Five Tips for Timeless Window Treatments

When you enter any well-designed room, your eyes will likely be drawn to the windows. In fact, your window treatments are inevitably a focal point of the room. Therefore, when shopping for window treatments, you do not want to purchase blindly. Since window dressings are an investment, you want to purchase something that is timeless.

Pick Current Colors

Do you want your window treatments to look stylish years from now? Then you should make sure to use colors that are fresh and current. Choose fabrics that embrace a Contemporary tone. Shades of green, neutral tones, and golds are timeless. You can also use cotton fabric prints just as long as they embrace a neutral color palette.

Warm vs. Cool Tones

In order for your window dressing to stay vibrant for years to come, they should complement the space. Smaller spaces should use drapes with cool colors to make the space appear bigger while warmer hued drapes should be used in oversized spaces to create an intimate feeling.

Neutrals Will Always Be in Style

Whites, taupes, grays, and blacks will always be trendy. In fact, neutral-based window treatments are timeless because even when you change up your furniture, wall color, and accessories, these window treatments will seamlessly blend into the design.

Natural Lighting

Whether it is the living room or the bedroom, natural light is everything. Whatever type of window treatment you choose should allow for some natural lighting to flow into the room. Pleated shades are also timeless because they offer privacy, and they let in natural lighting.

Plantation Shutters

Plantation shutters are a classic window treatment that can be a bit expensive but worth every cent. They bring elegance to a home that is hard to achieve with any other type of window dressing. We suggest wood crafted shutters because they will match your furnishing.

Less Is Always Best

Minimal will always be best when you are going for a timeless look. While heavy draperies are stylish, try stripping away the bulky window coverings and replacing them with simple shades or blinds. You can add . subtle interest by using upholstered cornice or flap valances. In addition, try selecting simple shades that have some sort of texture, such as bamboo or rattan.

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Should I Match My Curtains with My Decor?

Should you match your curtains to your decor? This is a question that homeowners often encounter when planning for the perfect design scheme. However, when you consider how expensive it is to invest in quality window treatments, it can cause a bit of stress. Ultimately, your window dressings help make the overall design of a space, so you want to choose drapes that harmonize with the color and style of the room. As simple as it sounds, matching your window dressing to your decor is not as easy as it sounds. Here are some tips to help you pick out the right drapes:

Matching the Walls

An option is to select curtains that are similar to your wall colors. If your decor utilizes a variety of hues, matching your window dressing to the wall makes the arrangement less visually intrusive, especially if you do not want your design elements to compete with each other.

If you love your wall colors, purchasing drapery featuring a similar hue is your safe bet. You can select drapes that are slightly lighter or darker for a subtle effect. On the other hand, if you decide to change the room’s wall color in the future, you will probably have to switch out your drapes.

Stick to Neutral Palettes

When shopping for drapes that will match your decor, try to stick to draperies that embrace neutral palettes, look for solid colors or prints with solid hues. It can be the safest approach, especially when it comes to purchasing ready-made pieces. The downside to this approach is that it may come across as bland.

Create a Contrast

Another way you can match your curtains to your decor is to create a contrast. Use a brighter color or pattern for a bold contrast. This makes a big visual statement, and it is great for smaller spaces because the drapes can serve as the focal point.

Monochromatic Scheme

You can match your curtains to your decor through a monochromatic design scheme. Your carpet, furniture, and curtains do not have to match exactly. They just have to blend well together. You can use a variety of colors used in your decor for your draperies to create a look that harmonizes everything together.

For the ultimate design advice, be sure to visit Fulton Home’s Design Center.

Tips for Choosing the Right Curtains

Any interior design expert will tell you that the right curtains can make a room. In fact, curtains are much more than just a window covering; they have the power to form the basis of a space, and they significantly contribute to the atmosphere of the room. Whether they are custom-made or store-bought, finding the perfect set of curtains for a space can be challenging. The plethora of fabrics, colors, and styles make curtain shopping, oftentimes, time-consuming. With so many options, here are some ways you can narrow down the possibilities:

Color and Fabric

When shopping for curtains, understand that fabric plays a significant role. The material dictates how the curtain will fall and if it will stand the test of time. According to experts, if the material is too heavy, it may not fold right when drawn. However, if the material is too light, it will not fall right. Do not be afraid to carefully examine the material before you make your purchase.

Remember, that sunlight will fade the vibrancy of the fabric over time. Keep this mind if you are set on using curtains that feature a bold color since they will most likely fade faster. If you plan on updating your curtains every so often, this is not a significant concern. We suggest picking curtains with neutral colors since they easily blend into your decor, and they are less likely to fade over time.

Materials like linen, silk, faux silk, and velvet make for the best materials for window treatments. Faux silk is super durable while suede, velvet, and tapestry help block out the sunlight and have insulating properties.

Hanging the Curtains

How high above the window do you plan on installing your curtains? Installing panels higher than the window will add a sense of depth and height. Try hanging curtains six inches above the frame, or you can go higher for a more dramatic look. For a traditional look, you can allow the material to touch the floor slightly.

Ready-Made or Custom

If you are working on a small budget and you are short on time, you may want to consider purchasing ready-made curtains. You can buy quality curtains from shops and showrooms. However, customized curtains allow you to tailor the material according to your window’s specific measurements, pattern, and color.

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Design Inspiration: Set a Snowy Mood

22974805_SThe number of times we’ve seen snow in the Phoenix area in the last decade can pretty much be counted on one hand, but we can visit snow country all winter by driving just a few hours.

With the holidays coming, some people from other parts of the country may miss the winter weather, while others are grateful for no shoveling off driveways and scraping snow and ice off cars.

If you would like to capture some of the feeling of a crisp snowy day, your decorating decisions can help make that vision a reality. Let’s imagine a January morning in the country just after the first fall of “real” snow – the kind that sticks to the ground and piles up rather than just melting away.

Here’s the first surprise. There’s a lot more than white happening. In the photo above, tree trunks look black against the snow, and shades of grey appear with the contrasts of sunshine and shadow.

Look again and you will see textures and patterns visible at no other time of the year. You can make your home reflect this mood with a few choices.

22549326_STake a look at the room shown to the right. White shares space with several shades of grey and some black. But it’s about more than color – notice the texture of the wall – matching well with the dappled look of snow in the shadows of the landscape above.

The rug mirrors the mix of white and grey visible in the scene in the combination of branches, ice and snow. If you look at that rug with winter in mind, it almost seems as though it might melt under your feet. The sheer curtains mimic the white sunlight coming through the snow in the distance.

The blue and white coverlets on the sofa bring in a color often visible on a snowy day, and the space finishes up with pops of red – always a powerful contrast color and perfect with a winter landscape.

Would you like to bring a snowy mood into your home just in time for the holidays? You can do it, with the right combination of color and texture. And maybe just a few sleigh bells?