What’s the first thing you usually notice when you enter a room that you’ve never been in before? Is it the flooring? The lighting? The room’s décor? Well, if you’re like most people, you’re probably going to be drawn to the room’s focal point, and more likely than not, that will be the room’s windows.
Large and dramatic or small and functional, a home’s windows do more than provide light and a view of the world outside. Windows
also offer privacy and noise control to the home
’s inhabitants, as well as enhance the living space’s overall design concept. Finding the best way to showcase your windows becomes
key.
“Just as picking the right necklace makes the outfit, the right window treatment
completes the room,
” says Boston-based interior designer Abbey Koplovitz of Abbey K, Inc. Koplovitz,
who has designed rooms for PBS
’s This Old House – Pembroke, knows the importance of making the right choice, too.
“There’s nothing worse than skimpy drapes, valances and cornices that cover too much of
the window, or fabric that doesn
’t quite hang right,” states Koplovitz.
Luckily, by following the design basics, you can minimize your chances of
falling victim to this design faux pas.
Something to Please Every Homeowner’s Taste and Budget
From fabric treatments to Roman shades or a single draped scarf, the choices in
window coverings are virtually endless. But once you know the needed function
of the window, how do you make your decision with such a plethora of choices?
Why, by following your room’s design plan, that’s how.
More than likely, the cornerstone of your design plan will be color, so you will
want a window treatment that complements your room
’s color choices. Next is balance—the goal is to achieve visual equilibrium by combining a pleasing mix of
patterns and textures that work well together. Imagine the combination of a
“light” visually weighted room (small-scaled furnishings in neutral colors) with a “heavy” window treatment (a neutral-colored sheer with a coarse texture and bold
geometric patterns.)
Instant balance!
Then comes rhythm. This is the intentional repetition of a style element, such
as replicating a specific treatment over a row of windows, repeating patterns
or color. Finally, you should bring harmony, emphasis and scale into play.
Harmony ensures that all of the elements will
—well, harmonize with each other. You achieve harmony by first uniting the
treatment and the room with a common color, perhaps, and then by providing
variety by ensuring different patterns and textures.
Emphasis is what gives window treatments their “pop” and makes them work as a focal point for the room. Think of a swath of pale
grey silk caressing a gleaming hardwood floor or a formal velvet treatment with
swags and jabots and eye-catching hardware. Think of that special element in
the room that catches the eye.
As for scale, that is what ensures that the window treatment is the right size
for the room. If a treatment is too large, it will overshadow the room and if
it is too small, it will likely become lost amidst the room
’s furnishings. Making sure the size balances, matches or plays off each other is
what makes scale work.
And finally, don’t forget about function. A beautiful window treatment will be useless if it
doesn
’t suit your needs for the window. So, if you need privacy or protection from the
sun
’s glare, make sure the treatment you choose provides that.
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