Windows Privacy

David Brooks asked:


There are often many types of windows in a home.  My previous article offered ideas for window treatments for standard window types, such as patio doors and other typical sizes.  This article will offer ideas for two of the other window types that you may have in your home:  skylights and sidelights (windows beside a door).

Starting with skylights, here are some window treatments options for you to consider.  First, I would highly recommend cellular shades.   You probably already know, but cell shades add insulation to your window.  They come in single, double and triple cell, the latter offering the greatest amount of insulation.  That said, cell shades are attractive and come in a wide variety of colors to compliment almost any décor.  Also, cell shades can be purchased with a motorized function which is especially useful for skylights which are often out of reach.  If you want a slightly less expensive option consider pleated shades which essentially look the same as cell shades but do not have the excellent insulating properties.  Both cellular and pleated shades come in a variety of light-filtering options from sheer to room darkening so you can choose how much light you want to be filtered.  Lastly, both of these shades come specially designed to work with skylights and come with side tracks that hold the shade in place but allow it to open and close.

Next up are sidelights.  Now not every home has sidelight but for those that do, choosing the right sidelight window treatment can really make a difference as it can make the entry way in your home really beautiful and functional.  Sidelight shades need to be available in narrow widths, that is why there aren’t more choices.  That said, there are slightly more choices for sidelights than skylights including, woven wood shades (also known as bamboo shades), cellular shades and sheer shades.  Woven woods come in a huge variety of materials and weaves.  The material choices include bamboo, grasses, rope, reeds, matchsticks, and wood planks.  These materials are often woven together in different combinations and range in appearance from casual to elegant but all with a bent towards a more natural-look.   Woven woods can also be purchased with optional liners for additional room-darkening and privacy.  Sheer shades are a versatile and elegant choice for sidelights.  They are versatile because they are like two shades in one combining the functionality of a blind with the soft light filtering of shades.  Sheer shades for sidelights have horizontal blinds (fabric vanes) with two sheer fabric facings over the fabric vanes.   When the vanes are open the sheer fabric offers soft light-filtering and when closed offer privacy and light dimming.   Cellular shades, as mentioned before, are attractive, come in a wide variety of colors and offer good insulation which is important for almost any home.  For the sheer variety of fabric and other material combinations, I would recommend looking into woven woods but, they may not compliment every décor, whereas, cellular shades and sheer shades have more universal appeal.

If you are looking for window treatment ideas for sidelights or skylight shades, I hope this helped.  Look for the next article in my series which will deal with window treatments for French doors and oversized windows. – David Brooks



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Jan Jessup asked:


Window Treatments Add Wow Factor to Your Home

A new husband, a new house and 47 bare windows would be enough to cause decorating stress in just about any woman. But Barbara Ellis had a plan. Ellis and her husband, Jeff, recently purchased a new house and have been trying to make it look like home. The family room, located right off of the kitchen, has great windows that make it feel open and inviting during the day, but very visible at night. A combination of Roman shades and paisley draperies that enhance the earthy colors of the stone fireplace and a family heirloom armoire addressed their need for privacy while also adding warmth, softness and a burst of color to the room. “I knew what I wanted this room to be like,” says Ellis. “But until I found just the right fabric, furniture and window treatment ideas it didn’t come together.”

Here are tips to bring out the best in windows throughout your home.

Scale and Proportion are Key

The most common mistake made by homeowners when doing their windows is getting the proportions wrong. A valance or cornice that’s too small. Draperies that don’t stack off the window and cover up too much of the view. Skimpy side panels made with too few widths of fabric. These little design flaws make all the difference in the finished appearance of a window and a room.

Getting proportion right takes a good eye and a lot of experience. One size definitely does not fit all, so it can pay to have treatments created specifically for the windows in your home. Custom furnishings are often comparably priced to ready-made, and can represent great value when you factor in the time and expertise of professionals.

Functional or Decorative?

This has a lot to do with the design and proportion of a window treatment. Does it need to clear French doors? Protect from hot afternoon glare? Provide privacy? Or enable you to see a television or computer screen without an eyeshade? Understanding what the room requires will help create the appropriate design solution.

A room that requires privacy will need blackout shades or interlined fabric panels, wood blinds, woven wood or cellular shades to provide functionality. A second layer with soft fabrics and pleasing color accents adds an inviting decorative element. A more formal room might benefit from a third layer in the form of a valance, cornice or other top treatment.

The different elements of a room, or a window, should be in harmony. Even a simple decorative band of trim in a pretty, complementary pattern on a solid fabric panel can add visual interest to a window and tie in the other design elements of a room.

Finding the perfect window treatments for your home is all about the details. Using the right materials, determining the proper scale and proportion and addressing both functional and decorative concerns will help make your home more comfortable, more stylish and a distinctive expression of your design savvy.

Calico Corners is one of America’s most respected interior design retailers, creating over 100,000 custom window treatments per year. Celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2008, Calico Corners also provides expert home decorating advice and in-home design consultation in addition to selling quality designer fabrics for the home, trims, custom bedding and upholstered furniture. They also offer measure and install services for window treatments, and will reupholster or slipcover your existing furniture. Calico Corners operates more than 100 stores in 32 states plus the District of Columbia. For more information on their products and services, or to find a location near you, visit http://www.calicocorners.com



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