Choosing Curtains and Blinds

When new furniture, such as a sofa, is purchased, it is almost always necessary to change the window treatments. Many people dread this activity; however, there are some simple steps that can be taken to choose the ultimate window treatment for your home that will be both easy to install and beautiful to look at.

Examine the room

The first thing to do is examine the room. What kind of room is it? Are there a lot of windows? Is it dark during the day? What kind of furniture is in the room? These questions can help determine the kind of window treatment that is necessary. If the room is already dark, then a lighter set of curtains might be the best option. Larger rooms can take heavier curtains. If the room is very small, then blinds might be the better option. The most important thing to remember for this step is that the window coverings should complete the look of the room, but not detract from the overall appearance of it.

Choose colours and patterns

Once you know what kind of room you have and whether a lighter or heavier window treatment will look better, then you can move on to choosing colours and patterns. Some people choose to match their curtains to a sofa that they have in the room. This is a great idea for rooms that do not contain much colour. However, if the room is papered and the sofa is a dark colour or bold pattern, then this is not such a good idea. The blinds or other coverings should not be the focal point of a room. In general, the smaller the room the smaller the window coverings should be.

Look at materials

The material of a curtain or blind can really make a difference in how a room feels. Heavy draperies can make a room feel stuffy, or in the right conditions, regal. Bamboo blinds offer a different feel than metal blinds. A light, sheer material draped over a rod can make a room feel airy and light or cold. It is always best to follow the theme of the room when choosing materials. Lighter materials often go best in airier rooms. However, this rule can be broken in some cases. Playing around with different textures will yield the best results.

Add dimension

For a professional look, add dimension to your window treatments. This can be drawing interest to the curtain rod rather than the curtains themselves. Many professional window covering installers use the technique of adding several different textures to a window. This could be using a shade or blind in the background then adding a curtain on top. Different colours and textures can help make any window look bigger, brighter, and beautiful. Different rod levels and depths will also help increase the dimensions of a window treatment.

Following these simple steps will have your windows looking beautiful and professionally done in no time.

John Lewis offer a range of home & garden products including; sofas, curtains and blinds from leading brand names.

Customers can visit Johnlewis.com for more information.