Valances for a Complete Curtain Look

Written by admin on June 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment

valancesValances are definitely the way to show you have up-to-date style and know how to decorate your home.  Even if they can’t put their finger on the problem, guest in your house will recognize that something is missing from your window treatment design without valances.  Valances will give your window treatments a sense of completeness, allow you to be creative, and add some more color into your room.

Window treatments without valances tend to look incomplete.  On the one hand, if they are drapes without valances, then it tends to make guests’ eyes naturally tend to the ceiling since there is no logical end cap.  If you have only blinds, then that tends to make the room look bare and harsh.  In both cases, the rooms would benefit from valances, to provide the finishing touch to the room and its design.

Your creativity can also run wild with window valances.  There are multiple styles that you will have to choose from.  Balloon valances, for example, would suit a formal setting, such a dining room, quite well.  Swag valances, on the other hand, give a room a more informal, but stylish look.  You can play with other styles, such as ascot and tab top valances, to see if they would suit your room and personality best.  You can let your inner interior design fan have a ball with picking the best valances for your needs.

Valances also are a great way to add color to a room that could use it or just because.  The color valances offer is super convenient because it’s a way to add that splash without the mess of painting a whole wall or room.  It will also give your guests one point to look at and admire.

So if you’re looking for a way to add a little bit of excitement in your interior design, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way than by adding valances to your window treatments.

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Curtain Tie Backs Convenient and Stylish

Written by admin on June 6, 2011 · Leave a Comment

tie backAre you tired of half open curtains?  Maybe your drapes just seem to be missing something.  Curtain tie backs are a very functional way to add a little more personality in your window treatment design.  Let’s take a look at how tie backs for curtains, either the cloth type or the type that attaches to the wall, can be both a great accent and a great convenience.

When you hear tie backs for curtains, that can evoke lots of different pictures in people’s minds.  The traditional tie backs are literally things that keep the curtain back with a (usually cloth) tie.  Other things which are called tie backs come in the form of a hook or post which attaches to the wall.  The drape is then pulled back so that the hook or post secures it until you want to release the curtain.  These hook or post designs are definitely seen as more modern, so keep that in mind when you make your selection.

A hook or post tie back for curtains can be an especially fine home accent.  With a design, they offer great contrast to solid drapes.  Or with a more simple layout, they can make a curtain print seem less busy.  And since you can get curtain tie backs in clear, plastic, or metal, you can add the right level of sophistication to match the rest of your decor.

And you can’t overlook how convenient curtain tie backs are.  Half open curtains can be stylish, but if you really need to open them up all the way, can be a big pain.  For example, if you’re taking out or putting in screens in your windows, having a curtain always falling in your face can be a real annoyance.

Curtain tie backs are definitely something that you should investigate if you want to add that final design piece to your window treatments or just want to stop fussing with curtains being open.

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Roman Shades Combine the Best of Drapes and Blinds

Written by admin on May 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment

roman shadesAre you torn between curtains or blinds for your windows?  I don’t blame you if you don’t want to do both.  Together they can be quite an expense and putting them up is a hassle.  Maybe you just want something more interesting and want to spend your hard-earned money in another way.  If you’ve agreed with any of this, you ought to consider getting Roman shades for your windows.

Roman shades are a unique hybrid of curtains and blinds.  They really combine the best of both worlds, since they have the design features of curtains and the functionality of blinds.  They also offer more light filtration and noise reduction than those cheap plastic blinds that you’re probably trying to replace.  And with the wide variety of styles and designs, you’ll be delighted by how the curtain aspect of them will complement your room’s interior design.

Roman shades are great because they offer an upscale and classic look at a fraction of the price of other interior design features such as chandeliers or fine rugs.  You can add a big splash of sophistication with a few Roman shades without emptying your wallet.  Guests will be awed by how chic your Roman shades look.

There are also many different styles of Roman shades that you will have to choose from.  One is sure to catch your eye and make you say to yourself, “This will be perfect for my home.”  There is the classic folded look, the texture of which is sure to turn guests’ heads.  There is also the flat look if you want your Roman shades not to pop out as much.  For those who really want to make a statement with their Roman shades, there is the balloon design, especially good for more formal rooms.  And for a little bit of whimsy, try the sunburst design.  As you can see, there’s a Roman shade that will make anyone happier to be in the room.

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How to Measure for Curtains

Written by admin on May 6, 2011 · Leave a Comment

measure curtains e1308792024496It’s essential to know how to measure curtains properly.  After all, it would be a real shame to buy curtains from a store, bring them home, and realize that they’re just too short, or to buy them online and determine that they’re too narrow to fit in the window without looking ridiculous.  With either scenario, you would be forced to take them back or to try to make them work in a room you didn’t intend them for.  Instead of all this, it’s better to measure for curtains well.  I’ll share my insight on this important interior design subject below.

A tape measure will be your friend on this project, since you’ll be doing a lot of measuring.  Your first measuring task will be the width of the space.  If your window has a frame, measure the width of that.  If it’s just a cut out space for the window, take that measurement.  Add 8 to 12 inches, depending on how bunched up you want your curtains to look.  Like many things in interior design, that choice will be yours.

Next, you will need to measure for the drop of the curtains.  First measure the height of the frame or cut out space.  Then add 4 inches for the space above the window where you’ll attach the pole.  The most important addition is next: how long you want your curtain to be.  Some like a curtain to fall to just below the frame.  Others like curtains which fall to a few feet above the floor.  Longer styles – dropping either to the floor or pooling at the floor – are also very popular designs.

Though, as you can see, measuring for your own curtains is simple, there are a few cases in which making this a do-it-yourself project is not advisable.  For example, when your window is quite large, such as a bay window, or an unusual shape, like completely round or slot shaped like in a Medieval castle, it’s best to enlist the help of a trained interior decorator.

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Could You Benefit from Blackout Curtains?

Written by admin on April 23, 2011 · Leave a Comment

blackout curtains e1308792170812You would be surprised to hear how many kinds of people people would benefit from blackout curtains.  Let’s take a look at just some of the different people who would enjoy them:

1.  Urban dwellers.  Just think of how many bright signs and street lights that shine into your bedroom while you’re trying to sleep or your living room while you try to watch a movie without glare on the screen.  Blackout curtains would certainly give people who live in the city more peace.

2.  People who have a room facing a busy street.  At my parents’ old house, every time someone would stop at the nearby stop sign and go by, I would be nearly blinded by their headlights through my thin curtains.  If I had known what blackout curtains could have done for me, that definitely would have helped me get some more sleep at night.

3.  Light sleepers.  Some people wake up at the smallest bit of light, either from a neighbor’s house nearby or dawn.  If you don’t want to be one of those people anymore, you can get blackout drapes which will solve your problem.

4.  Kids.  Many kids wake up at the crack of dawn, which can be especially bothersome in the summer when the sun rises earlier.

5.  Anyone who wants to save on utility bills.  A little-known fact about blackout curtains is that they help keep rooms cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by acting as a shield between your house and the elements.  If your bills tell you that windows aren’t enough insulation, consider blackout curtains.

6.  People who want a novel way to divide a room.  Blackout curtains reduce noise, light, and effectively divide a room.  Unlike other room dividers, this is also temporary, so if you want to open a room up, perhaps for a party or other social function, you can have that extra space.

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