Decorating
Houzz Live Chat: How Should I Dress My Windows?
A Live Chat with window experts Hillarys, Shutterly Fabulous and Pippa Rolls resulted in some great advice. Here’s a selection of tips
Do you have an awkward-shaped or unusually positioned window? Or are you just unsure of which kind of window treatment would work best in your space?
Houzz recently asked three professionals – Hillarys, Shutterly Fabulous and Pippa Rolls – to offer their advice on how to solve your window dressing woes, and the result was some very useful expert tips and advice. Here are just some of the answers to your questions; you can view the entire Live Chat in the Advice section.
Houzz recently asked three professionals – Hillarys, Shutterly Fabulous and Pippa Rolls – to offer their advice on how to solve your window dressing woes, and the result was some very useful expert tips and advice. Here are just some of the answers to your questions; you can view the entire Live Chat in the Advice section.
What type of window treatment would look good without making a small room feel smaller? tia2406
Answer from: Pippa Rolls
Curtaining a small space can be quite a problem when you consider a curtain can be the largest element in a room, so we suggest you go for light, textured fabrics and avoid patterns. Voiles, linens and even silks introduce texture without adding too much pattern and are easier to live with in a small space.
We also suggest you avoid bittiness. If you’re looking to dress a living room window with a radiator underneath, choose a Roman blind instead of having to opt for short curtains. Try to keep curtains long – this will help accentuate the ceiling height and make the room look bigger.
The less visual information you have in a room, the larger it feels – so wall-to-wall curtaining might be a better option on a wall that has two windows, for example, than a pair of curtains at each window. Also aim to keep curtain rail heights even throughout the room to simplify the visual information.
Discover more ways to dress windows in a small room
Answer from: Pippa Rolls
Curtaining a small space can be quite a problem when you consider a curtain can be the largest element in a room, so we suggest you go for light, textured fabrics and avoid patterns. Voiles, linens and even silks introduce texture without adding too much pattern and are easier to live with in a small space.
We also suggest you avoid bittiness. If you’re looking to dress a living room window with a radiator underneath, choose a Roman blind instead of having to opt for short curtains. Try to keep curtains long – this will help accentuate the ceiling height and make the room look bigger.
The less visual information you have in a room, the larger it feels – so wall-to-wall curtaining might be a better option on a wall that has two windows, for example, than a pair of curtains at each window. Also aim to keep curtain rail heights even throughout the room to simplify the visual information.
Discover more ways to dress windows in a small room
Are there certain combinations of window treatments that ensure both privacy and style? embzop
Answer from: Hillarys
Privacy is an important concern for lots of us. Shutters effortlessly combine privacy control and style, with tiltable louvres being a fantastic choice for an overlooked property. Layering a functional blind with a sumptuous set of curtains is a great idea and less costly.
A vertical or Venetian blind will help to manage the light, while a roller or pleated blind will aid in creating privacy. A Roman blind will help with both, and it’s also a popular choice for its sumptuous design aesthetic.
Framing any of the above with fully lined curtains will really make a statement. Layer plain with patterned, or choose two patterns with a similar colour palette or scale of design.
Answer from: Hillarys
Privacy is an important concern for lots of us. Shutters effortlessly combine privacy control and style, with tiltable louvres being a fantastic choice for an overlooked property. Layering a functional blind with a sumptuous set of curtains is a great idea and less costly.
A vertical or Venetian blind will help to manage the light, while a roller or pleated blind will aid in creating privacy. A Roman blind will help with both, and it’s also a popular choice for its sumptuous design aesthetic.
Framing any of the above with fully lined curtains will really make a statement. Layer plain with patterned, or choose two patterns with a similar colour palette or scale of design.
What is a practical and unfussy treatment for floor-to-ceiling windows that open inwards, such as with Juliet balcony doors? johunt
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
Keep things stylish and minimal by choosing full-height shutter panels with a larger louvre – these will allow maximum light into the room and, of course, a better view to the outside! Choose a concealed rod on your shutters. This means the louvres are connected by a tiny mechanism on the reverse of the panel, so when the slats are tilted to the open position, there are no vertical pushrods or bars: simply touch any louvre and they all move together.
