How to Choose the Right Window Treatments for Your Home (Ultimate PRO Guide!)

hello everyone welcome back to my channel I'm Julie and today we'll be discussing the great wide world of window treatments with such a variety of materials and styles out there window treatments are an ideal way to bring color pattern texture and style to elevate the vibe of your space they're also super practical providing various degrees of privacy insulation and sunlight this video will be a comprehensive beginner's guide to all things window treatments I'll be breaking down and explaining all the various types of window treatments so that you can choose the correct one for your ideal space this is really going to be a lengthy in-depth look at window treatments so grab your cup of coffee your tea your green juice your wine or whatever your poison and let's dive right in let's talk about style first you want to consider the type of ambiance that you want to create in your room there are so many different styles ranging from classic to traditional to contemporary and modern and there's window treatments to fit every style and budget the way your windows are covered or not will help set the design tone for the room first let's talk about the difference between drapery panels and curtains I'm pretty sure you've heard of the term drapes you see them all online and all over catalogs but let me tell you when I first started in design school I learned that drapes are a verb so clearly that's not the correct terminology if you want to get like all designer lingo fancy call them drapery panels so what is the difference between drapery panels and curtains the simple difference is that curtains are usually lighter and material and they're unlined allowing some sunlight to filter through drapery panels are a little bit heavier they're thicker they're typically lined and a little bit more formal but if you've heard drapery panels and curtains use interchangeably that's totally okay I mean it's very common and people confuse them all the time if you're specifying drapery panels and you want optimal fullness the width of the panel's should double the width of the windows but if you're trying to save a little bit of money have your fabricator make them one and a half times the width of the windows instead there's a variety of different drapery top details out there drapery panels little pleats visibly sewn at the top of the panel is a little bit more formal and very sophisticated this type of design works with rings and you place them right on rods in a corded pulley system my favourites are French pleats whether or not single double or triple pleated for pure luxury this type of plating looks really amazing with silk or like a silk poly blend or even velvet just because the fabric is so lush and rich and it has a lot of depth and texture lately I've been specifying inverted pleats in a really modern setting I love the way they still add dimension to the drapery panel but it's a little bit more tailored and streamlined when selecting curtains you have a choice of a variety of different hanging styles rock pockets hang from a rod that's inserted in a channel on a top of the curtain the combination of lush fabric with a substantial rod looks really elegant in a formal room while the lightweight fabric soft in the space it's in rod pockets are a little bit harder to slide on the rod so you know that you'll be using the curtains a lot this might not be the right choice for you tap top curtains have little fabric tabs that accommodate the rod this keeps the rod visible and works well in informal rooms grommet curtains have holes rimmed with metal rings that your curtain will go through if you suspect that you'll be opening and closing your curtains frequently grommet curtains will be the right choice for you as they slide easily along the rod a designer's tip for specifying grommet curtains make sure the color of the grommet rings that match the color of the pole finish grommet and tab top curtains typically look more informal and casual than the Rob pocket type moving on to sheers you guys know how I love sheer panels I mean behind me I've lined like a bunch of sheer panels on my windows the reason I love it is because it lets so much sunlight through you still have semi privacy and is really great for giving your windows that ambient glow since you can still see through sheers if you want a little bit more privacy I would pair them with blackout drapery panels or curtains if your home doesn't get a lot of natural daylight or there are dark corners in your space that's when you should use shears moving on to balances and cornices what is a balance a balance is a sheet of fabric that's usually stretched along a rod that's hung directly above a window frame simple balances can be made from any type of lightweight fabric and they're typically hung right on a rod they can bring a burst of color or pattern or texture to a very casual room on the flip side a pleated balance will add a little bit more of a tailored look and sophistication cornices are balances made from wood and they're typically painted or covered with fabric or wall covering they're mounted to the wall above a window and they look really great in rooms with architectural detailing like crown molding both balances and cornices a pair really well with shades or shears or additional curtains the key here is to go for really modern lines clean lines right angles versus something with like really frilly swags or ruffles stay away from ruffles and swags guys it's just like bed skirts you want to keep the look of very tailored and minimal moving on to shades and blinds a shade is typically a long piece of fabric that rolls at the top shades cover your windows from top to bottom and when completely closed they allow the maximum amount of privacy when paired along with a valance or drapery panel or curtains they give you the best of both worlds in terms of form and function they're simple they're elegant and they can be mixed and matched in any type of casual setting or formal room because they fit snugly inside of a window frame they offer a very streamline and tailored look shades are really ideal for bathrooms and kitchens any space or flowing window treatments just aren't practical roman shades bring a tailored look into the room and they provide excellent color and texture in any traditional or informal setting when closed a Roman shade lies flat