While drapes and shades can be an investment, they make a world of difference in the design of a space and are worth every penny. In addition to the obvious functional aspect of them, they are one of the design details that bring a room together and make it feel lived in and turn a house into a home.
Because they make such a big difference, this can also mean that it’s sometimes hard to select the right ones! With so many options, styles, and price points to choose from, doing it all on your own can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. To make the process a little easier, we’ve partnered with Hunter Douglas to round up our top tips for selecting window treatments!
FUNCTIONALITY COMES FIRST
Before it’s time to select styles, textures, patterns, colors, and more, start with figuring out how you’re going to use your space. Will you find yourself needing privacy in it? Does the room get an abundance of sunlight? Do you need the room to be darker for watching television or sleeping? Each room in your home has different needs, so design them that way!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO LAYER
Once you’ve chosen your function, now it’s time for the fun part! Deciding on the style of your window treatments can be the trickiest part because although you don’t need to use the same exact style throughout your whole home, you do want to make sure they have a cohesive story. Depending on the overall design of the room, window treatments can either be a standout moment or simply a beautiful neutral backdrop – we’ve designed both ways!
Whatever you choose, one of our biggest recommendations is don’t be afraid to layer. To give your home that interior designer look, we recommend combining non-functioning drapes or side panels with functioning shades. That way, you can save money on fabric yardage for the drapes and invest in high-quality shades that you can open and closes throughout the day as you so choose.
Our Knoll Drive. Project and Greenwich Project are great examples of this! We installed beautiful, non-functioning roman shades and drapes and paired with (our go-to!) Hunter Douglas Provenance Woven Woods.
Left Shade: Hunter Douglas Provenance Woven Woods – Millhouse in Burlap Sack | Right Shade: Hunter Douglas Provenance Woven Woods – Jute Forest in Sycamore
INVEST IN THE BEST
Did you know that investing in quality drapes and shades can save you money on your heating/cooling bill and even lengthen the lifespan of your furnishings and flooring? Being in Minnesota, we get to experience a wide range of weather – the coldest of winters and hot, Midwest summers. So, for our clients, having window treatments that prevent heat from escaping in the winter and prevent sunlight from heating up a room in the summer is key.
Virtually all Hunter Douglas shades, blinds, and shutters filter at least 75% of the sun’s rays when installed over double-glazed glass windows which can offer UV protection to keep art, furniture, and flooring safe over the years!
Our Ozark Trail project has an abundance of windows that overlook a beautiful lake so we selected Hunter Douglas Duette Honeycomb Shades which trap air in distinct pockets to provide excellent insulation. They are also offered in both horizontal and vertical orientations so we could cover both the windows and sliding glass doors for a coordinated look. Game changer!
LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS
Last but most certainly not least, make sure you know your measurements! Not every window is created equal (especially in older homes!) and so having a great professional to measure and install your window treatments is key.
We love working with Hunter Douglas because they help with every step of the process – from visiting their gallery, and ordering, to installation, they make it so easy to do custom window treatments for our clients both nearby and across the country.
Photography by: Spacecrafting Photography | This blog post was in partnership with Hunter Douglas, a brand we adore – all opinions are our own.
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