By Gina Graham, Creativeinteriorsbg.com
Monday, April 13th, 2015 8:00 AM CST
We often talk about what fun you can have with fabrics. If you can dream it up, Creative Interiors can fabricate it! Fabrics will bring personality and panache to any space. But, if you don’t mind, get back to basics with me for a little while.
Outside of Decorative window treatments, the purpose of window treatments is basic and is going to address one or more key issues:
- Privacy
- Sun damage
- Light control
Many styles are available that most of you will be familiar with. Although functional window treatments such as Venetian blinds have become commonplace, they have come a long way from the metal mini-blinds we all dread and remember. With the larger 2” (or sometimes wider) blind width, you can get a more updated look with unlimited options in wood tones and popular white to coordinate with your trim, molding or furniture. Venetian blinds are the ‘go to’ and window staple for most people as they are functional and are offered in a variety of colors and price points.
Similarly, plantation shutters have a comparable benefits to blinds. However, shutters have a different appeal that is more integral and architectural function of your home. Many shutters can be tailor-made to fit your home with custom finishes and paint options. With larger blades you can achieve more light control. However, the are limitations with how they open, depending on your room and the space you have surrounding your window. Most shutters are built with a bi-fold function vs. a lateral function. So, instead of raising or lowering to let the maximum amount of light in, you would bi-fold the panels like doors. This requires a little bit of space on either side of the window. Where most blinds can be mounted outside or inside the window, shutter are almost always an inside mount.
Woven wood shades have gained tremendous popularity over the last several years. Like fabric Roman shades, they fold up laterally. Woven wood shades offer all of the same benefits as a Roman shade. However, your option of opacity are limited. Shades can come lined with a privacy liner, black out liner or nonlinear at all. Compared to blinds, shades have different functions to control light. If you have a privacy or black out liner you can get full privacy and sun control in down position or none in the raised position. The weave of the woven wood or grass cloth will determine the amount of light that will dabble through in the down position with no loner. Woven wood shades bring warmth and a bit of decorative features to your windows. The styles can vary from very organic to a more uniformed weave giving you options in texture and design as well as colors.
Alternatively, many people are turning to roller shade that are similar to the Roman shade I just mentioned but roll flat versus folding when they are raised. Shades, whether they are roller shades or solar shades are going to be made uniquely to control the light (hence “solar”) and privacy at certain levels. The material that the shade is made of will be graded at different opacity levels and openness. This is important in determining how much sunlight and privacy you will achieve. Each person uses their home differently and may desire different levels of privacy and light depending on where they live, whether it be on a zero lot line property or out in the country on a six-acre plot. In addition, most people prefer to control these levels differently in their private spaces such as their bathroom and bedroom versus their common living areas. The good news is that they all help control heat and solar glare giving your home more energy efficiency and limiting the sun’s wear and tear on the finishes and fabrics in your home!
We installed a beautiful motorized arch window shutter with an inside mount Recently!
We all know that we want our homes to more energy efficient. Who wouldn’t want lower utility bills, right? Well in addition to the sun heating up your home and affecting your wallet, it can also wear on your floors, rugs and fabrics. The sun can fade the colors of these materials in your home over time. Window treatments are important to give you privacy, but unless you work night shift, many people take the light control factor for granted. All of these styles have their own features and benefits. Creative interiors can help you navigate these and find what fits your needs.
Fan Creative Interiors page and enjoy their tips and treats for the Bowling Green Home!