against the window and it can show off a pop of color a really beautiful pattern or really cool texture on your window when it's open the shade fabric stacks evenly along the top side of your window and creates these really beautiful folds billowy balloon shades a fold along the basis when they're fully open it frames a window with a really soft romantic and gauzy look I've installed this type of billowy shade in my clients dressing room before and I just really love the look it's chic its modern is sophisticated and its really the only time I'll allow a little bit of ruffles to sneak in bamboo shades are inexpensive and expressive I love the look of bamboo for the texture and dimension alone there are so many different varieties of colors of bamboo shades that you really can't pair them with any type of drapery look and be able to custom design your space in an instant roller shades roll up at the top with the pool of a cork this look gives the window a really clean and modern appearance and works really beautifully with drapery and curtains as well in contemporary settings you'll see a lot of different examples of mixed use window treatments you'll often see simple roller shades a paired with heavier drapery panels or bamboo blinds paired with unlive curtains using this paired method will give you the maximum amount of control over the light and privacy peeking through if you want further control over the amount of light coming through I would specify blackout panels or at least blackout liners behind the shades or the curtains moving on to blinds blinds have slacks made out of metal wood plastic I've seen these window treatments made out of fabrics lots of lines before blinds give you the greatest flexibility in terms of privacy and light control wood bamboo and fabric color blinds give a very soft and organic feel to the room whereas aluminum metal or plastic gives more of an industrial vibe my personal opinion I hate blinds I think they look cheap I think they look tacky and not only that I think they are such a nuisance to clean I mean you literally have to dust every single slab if you've ever tried the daunting task of cleaning blinds I mean it takes all dang day but the thing I hate more than blinds is plantation shutters I mean I just shut ER at the thought of plantation shutters and I'll tell you why number one they're not cost-effective I mean they're really expensive usually window fabricators will push installing plantation shutters in your home because they make the most profit for the least amount of work involved all they have to do is come into your house measure you know every single window send the measurements off to their fabricator and then a few weeks later you have these custom shutters that to me looks almost like a prison cell when you're outside on the street I feel like they blocked out so natural light and at the same time they don't allow you to push furniture up against the windows or else you wouldn't be able to open the shutters I understand the practical aspect of it especially if you're living on a first-level home where you have you know neighbors peeking in at you all the time but I think there are so many options that are better out there in terms of window treatments that will fit your style and personality I mean if you have plantation shutters in your home what do you think that says about your style when I walk into the clients home and they already have plantation shutters I always ask them why why did you install these plantation shutters and nine out of ten times they say because I didn't know what else to do I don't know that's a good enough reason for you but for me as a designer you could do better I'm not gonna dive too much into materials because like color to me it's just a personal preference however choosing the right material and texture for your space is very important the weight and texture of the fabric will control the amount of light filtering through and at the same time you need to pay attention to how well it holds up to sun exposure if there's too much light coming through the windows and they're not covered by a heavy drapery panel or some form of curtains sometimes it has a capacity to fade the furniture that you put inside the room so just be careful linen and canvas are typically very durable materials that drape very beautifully still in velvet fit informal spaces there are just so many different varieties of fabric options out there so make sure you choose one that fits your personality your style and the space moving on to functionality if you're torn between the different looks of window treatment types maybe you love the look of linen curtains but you want the privacy of shades you don't have to choose you really can layer the look on any type of window treatments to make it work for you this method is also especially effective if you have radiators or heaters at your window even when you're keeping the curtains open so as not to block the airflow the inner window treatment can still provide the privacy that you need blackout light in the back of the panel helps block light and adds additional privacy this is perfect for bedrooms or even media rooms when you want a completely pitch dark liner fabric helps protect the fabric from harmful UVA and UVB sunlight that can also fade the fabric so depending on the function that you're after it's a good idea to look for fabric that's back the liner or blackout so to sum it up for formal look consider drapery panels for a tailored effect consider shades for the utmost flexibility consider layering drapery panels or curtains over your sheers shades or blinds let's move on to everyone's design dilemma measurements and size considerations any of these type of window treatments can be mounted on the inside of your window frame or on the outside of your window frame if you've watched a few of my videos you'll know that the key way to make a small room look larger is by mounting your Hardware on the outside of your window frames but before we get to that let's talk about when inside mounting would be the best fit for you positioning shades and blinds on the inside of your window creates a very uniform look that's very tailored and works well if you pair it with curtains or drapery on the outside that's more for a custom look but if you can't afford that custom price tag there's no reason that you can't specify a shade or a blind that's just a little bit larger than