Window Dressing
By Kimberlee Jaynes Associate Designer NWSID
Figuring out how to dress your windows can leave you scratching your head. The best style and material to use will become very evident once the design of your home furnishings choices is complete.
When surveying your windows, consider where the most sunlight comes into your rooms. Do you need to protect your upholstered goods, dining room table, area rug or wood flooring? Then you will want a window covering that will give protection from damaging UV rays.
Use the architecture of your home as a springboard for your drapery designs. There is nothing worse than seeing cold white metal mini blinds in the living room of a lovely old Tudor style home. One idea for appropriate drapery in a Tudor would be, floor length fabric drapes hung on a wooden rod with decorative finials as shown below.
Roman shades are among my favorite window coverings. They can fit so many different styles of homes, both modern and traditional. Roman shades are generally mounted inside the casement of the window; however, you can “outside-mount” Roman shades, too. Take into consideration the length of your window. The longer it is the more of a “stack” there will be at the top of the window when the shade is pulled up.
Roman shades are fabric shades that fold neatly to the top when drawn open. Note the roman shades above on the door leading to the garden. A classic roman shade has overlapping folds when the shade is lowered, while a flat- Roman has no folds when lowered. The Roman pictured above is a modified balloon which you don’t normally see in a kitchen setting, however it is perfect in this French country kitchen pictured below.
Do you have a view? If you live in a modern home with a view you may want solar shades. They roll up and down and you can still see your view through them when in the down position while maintaining some privacy. Most solar shades will block out as much as 95 percent of UV rays. Very little is visible when they are rolled up.
Designer Secret: There is so much to know about measuring and hanging draperies and other window coverings; this is one area I trust to professionals. Don’t assume that buying curtain panels off the rack will be less expensive than having them made by a window-covering specialist. So much can go wrong, from taking the correct measurements to sturdy installation. If you can afford to hire a professional, you will be glad you did!
One of my favorite window-covering specialists is: Adrette Designs 503 675 7750 www.adrette.com
Their staff will come to your home with samples of fabrics, woven woods, wood blinds and many other window covering options; they will measure, order and install your window coverings.
To see lots of ideas for window treatments visit www.kimberleejaynes.com
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