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
Keep things stylish and minimal by choosing full-height shutter panels with a larger louvre – these will allow maximum light into the room and, of course, a better view to the outside! Choose a concealed rod on your shutters. This means the louvres are connected by a tiny mechanism on the reverse of the panel, so when the slats are tilted to the open position, there are no vertical pushrods or bars: simply touch any louvre and they all move together.
How do you dress a glazed door to stop draughts while still allowing as much light in as possible and keeping the room cosy in winter? dragonflyblue57
Answer from: Hillarys
Draughty doors can be a pesky problem! Have curtains made to the exact length you require. And choosing a Jacquard fabric that has an interlining between the front and the back will have a good thermal quality. It’s possible to buy a curtain pole that’s hinged, so that in the daytime the curtain sits against the side wall, and at night you can bring it back over the door.
Alternatively, you could put an individual ThermaShade pleated blind over each of the glazed areas. These are made of honeycomb-like fabric, which traps the air as a duvet would.
Answer from: Hillarys
Draughty doors can be a pesky problem! Have curtains made to the exact length you require. And choosing a Jacquard fabric that has an interlining between the front and the back will have a good thermal quality. It’s possible to buy a curtain pole that’s hinged, so that in the daytime the curtain sits against the side wall, and at night you can bring it back over the door.
Alternatively, you could put an individual ThermaShade pleated blind over each of the glazed areas. These are made of honeycomb-like fabric, which traps the air as a duvet would.
How do you dress windows – especially French doors – without obstructing the view? Gillian McInerney
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
There is a way to retain a great view and ensure your doors and windows look fabulous, too. The key is to go for small panels – for example, three separate frame sections across the entire space. In the central frame, fitting four panels hinged as two bifold doors will allow the shutters to fold back and sit either side of the door.
Shutters look beautiful when they’re closed with the slats tilted, but they look equally great when the slats are closed and the panels are folded back to frame the sides of the doors.
For the windows either side, a set of trifold panels to the left or right side wall will allow you to fully expose the view in summer, and close shutters in the frame to cosy up in the winter.
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
There is a way to retain a great view and ensure your doors and windows look fabulous, too. The key is to go for small panels – for example, three separate frame sections across the entire space. In the central frame, fitting four panels hinged as two bifold doors will allow the shutters to fold back and sit either side of the door.
Shutters look beautiful when they’re closed with the slats tilted, but they look equally great when the slats are closed and the panels are folded back to frame the sides of the doors.
For the windows either side, a set of trifold panels to the left or right side wall will allow you to fully expose the view in summer, and close shutters in the frame to cosy up in the winter.
How do you dress an arched window to have enough coverage to block out the light but still show off the window? rachtotheg
Answer from: Pippa Rolls Ltd
Curtains would be wrong and are impractical given the narrower width at the top of the window. A Roman blind would shorten the window and crowd the space too much. We suggest you apply the ‘less is more’ rule and opt for a bespoke blackout roller blind made in a really fantastic fabric to fit inside the window reveal, across the width of the window. This could be combined with a closable shutter for the fanlight.
Make sure you buy a roller blind with a reverse-roll action, so the fabric falls to the front and not to the back. This means you don’t see the roller and keeps it sleek and chic.
Answer from: Pippa Rolls Ltd
Curtains would be wrong and are impractical given the narrower width at the top of the window. A Roman blind would shorten the window and crowd the space too much. We suggest you apply the ‘less is more’ rule and opt for a bespoke blackout roller blind made in a really fantastic fabric to fit inside the window reveal, across the width of the window. This could be combined with a closable shutter for the fanlight.
Make sure you buy a roller blind with a reverse-roll action, so the fabric falls to the front and not to the back. This means you don’t see the roller and keeps it sleek and chic.
What are the best kitchen-proof window treatments? Sarah
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
A great solution is a vinyl plantation shutter. This product is 100% waterproof, so the shutters can withstand regular cleaning with warm water. They look exactly like a painted wood shutter and come in a range of louvre sizes and colours.
