How To Select The Best Treatments For Your Windows

On a crisp, clear, sunny day, there’s nothing better than looking out your front room windows to take in the beautiful view. Maybe you’ll see squirrels scurrying through the grass or birds nesting up in the trees or watching the raindrops trickle down if it happens to be a rainy day.

If you’re looking to add something to your windows and possibly enhance your view, window treatments can be just what you need. There are dozens of different types of soft window treatments and hard window treatments and every homeowner has different needs. Window treatments can be used for decoration, used to liven up a room or they can be functional, used to block or let in light as well as give a better view out of windows.

Sifting through different soft window treatments and hard window treatments to find the right ones for your needs can be difficult and both hard and soft window treatments offer different benefits:

Hard Window Treatments

So what are hard window treatments? Basically they’re factory-made (think shutters, shades and blinds) and chosen for aesthetic purposes. These treatments are typically made of materials like vinyl and wood and allow homeowners the ability to control light in their home in order to retain heat or cool air.

Some examples of hard window treatments include:

• Window blinds: These allow windows to tilt open or to close and allow homeowners a view to the outside without having to lift an entire window shade.
• Window shutters: These are often installed on a window frame and are also used to control the amount of sunlight entering a room. They offer some degree of privacy and security.
• Window shades: These are usually made up of some type of fabric, which either stacks or rolls. They can help protect homes from weather and certain shade types like cellular shades and pleated shades look nice in a room.

Soft Window Treatments

So what are soft window treatments? These are used as decorative pieces put on top of hard treatments, but they can also be used without them. When it comes to these treatments, the only limit is the imagination. They come in a wide variety of colors, sizes and fabrics and can be used to create a beautiful aesthetic wherever you put them.

Soft window treatments like valances, curtains and draperies can instantly transform a room, whether you’re just looking to add a little color to a room or cover up some unsightly thing.

Some examples of soft window treatments include:

• Drapery panels: These treatments are one of the most popular since they offer plenty in the way of decoration and also offer a degree of privacy and light control.
• Draperies: If you’re looking to add a touch of class or elegance to a room, these soft window treatments can do the trick. Not only do they look great, but they offer equal degrees of privacy, romance and light control. If you’ve got full windows or arched windows, there are draperies available for those and you can find them in a variety of patterns and fabrics.
• Valances: These usually just cover the top of a window, but they can be a fun and creative way to add some color to a window (think maybe in the kitchen or bathroom).

In 2018, more than 15% of respondents to a survey indicated that they had bought some form of window treatments within the last year. Whether you’re looking for hard or soft window treatments, you’ll have plenty of variety if you’re looking to add a decorative touch to your windows or if you’re looking for greater degrees of light control and privacy.