Blinded by choice
The Marlborough Express
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Home and Garden
Curtains and window dressings can add style, insulation and value to a home, LYNDA PAPESCH reports.
Choosing curtains and window coverings is never easy. With an almost endless range of patterns, styles, fabrics and options, window treatments can be as individual as a person dares. From curtains to blinds and even shutters, the number of looks that can be achieved seems endless.
One of the first choices is to decide what style of window dressing best suits your needs.
New homes are required by law to have double-glazed windows but many older homes don't, and as glass is a great conductor, it will let both heat and cold in and out. Insulation can be easily achieved by layering window treatments, starting with a blind then adding thick thermal curtains which can be pulled together in winter for added warmth.
If opting for Venetian blinds or shutters, these will have to be bought ready-made or custom-made, whereas curtains and Roman blinds can be ready-made, homemade or custom-made.
Also think about the type of materials you want. Eco-friendly materials such as grasses, bamboo, jute and paper are often used to create fabrics and contemporary blinds, bringing a natural elegance to a home while helping save the planet.
Window treatments can be hard, soft or a combination of both.
Hard window treatments include wood and vinyl shades, blinds and shutters, while soft treatments include nets, voiles and fabrics made into curtains, drapes, swags, valances, Roman blinds and so on.
Roman blinds are a popular contemporary choice, especially day-and-night dual versions which feature a sheer rear blind for privacy and to keep the sun out during the day, and a more solid thermal blind in front to help insulate at night.
Roller blinds are also back in vogue with elegant contemporary options made from long-lasting eco-friendly fibres. Some blinds even have the option of lowering the shades from the top allowing light to come in over the top of the shades, instead of the bottom.This gives more control over light, which is especially useful for windows that are facing south where morning and evening light come through the window.
Or for a complete layered look and to block heat or indeed cold from escaping through the top, add ''window toppers'' such as swags, cornices and valances which can look particularly good in older villa-style homes.
Classy window treatments can add valuable dollars to the worth of a home so if you're building, renovating or revamping it's worth a little extra effort.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Wait until one of the local retailers offers free making and hanging. If you can sew then think about DIY. Curtains, even sheers, involve mostly straight sewing with tape available for top gathering. Check the internet for ideas. Wait for sales. Visit furnishing shops and show homes for ideas. Recycle curtains. If lengthening, add a panel in the middle, not on the bottom. Use embellishments such as fringing and tie-backs. Sew a thermal lining or a heavy outer layer to existing thin curtains.
