Blinds, shades, and draperies, collectively known as “window treatments” are a great addition to any home. They’re not only functional, they add style and personality.
Window treatments run the spectrum from clean and simple to elegant and complex.
One of the main benefits of all window treatments is that they allow you to control light, including providing UV protection.
As happy as we are to see the sun in spring and summer, it has a dark side. We all love to get our Vitamin D, but we still wear sunscreen. Your art and furniture can get a sunburn too. Your home needs the same protection from the sun’s rays that your skin does. Not only does your family benefit from the protection that window coverings provide, your furnishings, draperies, accessories, and floor coverings do too.
Unprotected, the sun burns out the colours, fades and disintegrates the fibres of your fabrics and rugs, ruins your art and changes the colours of your wood floors
Another great thing about window treatments is that you can manage privacy. Dance naked for your neighbours, or not, this becomes entirely up to you.
In addition to privacy and light control, window treatments also conserve energy, helping keep rooms seasonably warm or cool making them a great solution to drafty windows. Window treatments, especially drapes, (which we love!) can also be a real benefit to room acoustics.
Here are our three favorite window treatments:
Roller Shades
Most simple, and becoming the most common in our projects, are roller shades. Roller Shades are the new “mini blinds” only they make you swear less when you use them. Roller shades come in color options with designs that make it easy to convert any space.
Options
Opacity: from see through to blackout and everything in between
Automation: solar, hardwired or battery – Yes solar!!
UV rated: this is an option in some brands
Valances: there are choices
Benefits
Control: temperature and light including computer glare
View: when they are closed they disappear
Safe: no cords with automation
Convenient: they can usually fit into existing condo valances (where the mini blinds are now).
Compatible: work with other window treatments like drapes or outside mounted roman shades
Strata Rules: easy to meet guidelines
Affordable: compared to most other window treatments
Drapes
These are our favourite and probably the most beneficial of all window treatments. They insulate your windows keeping your room cool or warm as needed. For darkening rooms, especially bedrooms, they can be lined with a blackout lining. The least considered benefit is acoustics, drapes help soften sound in a room. As a design element they work in any style of space.
Options
Opacity: from shear to blackout and everything in between
Automation: hardwired
Mounting: ceiling or wall mounted
Hardware: lots of rods and tracks – some rods can be curved to go around corners
Benefits
Control: temperature and light and acoustics
View: can clear the window depending on installation
Safe: no cords
Convenient: they can fit into existing condo valances
Compatible: work with inside mount roller shades
Strata Rules: easy to meet guidelines
Affordable: if you buy from IKEA. We always suggest custom, which are pricey, but worth it!!
Roman Shades
Share the same attributes of drapes – only they are shorter. Ideal when you have a baseboard heater or furniture piece below a window. They are a great companion to drapes and can be the same or complimentary fabrics. Roman shades are an embellishment opportunity waiting to happen.
Options
Opacity: from shear to blackout and everything in between
Automation: hardwired
Valances: optional
Mounting: inside mount or outside mount
Benefits
Control: temperature and light
View: will always block part of the window when open
Safe: will have a cord/chain but doesn’t have to be long and can be locked
Compatible: work with other window treatments like inside mount roller shades
Strata Rules: easy to meet guidelines
Affordable: only if you buy from Home Depot. We always suggest custom, which are pricey but worth it!!