"Window treatment and what to do about it"

Is it necessary?

Why do you need a window treatment? If you have the perfect window, you may decide you don't need to do anything to it.

So what's a perfect window? It has been described as a window which is beautiful in itself, which provides a magnificent view outside, and which also provides the right amount of daylight for the room and allows it into the right areas, and give the opportunity to allow in fresh air.

Yea, right, but few of us have windows like that! Either the view is great and the window is ugly, or the window is attractive but looks out onto a brick wall or a builders' yard. Or if only the neighbors would reduce their enormous hedge which cuts out all the light...

Enter Your Window Treatment

And that's where this subject comes into its own. You can disguise the window, enhance it, bring out it's good points, or if there aren't any, simply cover it up.

Your treatments can be as simple or as complex as you like; from just a piece of cloth hung on a pole or rod, to elaborate uses of fabrics, fringes, edgings, tassels, tie backs and newly invented headings.

Or shades. Plain shades, Roman shades, voluptuous festoon shades, slatted or Venetian shades. Then there are aluminum shades, vinyl, bamboo, paper, wood. And screens and shutters, painted glass and stained glass.

curtain window treatment

Always think of your window treatment in relation to the room scheme. Here you can see how the curtains and Roman shade reflect the colors in the room. Details are important - the black curtain rod matches the black of the chair legs, table tops, and even the sketches on the wall. The overall effect is one of completeness and balance.

What do you like?

One of the easiest ways to decide on your window treatment is to ask yourself what you would prefer to have. You may have been brought up in a home where drapes were used in every room, so your natural inclination is to go for drapes.

But there are so many more options available today. You can have very simple treatments such as Roman or Vertical shades. When the right fabric or slat material is chosen it can look really great.

So if you've only though of one or two options, broaden your outlook a little bit. Not only are there many ways of decorating, but you can use two or more features together. The illustrations shown on this page illustrate some examples.

Video: Window Treatments. From simple shades to complex drapes, there are many solutions to dealing with your windows. This video is a slide show of some of the treatments available.

Simple or complex?

You can enhance your windows in many ways. Often you'll keep to just one option, such as using drapes.

But on other occasions you can dress your window by using a combination of options.

Here dress curtains are used on either side of the window using eyelet headings supported by short poles. Plain valances in a similar fabric to the curtains are hung centrally over the windows which can be covered for privacy by roman shades.

The effect is simple in keeping with the modern theme, but results in an attractive and functional treatment.

Too much to think about?

The subject of a window treatment can be very complicated. Or so it might appear.

The secret is to take you time and break the problem down into a number of sections. Often you'll want to take some practical factors into consideration. Is the main purpose to give some privacy? Is your room rather ornate, and you want to enhance your window to match? Perhaps you've seen a window treatment you really like, and wonder if you could use the same scheme in your home.

curtains and sheers

One popular and very practical way to treat your windows is by using sheers in combination with curtains. The sheers will give you good privacy during the day, and at night you can close the curtains to give full privacy. (Remember that at night if you have the sheers closed and lights on in the room, it's possible to see in from outside.)

There are many ways to approach your window treatment. Below you'll find links to different topics which will help you to think about and finalize your decisions.