It wasn’t till I used to be deep within the design world that I ever actually thought-about every other window masking apart from a curtain panel. It was the one sort my dad and mom utilized in my childhood house (apart from mini blinds and the dreaded vertical blinds). And it’s protected to say nearly all of the non-design folks in my life who’re adorning their very own houses additionally use panels as a default. As elegant as they are often, they don’t seem to be at all times one of the best choice for the window you’re making an attempt to cowl.
Say you’ve gotten a small little window above eye top that panels would look foolish on. A curler or Roman shade goes to be your greatest guess. Or perhaps you’ve gotten a lovely image window that faces the road the place you don’t wish to block the view however you additionally would moderately folks strolling by not see you hours-deep right into a Golden Ladies marathon. Gentle-filtering cafe curtains will do the trick.
In the event you’ve ever struggled with what path to go together with masking your home windows, this publish is for you. Oh, and also you’re going to wish to Pin this data to avoid wasting for later, too, as a result of it’s recommendation that can by no means not be helpful.
First, right here’s an *precise* cheat sheet for you on when and the place to make use of the 4 commonest kinds of window coverings: Roman shades, pull-down shades (like rollers and honeycomb), panels, and cafe curtains:
After all, there’s an exception for all the pieces, and these will not be die-on-the-hill guidelines, however I’d guesstimate that they’d apply about 90% of the time. And sure, there can be home windows the place any of the above choices would work, and in that case, it’s actually only a visible, price range, or upkeep desire. Let’s check out all of those extra carefully to indicate you examples of why they work the place they’re pictured (and another ideas).
Roman Shades
First up: Roman shades. Tremendous versatile, clear and tailor-made and an ideal choice for lots of tough areas.
That’s my kitchen up there (and that cute child can also be mine). I’ve a large window in my breakfast nook that frankly was very arduous to determine. I may have performed panels, however there isn’t a lot clearance above the window to hold draperies, plus I didn’t wish to take care of panels kissing the ground of a VERY lively kitchen (anybody who has ever fed a toddler is aware of what I imply). In her eyes, they’d be two big napkins and…a tough no for me. So the following choice was a shade of some type. Frankly, a light-filtering curler shade may need been probably the most sensible answer since I don’t wish to block daylight, however I knew I wished a extra ornamental look to essentially spruce this facet of the area up, so Romans it was. I went with an outdoor mount as my sill is tremendous shallow and the shade stack would have protruded awkwardly with an inside mount.
How cute is this bed room? EHD contributor Ajai Guyot had a tiny little window (above an ornamental ledge, no much less) that didn’t have many choices. A Roman is ideal for a window like this since panels would solely draw consideration to how small it’s.
One other spot the place a Roman is clutch is above furnishings. That is Emily Bowser’s bed room, and due to the sq. footage of the room and her house, she actually wants to maximise her area. Pulling her dresser out six or so inches to go away room for panels to drape behind was simply not a great answer. The drapey Roman she selected is each sensible on this software in addition to visually smooth, not stealing an excessive amount of consideration from anything within the room.
One other Bowser area the place a shade (or cafe curtain) was one of the best transfer. As I discussed, there are going to be loads of instances when you’ve gotten your decide of what to make use of, and there isn’t a unsuitable reply. A restaurant curtain would really feel charming and Previous World, whereas a Roman is polished and absolutely covers the window when it’s down at evening, and so on.
Roman Shade Recap
When to make use of:
- On a small window the place panels wouldn’t work aesthetically or functionally
- In order for you a clear, tailor-made look
- In an off-the-cuff area like a kitchen or breakfast nook
- On a window above a chunk of furnishings, radiator, or baseboard heating
- As a complement to draperies in a room with a whole lot of home windows
- In the event you don’t have sufficient wall area to help material rods/panels
Material Panels
On to panels. Okay, so this was my outdated eating room (I MISS YOU!!!) and searching again, I 100% ought to have opted for Roman shades right here. It was one among my first initiatives, so, as talked about, panels have been my go-to. And look, I like the drama of the deep inexperienced velvet panels flanking each casement home windows, however may by no means really open these home windows each as a result of I had stuff on the credenza in entrance but in addition as a result of the panels didn’t nest absolutely to the facet of the window in order that they bought in the best way. Plus, they collected SO.MUCH.DUST beneath. Fairly, sure, however not sensible.
(Scorching Tip: In the event you’re utilizing a Roman shade on a casement window, ensure it’s put in excessive sufficient that when the shade is absolutely up, it doesn’t block the window from opening. It’s not one thing you must fear about with a typical single-hung window, however it’s for this sort.)
I wished to indicate you my outdated front room to speak by two various things: #1 – panels are nice for masking a really giant window or set of home windows you wish to make really feel like a single window. Actually, I’m unsure a Roman shade of this width is even a factor (perhaps however it might doubtless have been three as an alternative of 1 and would have felt uneven). Plus, I wished to intensify the ceiling top, which is at all times a job greatest performed by curtain panels. #2: You see how the panels to the appropriate the place the ceiling slopes down don’t line up with the {hardware} on the massive entrance window? It actually wasn’t the tip of the world and didn’t hassle me that a lot in particular person, however panels on the image window and Roman shades on the 2 decrease, smaller home windows would have been a nicer combine, for positive. You reside, you be taught, (you chuckle/love).
