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Aug 06, 2023

Design 101: I can see clearly now…

One of our clients recently purchased a new home and needed help with their window treatments. What kind, how they should be hung, if they should come with drapery cords or not. We were happy to

One of our clients recently purchased a new home and needed help with their window treatments. What kind, how they should be hung, if they should come with drapery cords or not. We were happy to answer their questions and would be happy to answer yours, too. Send them to [email protected] and you too could see your answers in print.

I just bought a new house and need something on the windows. How do I choose the right kind of window treatment? Congrats on your new purchase! The first thing we consider is if the treatments are going to be functional, meaning they can move; or decorative, meaning that they cannot. Even if you only ever want to open and close them once in a while, they will have to be constructed so they can move. Next we determine if you want them to move side to side like drapes, or up and down like roman or roller shades. Lastly we narrow down the particular style and ornamental considerations.

Pro Tip: There are options that articulate along another axis if you want to consider blinds as well.

I didn’t realize my neighbors were so close and able to look into my living room. What will ensure privacy? When it is dark outside and there are lights on inside your house, it’s possible to see in. Complete privacy is only achieved when you can’t see out and they can’t see in. The easiest way to ensure this is to have your drapes lined with blackout lining which will block at least 98% of the light.

Pro Tip: As you probably want to allow light in sometimes, consider a layer of sheers behind your drapes which will partially obscure the view, but allow light through.

Should I take the window treatments up to the ceiling? Under most circumstances we want to mount the hardware as high as possible. This helps create the feeling that the room is taller by drawing the eye all the way up. You’ll want to leave a little room at the top for installation though, unless the hardware is ceiling mounted.

Pro Tip: If you are hiding hardware beneath a cornice or board mounted valance, consider mounting the hardware directly to the top treatment to reduce holes in your walls.

Do I need drapery hardware with cords? While we too worry about the strangulation hazard posed by cords, many people prefer corded hardware because it helps keep people from dirtying the drapes by touching them with their hands. You can always look into a baton drawn treatment which operates via a stick attached at the header to keep cords – and hands – away.

Pro Tip: If you do have a corded treatment, make sure that at a minimum it is secured with either a tensioner or cleat.

Do I need to speak with my HOA? Typically an HOA is most concerned with the view from outside your home and most will require that you have a white lining facing out your windows.

Pro Tip: If you are getting window treatments made at different times, make sure that at a minimum you have the same color lining on each side of the house.

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This feature appears in the August 2023 edition of Haymarket-Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine. You can pick up copies at these locations and read the entire issue here.

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