You may remember that a couple of weeks ago my lovely writer friend Anna Jones shared her top tips for storage solutions and helped me to kick start my spring cleaning (a bit late, I know!) over the half-term holidays. And it seems that it really inspired a lot of you too – I’ve had many lovely comments, likes and tweets about that blog post, and I’ve heard updates on your own tidying efforts over the past couple of weeks, so keep up the good work guys! So when Anna suggested sharing another interiors blog post, I couldn’t wait to read it and here’s her ideas for making a feature of your windows and making the most of your views:
Using long curtains and drapes to create a stunning feature window is an easy and cost-effective way to add a bit of style and character to a room. Whether you have a small attic window to dress or a large bay-window in your living room, this handy guide will show you the best ways to create a window treatment that can’t fail to impress!
Colours
It is worth spending quite a bit of time thinking about your color scheme before you venture out to the shops. Curtains and blinds, especially large ones in the lounge or kitchen take up a lot of visual space and will become a feature focus for your room. Ask yourself how much of an impact you want your curtains, drapes or blinds to create and then go from there. If you want the ‘wow factor’, then go bold with primary colours or strong patterns. If you prefer something subtler try pastel or neutral shades instead.
Photo courtesy of XJavierx
Practicality
Long flowing curtains may look fantastic in the catalogues but think carefully about the functionality of anything like this. If you plan to draw your curtains every night then perhaps opt for something less ornate like stylish blinds instead. If your curtains are purely for show then perhaps you can splash out on something more detailed that falls ‘just right’? You should also consider small children when looking at curtain ties and blind cords and make sure they are out of reach of your little ones at all times.
Photo courtesy of Wegasan
Materials
Think carefully about the type of curtains or dressings that you want. Thick heavy curtains will block out more light and keep your room warmer in the winter. And it’s not just the material that counts towards these factors – the lining does to. A basic cotton lining allows some light to filter through and are ideal for living rooms, bathrooms and kitchens, whereas insulated linings, which regulate heat better, are a good idea if you have a playroom or guest room that get a bit chilly in winter. And finally, blackout-style curtains are ideal for the master bedroom. Keeping bright lights at bay and can even muffle outside noise, allowing you to sleep in peace!
Photos courtesy of adrienne_barti & moiraanddobbie
Accessorise!
Don’t forget about your trimmings when searching for that perfect window dressing! Extra touches such as rods, hooks, tie-backs or quant window cill plant pots that can all add to your look and help you achieve the style you’re looking for. For example, if you want to go for the Victorian drawing room look, then you’ll probably want heavy, velvet curtains. Pair these up with woven cord tie-backs and an ornate mahogany curtain rod and the look is complete. Or perhaps you need a new roller blind for your kitchen and want something that matches your existing style, such as country cottage. You can get customised blinds made to measure in most colours and fabrics these days so take a swatch of color along with you to find the perfect match.
Thanks to Anna for another excellent interior design article and I hope to be able to bring you more fabulous writing from by Anna in the future. I’m certainly going to be fiddling around with my windows this week – can you believe that there are at least 2 windows in my home that don’t have curtains or blinds at all?! I think it’s time to change that right now!
More interiors articles:
- Getting creative with storage space (cassiefairy.com)
- Inspirations for a retro living room – the wallpaper is finally up! (cassiefairy.com)
- An old armchair rescued (cassiefairy.com)
- Inspirations for a retro living room: Soft Furnishings (cassiefairy.com)
- Interior design inspirations: Finn Juhl (cassiefairy.com)
- Have you ever seen anything as retro as this? (cassiefairy.com)
