When it comes to window treatments, there are so many options that it can be overwhelming to choose what’s right for your home.
To make it even more confusing, many people—including interior decorators—use the terms “drapes” and “curtains” interchangeably, mixing in “shades” and “blinds” as if they were synonyms, too.
However, while all four types of window treatments can be used with many interior decorating styles and in any room of the home, each has distinct characteristics of its own.
Use this guide to help you compare the functions of various types of window treatments:
Consider these three things when choosing your window treatment source:
● Material:
Blinds can come in wood, alternative wood, and even aluminium.
Custom shades are soft but durable fabrics.
They’re breathable and come in a variety of colours to not only match the room but can also dictate how much sunlight comes in.
● Privacy:
Privacy is another consideration when it comes to your window treatments.
●Light Control:
Natural lighting is a wonderful way to brighten any room throughout the day, but sometimes it can be a little too much.
During the morning and evening, depending on which room you’re in, the sunlight can beam in or bounce off anything in its path.
In bedrooms and nurseries, you may need a shade to block out the light no matter what time of day it is.
Blinds
While blinds lift up and down with a cord or lifting mechanism like shades do, they differ in that blinds are not a solid length of fabric.
Rather, blinds are made of wood, bamboo, aluminium, or vinyl slats, also called louvres, that tilt open to let in light or close for privacy.
Because of this, it’s rarely necessary to lift the entire blind unless you are opening the window underneath.
Standard depths for blind slats are 1/2-inch or 1-inch, which are called mini blinds, or 2-inch, which are often called Venetian blinds.
The length and width of the blinds are sized to fit within the window frame.
Blinds come in many colours and many wood tones but are not normally patterned.
As they block out light very effectively, blinds are a good choice for the bedroom.
Topping them with sheer curtains or a valance softens their rigid appearance, which can be somewhat bland on its own.
While blinds with horizontal louvres are most common, there are also blinds with hanging vertical slats.
These are generally used on sliding patio doors or over large sliding windows.
Vertical Blinds
Curtains
Curtains are fabric panels that are most often sold in pairs.
You’ll find curtains in a wide range of widths, lengths, fabrics, colours, and patterns, making them a versatile and popular choice for every room of the home, even bathrooms and kitchens.
The short, sheer curtains that cover only the bottom half of a window over a kitchen sink, frequently matched to a valance across the window’s top, are called café curtains.
In the bedroom, you’ll likely use curtains over other designer window treatments, such as a blind or shade, because curtains are made of lightweight, sometimes sheer fabrics that are unlined.
This means that while curtains do filter out some light, they won’t filter out all of it.
Thus, they won’t keep your bedroom dark when you want to sleep late.
Curtains hang from a rod, which can be hidden and plain or decorative and on display, depending on how the curtains are hung.
There are quite a few hanging options.
Some of the most common options are metal grommets; metal or fabric rings; and fabric sleeves on the top or the back of the curtain panels.
Curtains
Drapes:
Like curtains, drapes are fabric panels and are typically sold in pairs.
The difference between curtains and drapes, however, is that drapes are lined, sometimes with fabric heavy enough to block out all outside light, making them perfect for bedroom use.
Drapes (sometimes called draperies) are long enough to reach from the top of the window to the floor, sometimes even puddling a bit beneath the window.
Heavy, somewhat stiff fabrics are the norm for drapes, including luxury materials like velvet, damask, or silk.
The versatility of drapes should never be overlooked.
As with blinds, they can be mounted on a curtain rod inside the window frame or above it.
For very large windows, some people opt to allow a bit of sunlight in over the rod, mounting it lower than the top of the window.
Half-length window treatments on tall windows impart intimacy into the room.
You also do not want to cover a decorative arch or frame with a curtain rod.
Another positive aspect of drapery is that you can layer them using a sheer panel underneath a more decorative treatment.
You can also place a blackout window shade or curtain underneath to block out the light and heat.
You can choose between side and centre stacking options.
With side stacking, you may have a more obstructed view on the side where the curtains stack when open.
With center stacking, the view will be slightly impeded on both sides, but not as much as if it were all bundled to one side.
The top of a drapery panel is often pleated, and these pleats, along with the heavy fabric, contribute to the formal appearance of this popular window treatment.
Like curtains, drapes hang from a rod on rings, hooks, grommets, or on a fabric sleeve at the top or on the back of the panel.
Drapes
Shades:
A shade is a soft fabric panel that is attached to a rod or frame at the upper edge.
Sold individually, shades come in a wide range of lengths, widths, colours, and materials and are sized to fit within the window frame, unlike drapes or curtains that hang below the sill.
To let in light or see outside, you need to raise the shade, using either a cord, roller, or lifting mechanism.
As the shade lifts, it either bunches or rolls around a rod, depending on the shade’s style, and there are lots of
Simple roller shades are inexpensive, and as the name suggests, the material rolls around the top roller.
Other popular types of shades include Roman shades, which pull up into deep pleats; balloon shades that pouffe into balloons of fabric; and tie-up shades, which fasten with a fabric tie to hold them open.
With many styles, you can find a window shade to complement any decorating theme from casual to formal.
Speaking of shades, there are three primary types:
- Honeycomb or cellular – these insulating pleated shades fold down from the top of the window and can come with cordless, motorized remote control, or top down-bottom up options
- Roller – a tube-shaped roller at the top of the window conceals these window shades from view when in the up position
- Roman – these shades offer elegant folds
Layering light-filtering shades with blackout curtains will give you the privacy you want, but also allow you to filter in a bit of sunlight when desired.
Whatever be your reason, window treatments are a must for every room in every home. In addition to their various functional aspects, they add a world of charm and splendour to the interiors of homes.
You can consult professional interior designers or stores that stock and supply window treatments for advice.
Windows make up for up to almost 40% of a home, so when you decide to install a window treatment, you are actually adorning and embellishing your home with generous amounts of style, elegance, and sophistication.
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