As an interior designer, Ive seen window treatments come and go – from miles of heavy drapes puddling on the floor like Niagra falls to a minimalist’s dream: Nothing at all. In my opinion, today’s trend toward simple sophisticated design is the way to go.
With shades and blinds, you can dress your windows in a clean, uncluttered way, enjoy unobstructed outdoor views, and better control the light that comes in from the outside. You can always add swags or valances later if you like them, but I think shades and blinds look great all by themselves, and there are so many to choose from.
Blinds are considered “hard” window treatments. They have slats, or vanes, that tilt or angle to control the amount of light entering a room. They can also be fully opened, or pulled up, for an unobstructed view. Today most blinds come with a rod that twists to tilt the vanes and pull a cord that lifts them. Blinds can have horizontal or vertical vanes, and they can be made of vinyl, wood, and wood alternatives, or the old standby: aluminum.
Shades are “soft” window treatments that can be raised or lowered for privacy and light control without sacrificing the view outside. They may be opened from the bottom up or the top down.