Lexington, KY - Window treatments are often left to last when decorating a room or buying a home under new construction. However, many decorators will attest that attitudes are changing, and budgets at all levels can have window dressings that would make any homeowner proud.
Carol Gullett at Bluegrass Home Interiors, which offers custom draperies in a variety of fabrics and styles, hears from a lot of people who had never done anything with their windows before, and that the room did not seem finished until they did.
"Drapes end a room," she says. "They set the definition or boundary of a room."
There are a lot of ways to dress your windows without overdoing the design or stretching your budget. Nowadays, people are cutting back, and looking at the world differently, and that is reflected in home design.
"The biggest difference I've seen is that lifestyles have changed, so design is more comfort-oriented," says Holly Hanna, an interior designer for 20 years who has owned Holly Hanna Interiors for the last 15. In the last few years, she has seen people invest more in their homes rather than going out to entertain, or traveling, which has led to a less formal and more casual-chic atmosphere.
"This has meant that instead of a lot of formal looks with cascades and tie-backs, people are looking for a midpoint between practicality and looking dressed," she says. "I've been doing a lot of two-inch blinds, which give blinds an updated, fresh look, letting in more light. You still have that privacy, though, that blinds give you."
Designers across all budget points are finding that clean simple lines are what customers want now, with a natural feel and environmental benefits. Two-inch rods have gone to 1 3/8", and iron instead of plastic traverse rods. Faux silk polyester is less expensive and more durable than silk, which is harder to clean and is so delicate that sunlight can deteriorate it.
Olivia Eldrige, designer at The Blinds Man, notes that, "With a lower budget, you lose embellishments, but you can dress it up in the design with pleats, inserts, and the hardware. It's more of a challenge, but there are lots of options."
The biggest trend these days is the straight lines of easy panels. This is a way to use fabric, which is soft and inviting, while maintaining a pared-down look.
"Fabric absorbs sound, and makes a room feel more livable," Hanna says. "People are putting more into the fabric than into all the frou-frou trims they used to, using better material and linings."
Valences are coming back, but in simple styles, like a small, six-inch padded leather trim. And sometimes, no trim at all is being used. On new construction, the molding around the window can be upgraded to look more like crown molding and act as a natural valence. Some people are using only blinds, with the thought that they can add drapes later if so desired.
Another trend is the use of more organic materials. Gullett sees people keeping their window treatments simple with combinations of clean panels and natural shades, like woven woods, and minimal trim.
"We've seen a lot of woven woods being used," Eldridge agrees. "They offer a softer look, and while they are limited in operations, they can now go from top down, as well as bottom up."
As more people think about the environment and want to stay home, bringing the outdoors inside can be achieved by expanding the window space.
"What I've been doing more of is hanging the panels on the wall space, instead of over part of the window, and it lets in more natural light," Hanna says. "I think people feel better when they have lots of natural light streaming in."
Environmental consciousness has risen dramatically. Eldridge's customers are looking at fabrics that will not emit chemicals, and some that actually sanitize the air.
"They neutralize viruses, and through ionization they clean the air which is huge for those with allergies," she notes. "People want to know where the fabrics come from, and how they are made."
The Blinds Man offers a $1,500 federal tax credit with the purchase of its Hunter-Douglas Architella collection, which insulates the windows it covers. The honeycomb shape creates cells that hold pockets of air, but still offer a range of light to come through, with a soft glow.
The Blinds Man also is the preferred Hunter-Douglas dealer on motorization, a current trend that incorporates technology and concern for energy efficiency. Blinds are programmable by heat, time or lighting, or can be used when you want, like in a theater room. This is an option to be selected when you purchase the blinds, and it often costs more than the shades themselves.
A budget-driven innovation, the website www.DesignerDrapesForLess.com, was launched by Bluegrass Home Interiors in May. It narrows the selections down to a simple program with four choices: your top treatment, fabric, color and size. You provide the rods of your choice.
"We developed the program with our seamstresses, and the drapes are lined silk panels, pre-pinned and made to a higher level of specification than you would usually find in a do-it-yourself project," Gullett explained. "Silk drapes are usually very expensive, and these are aggressively priced to make them available to more people."
Interior decorating follows the fashion industry for colors and patterns. Patterns are a way to be bold with window coverings, while maintaining a simpler overall design. A retro mood led to oranges, and a depressed economy to dusty, muted tones the last couple of years. Now colors are moving into blues and plums, and becoming brighter.
Because comfort is paramount, modern is giving way to transitional, and eclectic mixes are seen.
"People who use window dressings have put more thought into their rooms, so they express themselves with all kinds of styles," Gullett said.
When purchasing drapes with the intention of doing it yourself, Eldridge from The Blinds Man recommends that drapes be floor length, with the rod two to three inches down from the ceiling to elongate the walls.
"I would recommend that customer buy magazines to see pictures and get an idea of what is out there to learn what they want," she said. "Design around the room, and bring in pictures."
Hanna takes this suggestion a step further to ensure that you find your own style and that of your house.
"It's best to take a step back and look at how you live, and this is where a designer comes in," she says. "How formal is your living/dining room? Do you have kids or animals? It might not be advantageous to have puddling drapes. A designer will help you find what fits you. Do you entertain? What are your ceiling heights, floor plan? Sometimes it's best not to just go for the latest thing, but to brainstorm a little bit with a designer. A consultation can take place on any budget."
With so many considerations, the best thing to keep in mind is that to find what fits your taste, your budget and your sensibilities toward the environment does not have to involve a lot of intimidating design.
"Less is more," Hanna smiles. "You don't have to gild the lily to have a pretty window."