Because I receive so many inquiries about Pearson’s window treatments, I knew exactly what topic to choose for this Home Depot post! Believe it or not, these roman shades were custom ordered at Home Depot. They are Barcelona by Hampton Bay in Birchbark. I knew I wanted to use a natural woven shade, and these have a silky cord incorporated that gives a great reflectivity to it. I like the contrast of the mat natural fiber vs. the silky reflective. So here is Jay Harris from Home Depot to give you a few pointers for your own custom window treatments and what to consider before you purchase. Take it away Jay!

It’s no secret that window treatments can raise the curtain on a new level of style and
sophistication in a room, but many don’t realize there’s more to the process than merely hanging drapes. While roman shades, wood blinds, woven rollers, cornices, and pleated panels can each elevate a room’s décor in a unique and interesting way, window treatments also serve a practical purpose, helping to manage light flow, highlight or hide a view, gain privacy, and conserve energy.

With all of this to consider, custom window treatments, though pricier than ready-made options, make sense. A window treatment specialist can assist in selecting curtains and shades tailored to your specific needs, giving a precise fit for optimal insulation; individual choices such as cord placement, fabric matching, and trim details; and design selections ideal for your window proportions. Below, I’ll shed some light on a few things professionals consider when creating custom treatments:

Keeper of the Light

We love when a window bathes a space in natural light, but just as the sun’s rays can be harmful to our skin, direct sunlight causes damage to design elements. Your rooms are likely filled with wood and upholstered furniture, carpets and rugs, hardwood flooring, wallpaper, and artwork, all of which can be faded and cracked by too much sun exposure. Use window treatments to minimize the amount of direct sunlight pouring into a room. Options like sheers, handkerchief linen curtains, and woven window shades can filter the sunlight and cut back on glare without detracting from your home’s natural lightness. For the ability to block the sun entirely, choose interlined draperies that can be drawn closed. Or, for a layered look, incorporate wood blinds or shutters underneath.

Showcase Showdown

Some windows frame picturesque panoramas that are almost artwork unto themselves; others look out onto a brick wall. The right treatment can work to either highlight or hide a view. If you want to complement a lovely scene, an outside-mounted treatment (one that covers the wall adjacent to and above the window itself) will make the window appear larger and create a frame for the beautiful setting beyond. Choose fabrics that harmonize with your wall color or landscape so as not to compete with the vista, and then use details such as trim and tiebacks for pizazz.

Alternatively, if you need to mask an unfavorable sight, utilize inside-mount treatments, which cut into the window’s view on the top and sides, minimizing what’s visible. Sheers or lace hung on a second rod behind decorative drapes (so they can be closed separately) also give you the option to blur the view during the day while still allowing light to pass through.

Night Vision

After sunset, two new considerations set in.
First, neighbors can see into lit rooms at night, so it’s important to utilize treatments that can be drawn closed in the evening, especially on windows in front rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and dressing rooms. Whether you add blinds beneath your curtains or include a separate-track liner, you’ll want to take care to have complete privacy at night.

Second, large windows may frame a stunning daytime scene, but they succumb to the darkness in the evening. A shadowy void can create an uncomfortable atmosphere in a room, so choose high-design treatments with a sculptural aesthetic that will add color and texture to the room while concealing the “black hole.”

Insulation Material

Up to 30 percent of a home’s heat is lost through windows and doors, according to the California Energy Commission’s Consumer Energy Center. Dressing your window with fabric can minimize that loss, protecting the interior from warm and cold drafts. The best defenses against the elements are interlining (a flannel-like material sewn between the decorative and lining fabrics) and layering, which can add excellent body to a window treatment. Think shades, drapery panels, sheers, valances, wood blinds, and honeycomb shades–the more layers you add, the more effective your window treatments will be at insulating your home from energy loss.
Additionally, soft window finishes absorb outside noise from traffic, neighbors, sirens, and the like as well as help dampen echoes inside a large room.

Thank you, Jay!! So, what are some of your favorite tricks and techniques for dressing up your windows?

*Jay Harris is a Home Depot store associate in the Chicago area, and writes online tips and how-tos on equipment rentals, including carpet cleaner rental tips and truck rental tips.