I assume I can’t cease displaying my outdated condominium. However for actual, it’s simply simpler for me to speak by the “whys” since I do know them. In my outdated bed room, I picked curtain panels as a result of I wished a smooth, romantic look, which is strictly what drapes ship. Cafe curtains would have felt too dinky with the massive scale of my furnishings (plus it wouldn’t have given me sufficient privateness), and Romans would have been too stiff for my styling.
Right here’s Caitlin’s stunning, eclectic front room. She opted for a combo of woven Roman shades and panels each for texture, privateness, and drama. I like this mixture in an area that’s layered and wealthy. Any materials of shade would work in order for you the 2 window masking varieties, although usually you’ll wish to select one thing light-filtering and never too heavy.
We’ve but to see curtain panels on any doorways on this publish, however when you’re making an attempt to cowl one thing sliding and even French, panels are an ideal selection. This eating area by EHD alum Julie makes nice use of the lengthening energy of panels by hanging the curtain {hardware} all the best way as much as the ceiling line to match the cabinetry on the wall and provides clear, continuous traces to the realm.
This candy little breakfast nook had nearly any choice accessible to it for masking that window, however the panels hung excessive make it really feel a lot grander and extra dreamy than it might have with any sort of shade or perhaps a quick cafe curtain.
This complete room is actually jaw-dropping, but it surely’s additionally a super instance of how dramatic (but tailor-made) panels may be. These are inset into the ceiling so there isn’t a seen {hardware}. It’s a element that must be labored out within the design and renovation technique of a room, however man is it price it. ::chef’s kiss::
Material Panel Recap
When to make use of:
- In any room you wish to intensify ceiling top
- In any room you desire a grand, elegant feeling to
- On a window you wish to make really feel bigger (by hanging a material rod excessive and extensive)
- Once you wish to make a number of home windows subsequent to one another really feel like a single “unit”
- You probably have a big window or sliding/French door to cowl
Cafe Curtains
Shock! It’s me displaying my house once more. A number of you adopted my rental kitchen refresh, and those who did will know I swapped out the wooden blinds that have been within the window above my sink for a restaurant curtain (additionally known as tier curtains). I did this each for attraction but in addition for max gentle.
One other rental area, this time by Julie in a earlier condominium of hers. As renters, your choices are restricted, and cafe curtains held on a pressure rod are so nice in a small window that wants privateness however can be reverted again to move-in situation.
After all, all of us keep in mind Emily’s farmhouse eating nook the place she added in a DIY boro material cafe curtain. As she doesn’t have a privateness challenge essentially, she opted for the cafe curtain particularly so as to add print and influence to the area. Cafe curtains are a good way to make use of up a small piece of material you completely love however both don’t have the price range to purchase tons of yardage or can’t get extra as a result of it’s classic.
Cafe curtains aren’t only for small home windows, both. The beautiful, tall home windows in Emily’s farmhouse major tub let each gentle and tree views in with out letting any ::cough cough:: undesirable views out.
Cafe Curtain Recap
When to make use of:
- In a room you need each privateness and light-weight/views
- If you wish to add some dreamy attraction to an area
Pull-Down Shade
I left probably the most trendy and sensible window masking sort for final however that doesn’t imply you must. Non-Roman shades are usually curler or honeycomb, although you’ll discover a number of different varieties. These are normally inside mounted (so that you want at the very least 2-3 inches of window sill), and are available in each light-filtering and blackout. As a result of they sit tight to the window, additionally they present nice insulation for each sound and temperature. I opted for a honeycomb black-out shade in my daughter’s room behind fairly panels, and whereas the shade itself isn’t probably the most aesthetic factor, it sort of disappears and is immensely practical.
In the Portland mission from a number of years again (above), lots of the home windows went the best way of the shade for the reason that structure of the house was fairly trendy and clean-cut. Might you add panels across the window with the sort of shade, too? Yup, completely, however in order for you one thing easy and unfussy, that is the window masking for you.
The identical applies to the mountain home, which was Emily’s tackle trendy Scandi lodge. The ceilings, home windows and views on this home did the heavy lifting, and masking these up with something that made an excessive amount of of a press release would frankly steal from that. You possibly can see how minimal they’re when absolutely open above within the spa rest room and in one of many visitor rooms beneath.
Pull-Down Shade Recap
When to make use of:
- Once you desire a easy, trendy look
- In the event you want privateness with both light-filtering or black-out qualities
- In the event you want higher insulation of sound and power to your window
- In an area that wants a low-maintenance and low-profile choice
And there you’ve gotten it! I hope that was useful and helpful for you when you’re making an attempt to determine window coverings in your house. Once more, a whole lot of it’s private desire, however like I walked you thru, there *are* proper and unsuitable solutions relying on the scenario. Whereas material panels are probably the most versatile (learn: you don’t normally have to go the customized route such as you would for a Roman or pull-down shade), I hope this publish opened the window to the world of coverings (pun very a lot meant right here).
See you subsequent time, associates!
Opening Picture Credit: Picture by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Portland Challenge: The Dwelling Room Reveal