Wider shutter louvres will be quicker and easier to clean than small wooden or aluminium blind slats or a fabric roller blind, so they’re definitely lower maintenance! They look great, too.
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
A great solution is a vinyl plantation shutter. This product is 100% waterproof, so the shutters can withstand regular cleaning with warm water. They look exactly like a painted wood shutter and come in a range of louvre sizes and colours.
Wider shutter louvres will be quicker and easier to clean than small wooden or aluminium blind slats or a fabric roller blind, so they’re definitely lower maintenance! They look great, too.
What type treatment would you use for a consistent look if, in one room, there is one west-facing window and two south-facing ones on either side of a cooker? aoibheann1
Answer from: Hillarys
When light control is key, a solution with louvres is a great option. I recommend vertical blinds. Many people see these as immensely practical, and they also offer bags of style and are available in an array of colours and designs.
For various-facing windows, vertical blinds allow you to tilt the louvres as the sun moves around the house, so you can diffuse or block out the light as you please. As all these windows are in the same space, we also recommend choosing the same blinds throughout for a sleek, coordinated effect, and choosing to have them split in the middle so they open in a similar fashion to curtains. Choosing a translucent fabric will help to keep a light and airy feel in your home.
Answer from: Hillarys
When light control is key, a solution with louvres is a great option. I recommend vertical blinds. Many people see these as immensely practical, and they also offer bags of style and are available in an array of colours and designs.
For various-facing windows, vertical blinds allow you to tilt the louvres as the sun moves around the house, so you can diffuse or block out the light as you please. As all these windows are in the same space, we also recommend choosing the same blinds throughout for a sleek, coordinated effect, and choosing to have them split in the middle so they open in a similar fashion to curtains. Choosing a translucent fabric will help to keep a light and airy feel in your home.
What should you look for in a window treatment when you want to maximise the amount of light in your home? judithandtrevor and Breda Hayes
Answer from: Pippa Rolls Ltd
Natural daylight is valuable in our temperate climate, so we always recommend that homeowners look at the area around the window as well as the area of window they want to dress. This wall space is a valuable area into which a blind can fold up or curtains either side of the window can stack back. Traditionally, people add 15cm either side of their window for stack-back, but we suggest you use more, especially if the window is wider than 150cm… Go ahead and use 20-25cm – you won’t regret it!
Another way of maximising light is to use fabrics that create 50% opacity instead of 100%. Fabric such as voiles can create privacy, but also allow light to penetrate a room and, in the summer, filtered light gives a softness to a space that cannot be achieved by using heavier fabrics.
Want more window dressing advice? Check out what these experts have to say
TELL US…
Do you have a window dressing dilemma that you’d like some help with? Share it with us in the Comments below.
Answer from: Pippa Rolls Ltd
Natural daylight is valuable in our temperate climate, so we always recommend that homeowners look at the area around the window as well as the area of window they want to dress. This wall space is a valuable area into which a blind can fold up or curtains either side of the window can stack back. Traditionally, people add 15cm either side of their window for stack-back, but we suggest you use more, especially if the window is wider than 150cm… Go ahead and use 20-25cm – you won’t regret it!
Another way of maximising light is to use fabrics that create 50% opacity instead of 100%. Fabric such as voiles can create privacy, but also allow light to penetrate a room and, in the summer, filtered light gives a softness to a space that cannot be achieved by using heavier fabrics.
Want more window dressing advice? Check out what these experts have to say
TELL US…
Do you have a window dressing dilemma that you’d like some help with? Share it with us in the Comments below.
Answer from: Shutterly Fabulous
Shutters are pretty much maintenance-free – no dry cleaning required! They offer maximum flexibility when controlling the light and view.
Curtains are either open or closed, but thin shutter panels can fold back 180 degrees and tuck against the interior wall or sit at a 90 degree angle to the window. Louvres offer great flexibility as they can tilt to provide various levels of privacy.
Another advantage is the range of window designs with which shutters can work. Unusual-shaped windows, such as circles, triangles or arches, are currently popular, but can be hard to dress. Wood shutters can be custom-built to fit any shape and can solve such challenges.