Decorating
Are Two Window Dressings Better Than One?
Curtains, blinds, shutters or film alone not working? Here’s how to combine to get the look, light and privacy you want
Finding the right treatment for a window isn’t always a piece of cake. It has to suit the scheme, control the light, stop passers-by checking out the room… But the answer to your decorative dilemma might not be that you just haven’t found the right curtains, blinds or shutters yet.
Instead of looking for one dressing that will fulfil every criterion, it might be that two window treatments used together are the way to tick all the boxes, including the one marked style. Take a look at these clever and great-looking window doubles.
Instead of looking for one dressing that will fulfil every criterion, it might be that two window treatments used together are the way to tick all the boxes, including the one marked style. Take a look at these clever and great-looking window doubles.
Frame the window
Café-style shutters are a popular choice when a front room is close to the pavement, so why double up with curtains? On your list might be the wish to add the gentle drape of fabric, an injection of colour and/or pattern, or the framing of an attractive window. Curtains can also help with insulation in the winter.
Opting for shutters taller than the conventional half-height café versions, as here, may be necessary to stop a room being on show. Suppliers can make them to the size you need, which can still leave some of the window uncovered to maximise daylight.
Café-style shutters are a popular choice when a front room is close to the pavement, so why double up with curtains? On your list might be the wish to add the gentle drape of fabric, an injection of colour and/or pattern, or the framing of an attractive window. Curtains can also help with insulation in the winter.
Opting for shutters taller than the conventional half-height café versions, as here, may be necessary to stop a room being on show. Suppliers can make them to the size you need, which can still leave some of the window uncovered to maximise daylight.
Get comfortable
This room also nails the shutters plus curtains double act. This time, full-height shutters do the heavy lifting when it comes to privacy and light regulation, while the drape of full-length curtains adds to the comfort of the bedroom. They’re another element that keeps the neutral palette interesting, too.
For super-flexible shutters, check out tier-on-tier designs like these. Rather than the panels extending to the full height of the window, those on the upper and lower portion are separate. The result? You can control light and privacy for each half of the window independently of the other.
This room also nails the shutters plus curtains double act. This time, full-height shutters do the heavy lifting when it comes to privacy and light regulation, while the drape of full-length curtains adds to the comfort of the bedroom. They’re another element that keeps the neutral palette interesting, too.
For super-flexible shutters, check out tier-on-tier designs like these. Rather than the panels extending to the full height of the window, those on the upper and lower portion are separate. The result? You can control light and privacy for each half of the window independently of the other.
Earn your stripes
Curtains plus a Roman blind dress this bedroom to perfection. The blind is a good light blocker to prevent street lamps and early dawns affecting sleep quality, while full-length curtains look luxurious and draw attention to the window.
Stripes rule here, with a vertical on the blind and a horizontal on the curtain. Repeating colours and stripe scale across both fabrics means they complement each other without straying into over-matched territory.
Curtains plus a Roman blind dress this bedroom to perfection. The blind is a good light blocker to prevent street lamps and early dawns affecting sleep quality, while full-length curtains look luxurious and draw attention to the window.
Stripes rule here, with a vertical on the blind and a horizontal on the curtain. Repeating colours and stripe scale across both fabrics means they complement each other without straying into over-matched territory.
Stay private
Urban homes can present the biggest privacy challenges, with a solo window dressing often unable to cover all possible angles from the street and neighbouring homes. Here, window film plus shutters is the answer. The room is still light-filled by day, and at night the addition of closed shutters means privacy is assured.
Why window film? It looks like sandblasted or acid-etched glass without the cost. Even better, it’s easy to apply to windows yourself.
Urban homes can present the biggest privacy challenges, with a solo window dressing often unable to cover all possible angles from the street and neighbouring homes. Here, window film plus shutters is the answer. The room is still light-filled by day, and at night the addition of closed shutters means privacy is assured.
Why window film? It looks like sandblasted or acid-etched glass without the cost. Even better, it’s easy to apply to windows yourself.
Go halves
Here’s another film-plus duo that might suit the location of a room in your home. In this bathroom, window film keeps the occupant of the tub out of sight. On the top of the window are rollers that can be lowered in the evenings to keep the interior cosy and provide more privacy.
Don’t rule this strategy out for living spaces. Covering the lower part of the window so people on the pavement don’t check out what you’re watching on telly might be just the ticket.
