There are many designs to choose from when it comes time to consider what to hang over your windows.
Charlene Ingram, of Jabot Interior and Window Design in West Vancouver, recommends concentrating on a few
basics: Where is it going, what are you trying to achieve and do you need sun control? Over the last few years, roller shades have emerged as one of the more popular brands on the market, according to Ingram.
"I think people like simplicity.
And they're modern and very clean and fit nicely inside the windows," she says.
But while roller shades can let a lot of light into a room if desired, roman shades can do a good job of preserving the dark.
"A little more custom, a little warmer in a room," says Ingram, describing the appeal of the roman shades. "When they're up they can have a fabric on them that suits your décor. And you get privacy with them."
The shades can range from translucent to blackout.
"They also fit snugger in the windows so you don't get as much light gap."
When it comes to wood blinds, Ingram says its good to ask how often they'll be used.
"They're not attractive pulled up, so then there's a disadvantage there," he says. "You can tilt them to filter the sun and yet still see natural daylight through them."
Blinds tend to fit nicely inside windows, but do require regular cleaning, says Ingram. "They're very tidy and cleanlooking. They can make your room feel more spacious."
Blinds can be metal, fabric, or wood, Venetian (horizontal slats) or vertical.
Fabric shades are similar but they are softer.
Ingram doesn't recommend fabric shades if they are going to be up a lot because the beauty of them is when they're down and tilted, she explains. Most fabric shades are made from durable polyester. For those who want something a little cozier, drapes may be the right fit.
"We have a lot of large homes, so when you add drapes to a room they absorb sound, they add just a little bit of a sense of luxury to a room when they're large," says Ingram. "I think people are really liking that hotel luxury look."
Besides regulating temperature, drapes can also mitigate noise. "If we took a drape and we took fabric and we interlined it with flannel and put another lining on the back, that really helps buffer the noise."
When it comes to draperies, some people prefer a neutral colour that can blend with window trims, explains Ingram. When matching a window covering to a room, try to find balance and ensure the window coverings don't dominate the walls.
Ingram says she tends to favour plain, classical drapes, but more vivid designs sometimes fit.
Along with different types of window coverings, there are also metal and decorative curtain rods from which to choose. Rods are available in different finishes, including shiny chrome, brushed aluminum, and black iron.
They come in lots of different colours.
"It's an accessory that you're making unique to the room and to me it's like accenting a room with jewelry," says Ingram.
JEREMY SHEPHERD, [email protected]
