Are your windows still naked or worse, dressed in your bed sheet, because you are paralyzed with indecision over what to do with them? Rather than settle for mini blinds or ill fitting curtains, we asked Leslye Womack of Best Dressed Windows in Austin to give us a window treatment primer.
Consider this to be a general overview of the most frequently asked questions regarding window treatment selection and the proper measurement of windows.
1. What sort of window treatments work best for large, wide windows, such as picture windows?
Draperies, lined panels of fabric, are a good solution because they can be hung on hardware that extends beyond the window itself to expose the entire window. These look wonderful paired with bamboo shades or wood blinds for a layered effect. The same applies for wide, higher windows that are in many mid-century ranch style houses. The drapes can be simplified at the top, made of more modern fabrics and mounted close to the ceiling (for additional height) to avoid looking too traditional.
2. What window treatments are best for narrow windows?
There are many options that are appropriate. Roman shades and roller shades lend themselves to narrow windows and can be either inside or outside mounted. If the window moldings are especially attractive, hang the shades inside the window frame.
3. What are the most cost effective window treatment options?
In Leslye’s opinion, drapery panels are the most affordable if kept simple. The cost of the fabric, any additional trims and the complexity of the pleating makes a difference. A simple panel can be easily made at home by hemming the edges of a width of fabric and then attaching it to the drapery rod with clip rings. Flat Roman shades can also be relatively inexpensive because they require less fabric and are the least complicated shades.
4. Where can semi-custom window treatments be purchased?
A local seamstress like Leslye can make custom window treatments for often less than a full service workroom in a fabric store or design center. Check with the Window Coverings Association of America to find a workroom in your area.
Semi-custom draperies and shades can be ordered from on-line retailers, but the fabric selection will be more limited. Smith + Noble has a wide variety of shades, drapes, valances, blinds and more. The Shade Store also has drapes and shades, including sleek solar shades and sliding panel systems. In addition, they offer modern fabric collections from Dwell and Maharam.
5. What is the proper way to measure windows?
Many windows are not completely level so it is best not to assume anything. Measure vertically on the left and right side of the window inside the window frame. Then measure horizontally at the top, middle and bottom of the window. If the shade will be outside mounted, include the width of the window trim as well.
6. Where should the drapery rods or shades be mounted in relation to the window?
This is a matter of personal preference, but there are general guidelines. Hardware should be installed three to five inches off each corner of the window frame to adequately cover the window. To create the illusion of higher ceilings, install the window treatments close to the ceiling for maximum height. To make a narrow window appear wider, hang drapery panels outside the window so that the leading edge (inside edge of the panel) just touches the side of the window frame. No matter where the hardware is mounted, make sure the panels will hang at the desired level. Longer drapery panels should skim the floor and less formal curtains can be slightly longer than the window ledge.
Window Words
Drapes vs. Curtains: The terms are used interchangeably and very similar. They are both vertically hanging panels of fabric that can be stationary, be split in the middle, or be one panel that opens to the side. The understood difference is that drapes are more substantial and usually pleated at the top. Curtains are generally made of lighter fabric that is simply gathered on a curtain rod.
Valance vs. Cornice: Both are window toppers that can be used alone or in combination with panels or shades. A valance hangs softly from a board or rod and a cornice is an upholstered or wood box that is mounted above the window.
Roman Shade: A single panel of fabric that is flat when it is down and folds into even pleats as it is pulled up, according to Lady Carolyn Wrey in The Complete Book of Curtains and Drapes (1957). In 2009, this is still true but there are many more variations such as hobbled shades, relaxed Romans, and London shades.
Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount : Inside mount window treatments cover only the surface of the window and expose the trim around the window. Outside mount window treatments are installed on the wall beyond the window trim and allow less light to leak in around the edges.
Thanks for the lesson, Leslye!
Want to know more? Have a challenging window dilemma? Let us know what specific issues we can address related to the vast world of window coverings.
Related Links:
How to Make Shades out of Mini Blinds
How to Customize Roller Shades
Before and After: Window Treatments
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (23)
How about "How to Place Furniture Sensibly" ??
Because that bed just looks wrong up against the window ... never mind how difficult it would be to make it up.
I swear, most of the photos in this post look like they are right from the 1980s (namely 1,4,5)! Informative post, though :) Am I the only one who hates valences and cornice boxes? I think they look tacky and picture #5 is just proving my point...
when did curtains & blinds become window treatments & why?
"when did curtains & blinds become window treatments & why?"
That's like asking when cars, busses and trains became transportation...
...or when shoes, sandals and boots became footwear.
I loathe valences always, and generally hate cornice boxes.
Hopefully my fellow AT readers can come up with a solution to my window covering problem. I currently have plastic vertical blinds covering sliding glass doors in my bedroom. The blinds are ugly but do a nice job in terms of light control, privacy and allowing access to the door. I'd simply replace them with better looking blinds but my cat loves to look out the windows at night. When he moves the blinds (very noisy due to the plastic), there go the privacy and light control attributes. Any ideas short of getting rid of the cat?
northwind--
Have you considerd Pinch-pleat draperies on a unidirectional traverse rod mounted within a cornice?