Here’s another film-plus duo that might suit the location of a room in your home. In this bathroom, window film keeps the occupant of the tub out of sight. On the top of the window are rollers that can be lowered in the evenings to keep the interior cosy and provide more privacy.
Don’t rule this strategy out for living spaces. Covering the lower part of the window so people on the pavement don’t check out what you’re watching on telly might be just the ticket.
Don’t want to apply film to a window? This bathroom uses a sheer panel instead, with a Roman blind completing the picture.
Opt for all-day assistance
This living room features a different solution to the privacy dilemma. Sheer Roman blinds allow in gentle, diffuse light, but shut out the wider world. Meanwhile, full-length curtains draw neatly back by day and create an opulent dressing by night.
Using curtains for a bay window? Pick a heading that will stack neatly to avoid blocking the daylight that reaches the room – especially if there’s a second treatment for privacy, as here. Pinch pleats and triple pleats will deliver and are ideal for formal living spaces like this one.
Check out a beginner’s guide to buying the right curtains
This living room features a different solution to the privacy dilemma. Sheer Roman blinds allow in gentle, diffuse light, but shut out the wider world. Meanwhile, full-length curtains draw neatly back by day and create an opulent dressing by night.
Using curtains for a bay window? Pick a heading that will stack neatly to avoid blocking the daylight that reaches the room – especially if there’s a second treatment for privacy, as here. Pinch pleats and triple pleats will deliver and are ideal for formal living spaces like this one.
Check out a beginner’s guide to buying the right curtains
Roll with it
Two blinds are better than one in this living room, but here it’s a roller plus Roman team. The rollers prevent being overlooked becoming an issue, but allow daylight in. The Romans, on the other hand, are the feature part of the programme in their dark colourway that stands out against the walls and window frames.
If you like the idea of sheer rollers but have a room at street level, check out bottom-up versions that pull up from the base of the window to the height required.
Browse window blinds and shutters in the Houzz shop
Two blinds are better than one in this living room, but here it’s a roller plus Roman team. The rollers prevent being overlooked becoming an issue, but allow daylight in. The Romans, on the other hand, are the feature part of the programme in their dark colourway that stands out against the walls and window frames.
If you like the idea of sheer rollers but have a room at street level, check out bottom-up versions that pull up from the base of the window to the height required.
Browse window blinds and shutters in the Houzz shop
Shape to fit
A double window treatment can also be the way to go for an unusually shaped window. This curvaceous casement is dressed with curtains and a pelmet that frame it, but also with blinds ready to close off the space by night.
Dress curtains like these – which drape but don’t draw across – are a sound idea for a window that’s close to a perpendicular wall, too, as they need very little space. Team them with a Roman blind or shutters to use at night.
A double window treatment can also be the way to go for an unusually shaped window. This curvaceous casement is dressed with curtains and a pelmet that frame it, but also with blinds ready to close off the space by night.
Dress curtains like these – which drape but don’t draw across – are a sound idea for a window that’s close to a perpendicular wall, too, as they need very little space. Team them with a Roman blind or shutters to use at night.
Layer up
Rooms that are overlooked might need a window treatment that promises privacy all day long. In this airy bedroom, it’s a sheer echoing the pale, neutral bedroom palette that plays the role.
On top? Equally soft-hanging curtains, just a touch darker than the voile, meaning the two gently blend into one another, avoiding harsh lines. You might equally want to employ this approach when the view out of a room isn’t attractive. It will make a focus of the window, but conceal the unlovely from your gaze.
Which of these window treatment pairs is your favourite? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Rooms that are overlooked might need a window treatment that promises privacy all day long. In this airy bedroom, it’s a sheer echoing the pale, neutral bedroom palette that plays the role.
On top? Equally soft-hanging curtains, just a touch darker than the voile, meaning the two gently blend into one another, avoiding harsh lines. You might equally want to employ this approach when the view out of a room isn’t attractive. It will make a focus of the window, but conceal the unlovely from your gaze.
Which of these window treatment pairs is your favourite? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Two Roman blinds get the result required in this bathroom. Nearest to the window is a sheer that will keep bathing a private affair, but still let daylight into the room. The other is an opaque for after dark. As it’s a second layer, there’s no need for the fabric to be heavy, either.
Roman blinds are also a great way to swerve a clinical bathroom finish: soft pleats of fabric ensure the cool, smooth surfaces don’t dominate. Textured wallpaper helps strike the balance in this room as well.
Check with your supplier that your chosen fabric will fare well in a wet or steamy environment.