A window is your home’s eye to the outside world. It sometimes gives us a pretty view and “opens” a room up with sunlight beaming through.
So many times I see that someone went to the trouble to install a window treatment, yet it doesn’t fit the scale of the window or room properly.
If you have a unique window, such as one with an arch window or transom above, don’t cut the window short by installing your treatment under the top glass.
Raise the rod and make a statement.
Allow the treatment to become a frame for the interesting glass. I tend to place my rod halfway between the top of the window trim and the crown molding, depending on the ceiling height.
Also, try to place the stacked drapery more on the wall, rather than over the glass of the window. What’s the point of a window if you cover it with fabric?
Also it is sometimes important to make a window appear wider than it really is. And if you have a nice view, this treatment will become a frame and accent that view really well!
Take a look at this before and after project I worked on with a client and how my advice really added so much to this room, even in its simplicity!
Of course, even more effort went into the change of wall color, but paint is inexpensive and we re-used the drapery hardware, so this was definitely a HUGE change on a budget! And as you can see, the can lights are now washing over the fabric, adding depth and texture to the draperies, whereas before the lighting was too far from the treatment to work well.
You can certainly add more widths of fabric should you wish to close the treatment to block out the sun. Or maybe you could add a blind, shutter or shade under the decorative panels if you want to simply filter the sun.
Layering your treatments gives great depth and a high end designer look. Here in the South, the sun can be brutal to your window fabrics, so lining is very important. I tend to use a blackout lining so that no light penetrates the main fabric. This allows the fabric color, pattern and texture to be consistent and strong throughout the day.
If light comes through the fabric you can see where a window begins and ends, maybe taking away the illusion that the window is wider than it really is. So, with a blackout fabric, you can really use almost any drapable fabric you wish, from sheer, linen, blends or manmade fibers without worrying about the sun’s effect!