@northwind - for our sliding glass door we have a double curtain rod with white sheers that we generally leave closed behind regular curtain panels. It works well for both privacy and light control - with the sheers closed, the light is filtered and we can close the regular curtains for a full-on blackout effect. Just make sure that the curtains you choose have rings or grommets or something similar on top if you want to be able to easily open and close them. We have an inexpensive rod from Home Depot and curtains from Ikea but you can see what I mean in these pix from Crate & Barrel: http://tinyurl.com/yl6ejg5
@northwind - I don't have the first idea where you'd find these: But my grandmother has vertical blinds that are made out of heavy-duty cloth (it looks like big weave burlap, but I'm not sure what it is), and have weights inside the hem to hold them down. They stick straight, block light, and don't make much noise when you move them.
With a cat who likes to get on the window, I'd hesitate to get sheer curtains. Cat might discover that he likes to shred cloth.
I have a question that never seems to get addressed when discussing window treatments. We live in a 1920's house where ALL the windows are inside opening casement windows - they open up like little doors. I have been desperately trying to find options for windows like these and advice is few and far between. When we first moved in, my mom and I used "sash rods" on top and on the bottom of each "door" and made sheer curtains that attach to both ends... it helps with privacy and since it is ON the window it can still be opened and closed, but they look a little dated... Any other suggestions or ideas? I know these types of windows are fairly common in LA, so some of you MUST have some creative solutions!
I have a dilemma: I live in a 1962 ranch house with wide, high windows. I would like to put roman shades (or balloon shades) on the two windows in my daughter's room but I can't find premade shades to fit this dated window size and I am having trouble making shades that mount properly. I started with balloon shades but couldn't attach the black-out fabric behind the fabric without weird bunching, so I switched to simple roman shades. Now I can't figure out how to mount the board above the window (exterior mount to maximize light when the shade is up) so that light doesn't stream in the sides (because the curtain ends up 1 -2" away from the wall). Help?
The sliding glass door thing is an issue for me, too, but I had already decided to do sheers with draperies. My problem now is what to do with the gigantic window next to the sliding glass door... Do I decorate them the same with curtain rods at the same height even though the window is several inches shorter than the sliding glass doors? Do I take out the hideous rental-yellow mini blinds and put sheers on the window as well?
@ lifeinthefortress, for a more uniformed look, I would hang the curtain rods at the same height. It would be really distracting if you hung them any other way and take away from the focal point in your room. As for the rental blinds, it's your choice. If it were me, I'd get rid of the mini blinds unless there was a privacy issue and hang matching sheers at the sliding doors as well as the windows. And if you'd like, you could even layer your window treatment; sheers closest to the window, and then a contrasting fabric (different color or texture) over the sheers. I love double rods for this! And the top fabric can also introduce a pop of color into the room.
Annabelle--
Take your fabric to a drapery fabricator and let them do the job for you - Roman shades really need to be hung and strung...
...and to mount: L-Brackets are your friend.
alisongilb, how about using a swing arm rod like the one shown on restoration hardware's website, http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod3560020&navCount=1
. You can put a rod-pocket gathered curtain on this rod and have it open and close as needed. Then, so that it doesn't look dated, use a modern fabric with a contrast microcording on the side and bottom edges. The microcording makes it swing out just a bit and have some "body".
Annabelle, find a fabricator that can make romans that are "reverse mounted" - that means that the fabric falls off the back of the board, right against the window, not a couple of inches away. The roman shade hardware will be in front of the shade but a small, simple valance about 5-7 inches high will cover the hardware and you won't have the issue you described of the light pouring in through the side edges.
We moved into our house over a year ago and I am still mulling over paint colors. In the meantime, I am embarassed to say we still have the sheets up on the windows.
I don't want to invest much time and $$ in window coverings without knowing the ultimate room color schemes.
Any suggestions on a universally good but not blah color for some simple curtains or shades that could go with existing and potential color schemes? And/or otherwise how to proceed when I'm not ready to paint but desperately need to get some window coverings, even if interim? Thanks.
Coconut Hill-- You might consider doing a simple roman shade or roller shade in white or cream (see The Shade Store's roller shades) OR do a natural bamboo shade. Those would all be very versatile so that you could add any color of drapery panels/curtains later and they could even just be stationary panels (which would mean less fabric in the finished product and less money).
Thank you, MistyforAustin!
Hello! I have a question about that first picture up top, am I seeing that correctly in that it looks like the curtain rod is hung from the crown molding?
If so, how would one do that?
@Ellinnette in Det: Excellent advice, thank you! I think I'll put an off-white sheer (maybe some of that stuff will little picks and imperfections in the fabric) on both the sliding glass doors and window, hang the double curtain rods at the same height for both, as you suggested, and put a bold colored drapery over each (probably gold to contrast our dark green couches). Thank you so much for your help!
Iresboston, I made the draperies you asked about and if I remember correctly (it's been awhile) the rod was mounted to the wall just above the window moulding. The decorative metalwork you see was attached to the rod and to the wall and reached up to just under the crown moulding. Nothing was attached to the crown itself. Hope that helps!
ahh I see, very helpful, appreciated