the size of your window valances and cornices are most often mounted on the outside of your window because they almost frame the look of that window typically you'll want to measure at least 1 to 3 inches on both sides of the window to install the valance or a cornice to size an inside mounted treatment just measure the distance between the casing from inside left to inside right knowing the vertical distance of the casing also helps for you to specify the length of the panel for outside mounted window treatments notice the length and the width of the window frame this is where it could get very tricky and where your designer hat is gonna come into play you see from my previous videos on common mistakes where to mount that drapery rod a typical distance that I love to use is about 3 to 4 inches underneath the ceiling or underneath the crown molding this method will visually extend the vertical height of the room making those low ceilings look taller that they really are now that you know where to hang your rod let's talk about the length of the panel to specify the length of that panel you'll then want to measure the height of the rod to the floor if your room has multiple windows in a row you'll also want to measure the distance between the windows to get the full width of every panel you should purchase these measurements are super important when choosing the width and length of the window treatment and the hardware placement moving on to window hardware window hardware from curtain rods to clips to finials put the finishing touch in every single room when it comes to materials and colors bright brass adds a touch of elegance to a traditional room while brushed aluminum nickel or even stainless steel looks sleek and modern I've been loving matte black for his transitional look and wood tone just adds warmth use with curtains and drapery panels curtain rods suspend the fabric on top of your window substantial rods and really Y diameters are a little bit more formal and create a dramatic focal point for any room narrow cafe rods are best suited for kitchens and bathrooms using lightweight curtains and materials tension rods are mounted on the inside of your window frames and they're perfect for renters or any type of space where you don't want to drill any holes when choosing an adjustable rod make sure you pick a rod side that doesn't fully extend the entire width of your window what you don't want is a little sag in the middle this will provide the extra support that you need for the rods and the drapery double curtain rods use two sets of rods to frame the window the inner rod is designed to hold the sheer fabric in place and it's usually on a thinner rod and the outer rod is where you'll put the heavier drapery panel or the curtains to let some light in but maintain privacy you'll open the outer curtains and leave the sheers in place moving on to finials videos are those ornamental pieces that you add to the end of curtain rods they're most commonly made from wood metal glass or even acrylic and they add a decorative touch to the window treatment choose your finial shape based on your style round ones are usually more traditional cylindrical ones more modern there's also pyramid square blocked fleur-de-lis I mean they come in all shapes and sizes if you can't decide on a particular shape for a finial I would choose one with a profile that close matches your rod so it almost disappears clip rings attached to the top of your curtain using little hooks or clips that you slide directly over a rod these work well in both formal and casual rooms the ring slides across your rod and it makes it so easy to open enclosure windows look for ornate rings in bright bold colors and metallic use to create a dramatic effect or you can opt for sleek and shiny medals for a contemporary understated feel the right window treatments and hardware can soft in a room create a dramatic focal point and add personality to your space to create your desired look it really helps to know all the different styles and the functions that are out there as illustrated in this video you'll know that every single type of window treatment has a different effect under space blending all the different window treatments with a variety of hardware out there gives you countless combinations for any type of window treatment you desire I mean really the options are absolutely endless so I know that there's something out there that is going to express your personality and your vibe we did it guys I know that this is a lot of information to digest and I know that when you need it I will be here for you just consider this video your number one resource as the ultimate guide to window treatments if you like this type of content please give this video a thumbs up and let's start chatting in the comments I love the comment section and I'm especially loving that you guys are sending me all of your designs ulemas right here in the comments for this video I want you to comment below and let me know your number one window treatment dilemma that's currently happening in your house right now I think what I want to do is pick out the most common ones and illustrate how I would resolve them in a future video is that something that you guys are interested in I know I've been getting a lot of comments on addressing actual viewer spaces so if this is something that you're interested in please let me know in the comments below as a bonus below I have linked all my favorite retailers for any type of window treatments you desire from drinking panels to curtains to shades to blinds to sheers you can look them all up in the description box below make sure you subscribe to my channel if you haven't already thank you so much for watching I'll see you in the next one [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Julie Khuu

Views: 535,024

Keywords: Interior design, window treatments, custom window coverings, custom window treatments, window coverings, blinds, shades, drapery, curtains, design hacks, how to choose window treatments, window treatments ideas, how to choose curtains, interior design tips, designer window treatments, window shades, window treatment ideas, roman shades, designing windows for your home, hanging curtains, window shades diy, window treatments 2021, how to choose window treatments for living room

Id: IzEUFDhOnyM

Length: 16min 52sec (1012 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 30 2020