The variety and choice of window treatments is currently immense, and this makes choosing the right one for the right room very difficult. To be clear there is no ultimate right or wrong, but there are some practical guidelines you can follow.
This article gives an overview on how to find the right window treatment for your needs and the needs of the room you need a window treatment for.
1 – Bathroom
Curtains, especially long ones, are a bad idea for a bathroom, as the likelihood of the material developing mould is so much higher than with other window treatments. It is recommended to avoid combining bathrooms with curtains. Venetian blinds on the other hand are very useful, especially PVC venetian blinds, as they are made of plastic so are easy to clean and to get the condensation off them, and their slates also give you full control over the privacy you wish for the room. This is particularly important if you don’t have patterned glass.
2 – Bedroom
For the bedroom you often want something with an elegant or luxurious flair, but it also needs to be able to keep the warm air in. Roman blinds are a good option if you want just the flair, but in order to have both, you’re best option is wooden blinds. Due to their proximity to the window and the sturdiness of the material, wooden blinds are very energy efficient and perfect at keeping heat in as well as out, meaning they are a great solution for your winter and summer needs. Their natural and sleek design not only makes them highly fashionable, but also a luxury item. When buying be sure to get FSC approved wood, as this is ethically harvested wood.
3 – Living Room
Curtains are the traditional window treatment for living rooms, as they draw the spectator’s eye, give the room a dramatic look and can make the room appear bigger. Yet, people are getting bored with curtains, and are looking for a trendier window treatment for their homes. Vertical blinds are filling this spot, even for long windows where curtains were still being predominantly used. Their practical look and the option to control how much and how little light to let in are some of the reasons behind their growing popularity, as well as the growing variety of color and patterns.
4 – Kitchen
The kitchen is a difficult room to find window treatments for. Small curtains above a window behind the sink are popular giving the room a charming and homely feel, while PVC venetian blinds are a more practical option due to them being easy to clean as well as less likely to pick up any of the odors of cooking.
5 – Children’s Bedroom
The choice of window treatment for your children’s bedroom is dependent on their age, and is due to change when they grow older and more trend-aware. While they’re young though, it’s nice for them to have an easy to use window treatment giving them a small amount of independence, and one that is colorful or has their favorite characters on them. Curtains with fun prints for kids are a good option, and they also let some light in meaning you can probably save on a nightlight.
If there’s a street lamp just outside your children’s bedroom, making it difficult for them to sleep, then consider either black-out curtains or wooden shutters. Shutters are good at darkening a room, and at keeping the noise level down, and just like wooden blinds, shutters are good for keeping your heating and cooling bills at a minimum.
As mentioned above, this is merely a guide on how to find the right window treatment for the rooms of your home. Choose whatever is best for your needs, but simply be aware of what is available out there, as there’s bound to be more than you think.
About the author: This article was written by Sarah Oxley on behalf of Wooden Blinds Direct. Sarah is an interior design and home improvement enthusiast with a passion for some easy DIY.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Leandro Ercole.