Window Treatment Wednesday: Home Atmosphere
How do you want your home to feel? Warm and cozy? Polished and put together? Contemporary? Traditional? Once we know what we want for our home’s tone, we can put together components that support the desired atmosphere. You might not realize it, but window treatments not only improve our home’s privacy, energy efficiency and UV blockage, but they affect how our homes feel, too.
According to Hirshfield’s Shannon Scarrella, a window coverings expert, window treatments help create a certain mood in a room, as furniture, paint and accessories do. “Wood blinds tend to lend a cozier feel—think about your cabin up north—as do natural shades,” says Scarrella. “You can also create a cozy atmosphere with draperies in fabrics that are neutrals and have certain textures.”
For a more professional, polished feel, Scarrella recommends higher-end products, which can send a message of luxury and wellbeing. “They can be a symbol that [the homeowner] has made it and can afford nicer finishes. The Hunter Douglas Alustra Collection is an example—it has metal upgrades and exclusive fabrics and features.”
For contemporary homes, good choices include roller shades, skyline panels, and grommet-style draperies. Many fabrics have a complementary feel, whether that’s a clean white material or one with bold graphics.
Then there’s the other end of the spectrum. “When it comes to traditional options, I think of Roman shades, draperies, sheers or Hunter Douglas’ Silhouette and Luminette,” says Scarrella. “Other good options are damasks and drapes with stripes or paisley patterns.”
Scarrella recommends that homeowners choose window treatments that coordinate with the rest of the home, create a cohesive feel and work with homeowners’ lives. “At the end of the day, window treatments are a finishing touch to a room,” she says. “They can bring a room together, provide color or pattern where needed and serve many functions, such as keeping in warmth in the winter or providing UV protection for sunny windows. They can offer privacy in bathrooms and bedrooms or block light for people with jobs that require them to sleep during the day.”
Window coverings have multiple purposes, from functional to aesthetic. The ideal choice for your home will work on all fronts, giving you the function you need while reinforcing the atmosphere that you want for your home.
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