordinate the entire design and measurement yourself, choose the right hardware and fabric not to mention the installation. Do it your self requires a lot of time and skills. You need to invest in some tools if you don't have them already. depending on your budget there are some semi custom and custom pre made draperies and curtains available in some retail stores that you can check and see if it matches your requirments.This is a complex project, if you don't have the know how or can not coordinate colors together you should consider hiring a professional.
Hiring a Pro
Hiring a professional designer or interior decorator is the probably the best idea if you have certain challenging windows or decorating situation that requires more coordination. Depending on the size of your project small or large, designers will charge either a flat fee, hourly, percentage of the total project cost or they might take a commission on fabric that you purchase. There are tremendous advantages of working with a designer, because they have access to a wide variety of fabrics, hardware, sewing companies and installers that can narrow down the choices to help you reach the desire look you want. Designers will oversea the entire project from initial consultation to measurements, planning, design, production and final installation for you. The money you invest in hiring a designer is well worth the out come of the project.
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