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.

We hope you found these six tips helpful, and be sure to subscribe for more expert advice weekly!

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 Breezy, Windswept Mood

17624016_SAt first it may seem impossible – to create the movement of the wind in a static room design. But if you take a look at the photo to the left, one thing stands out – the wind creates curves.

Palm trees fare well in windy areas because their trunks bend with strong breezes rather than break. The fronds also create a lovely picture of curving branches in this strong wind.

The photo below takes full advantage of curves to create a windswept mood. While the flooring is a straight plank wood, it still captures the curves with the line of three steps from one section of the space to another.

Curves are echoed throughout this room. The ceiling’s curving flow really stands out thanks to the contrast of orange and white. Lights follow the orange streak in the middle, providing a curve of light along the room in the evening.

9348004_SThe outside and inside walls are also curved, and the open-air stairway arc sweeps into the room like its own breeze.

The hanging lamp and black chairs continue the theme with circles and ovals as part of their design.

Even the plants look windswept, with their leaves demonstrating a number of curving positions. There’s hardly a straight line in the place, and the shift of colors keeps the eye moving.

You don’t need a fan to create a breezy mood in your home. Look for opportunities to introduce curved rather than straight lines – in furniture, rug designs, artwork and fabrics. Add some sheer curtains or blinds to the mix and you can create your own windy day.

Fulton Homes Design Online – Window Coverings

standard blinds - valance not includedNo need to cover bare windows with sheets when you move into your new Fulton Home. Standard options include Mariak 2″ Faux Wood Blinds in Pearl White installed in all windows except small accent windows, secondary bathtub windows, and arch window tops. For sliding glass doors, Fulton Homes offers 3-1/4″ Textured Vinyl Vertical Blinds.

Window covering options include a rich selection of blinds from Hunter Douglas, one of the most respected window covering companies, as well as faux and real wood shutters such as the ones shown below.

faux wood shutters

 

You can browse Fulton Homes Design Online to check out your choices, and in the meantime, let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing selections.

Silhouette with EasyRise

 

In our light-filled part of the country, consider the Hunter Douglas Silhouette® blinds. The light-dimming Bon Soir soft fabric floats between sheer facings. When lowered, they block up to 99% of the harmful UV rays. You control how much light comes into your home by adjusting the blinds for the amount of sheer fabric while still maintaining privacy. These come with EasyRise™, with a continuous cord loop and clutch assembly to easily raise and lower shades.

Provenance woven wood shadesHere’s a nice textural choice, the Provenance™ Woven Wood shades. These combine fine wood, bark, natural bamboo and grasses to give your home a natural look with elegance. The continuous cord loop included with these shades makes raising and lowering shades effortless. Heavy duty cording is used for safety and durability.

Whether you’re drawn to shutters, blinds or shades, Fulton Homes offers you an enjoyable variety of window treatments for your home. You might want to spend some time reviewing your choices at Fulton Homes Online Design.

Wall Decals Spark Child’s Room

This year your son may love dinosaurs, and next year it could be cars or insects or certain Disney characters. Wall decals are the perfect option for decorating a room that’s destined to change.

Unlike wallpaper, these contemporary choices stick on and peel off without damaging the underlying paint. The relatively low cost and ease of installation make it easy to see decals as temporary. You may want to require a certain length of time for your child to live with any decal choice – say a year – to ensure that your child thinks carefully about the decision.

This child’s room, part of the Rancho Mirage model in the Oasis at Freeman Farms community, really works with the jungle animal theme. The hippo, monkey and elephant are darling representations, and the decals are echoed in the quilt on the bed. Add the stuffed monkey and a throw pillow in coordinating colors, and this bedroom has a finished and inviting feel.

Sometimes having art hanging on the walls can lead to accidents with overly-energetic kids. Decals provide the feeling of art without hanging things on the walls that might tumble off. You can just see the corner of the window on the left. Putting up wood blinds and a simple valance at the top removes the temptation to swing from curtains but still provides a nice-looking window. Hunter Douglas window coverings have special child-safe pulls, which makes them even better for this room.

The padded headboard and table lamps encourage a child to sit up and read in bed before going to sleep. Plan space for those activities you want your children to engage in and you provide unspoken encouragement to help develop the right habits. And when your child outgrows the elephant and hippos, you can just put up new decals, pick up a new quilt, and the room is remade.