Blinds and curtains have a major impact on the look of any home, filling rooms with colour, texture, shape and light. Yet, to choose blinds and curtains on their look alone is a mistake. The various types of blinds and curtains available today each have their own type of functionality, and it’s wise to take this into account when we are making our choices. Get it wrong and the result can be a window treatment that looks amazing but lets you down when it comes to issues such as light control, functionality or insulation. It’s time to take a moment, consider some of our options in blinds and curtains, and make sure that when the time comes to make our choices, we’re bringing designs to our home that look amazing and deliver functional benefits as well.
It’s good to make this one big decision up front, because it will dictate the choices that remain on the table from here forward. How so? Well, if you have your heart set on a traditional look, it’s unlikely you’re going to include Roller Blinds in your choices. And by contrast, if the look you want in your home is minimalist and modern, you’ll probably steer away from Pinch Pleat Curtains. In some cases your existing decor will influence your choices, but if you’re starting from a clean slate, be sure to define your overall theme first, as this will streamline your choice of blinds and curtains moving forward.
While curtains are very likely the first choice in window treatments that springs to mind, there are many more choices to consider, including Sheer Curtains, Block Out Blinds, Roman Blinds, Venetian Blinds, Roller Blinds, Panel Blinds, Vertical Blinds and Plantation Shutters.
Chances are you’ll find more than one choice of window treatment that suits the style you’re chasing. Briefly, Plantation Shutters deliver a feel that’s relaxed and informal. Depending on factors such as pleat type, patterns and accessories, Curtains tend to bring a more traditional and even formal feel. Sheer Curtains bring a certain sophistication along with their soft, breezy look. There are many types of Blinds available but streamlined designs such as Roller Blinds can be used to achieve a modern, clean look. Get online, look around, and once you’re really focused on window treatments you’ll quickly get an idea of the type of mood the various designs can help you set.
blinds and curtains can help deal with light control, complete light block out, privacy, insulation and even noise control. The various window treatments available have relative strengths and weaknesses in these areas, and it pays to weigh up a couple of factors now that we’ve come this far – performance and ease of use.
Custom-made and installed Roller Blinds can deliver great insulation, and with the right fabric choice, complete block out for insulation and privacy. They offer a degree of noise control, too. Venetian Blinds are very good at managing light levels, are great for privacy but can’t achieve complete light block out. Sheer Curtains are excellent for diffusing light and delivering daytime privacy, but their privacy benefits don’t carry forward when the sun goes down. Depending on the fabric chosen, Roman Blinds can diffuse light or offer near complete block out and privacy. If you’ve never lived with a particular type of blind, but you’re beginning to feel that it might deliver both the look and the performance that you need, it always pays to speak with a custom window treatment consultant to get all the facts on performance and ease of use.
Sometimes the ideal window treatment is in fact not just one, but two designs combined to deliver the ultimate combination of looks and functionality. Two examples of this approach can include:
For the very best looks and performance in blinds and curtains – particularly where more than one treatment is applied, as discussed above – there is simply no substitute for precision measuring, custom design and expert installation.
Taking some basic measurements yourself and discussing them with a custom window treatment design consultant can get you off to a good start. With experience working for you, you’ll find out right away what can be done, what’s involved and the type of result you can expect. There’s no substitute for expert help when it comes to achieving exactly what you’re after.
Having done plenty of research yourself, you might be tempted to go the whole hog, buy some window treatments ‘off the shelf’ and go full DIY. There are some strong arguments against this. From a performance point of view, perfect fit is needed for good block out and effective insulation. While you might be a dab hand with a measuring tape and drill, off-the-shelf window treatments are usually created with a margin for error built in…which often leads to winder gaps than are ideal. Furthermore, you might well find that your windows are not quite square, which adds an extra level of challenge. DIY window treatments can lead to a lot of hard work and frustration with a less than perfect result. If you take pride in the look of your home, leave it to the experts.
Virtually every window treatment available today can be motorised and automated. And if you’ve paused for even a second to wonder why you might choose to do this, here’s a question for you – would you hand back your TV remote and go back to pushing buttons? Of course not.
Motorised, automated window treatments can be controlled by wall switch, remote or even a smartphone App. Full automation and scheduling amplifies your privacy and insulation benefits, because with a bit of planning, even when you’re not at home your blinds and curtains can be operated automatically to enhance security and light control.
Blinds and curtains have an enormous impact on the look of a home, as well as its privacy, energy use and general livability. When you’re making your choices, it pays to consider all the factors at play, rather than focusing on aesthetics alone. Should you have any questions regarding window treatments custom designed to suit your lifestyle, simply contact us today.