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Index › Home Family & Garden › Interior Decoration & Design

De-Mystifying Window Decorating

Author: Rick Young

The paint is just the right shade. The artwork is divine. The furniture is precisely arranged. Then why does your newly designed room feel incomplete?

It might be the window treatments - or lack thereof. Though beautiful and versatile, window fashions often are left for last in home decorating. What's holding back the window-weary masses from making a commitment to window d'cor?

"Most people are intimidated by the prospect of choosing draperies," said Franco Pasquale of Franco A. Pasquale Design Associates in Tampa, Fla., a designer who regularly decorates homes with as many as 100 windows and French doors. "What they don't realize is it's more than worth the challenge if it adds the finishing touch to a room."

Window fashions abound in large retailers and high-end boutiques. The trick to choosing window treatments? Don't be overwhelmed by the options, and know what to consider before making a purchase.

Fashion vs. Function

Before making any window d'cor decisions, ask yourself what's more important: fashion or function?

"Consider aspects such as natural light and proximity to a neighbor's house before selecting a style," Pasquale said.

Will you close the draperies at night? Draperies that are lined and interlined functionally block light and muffle noise. If that's unnecessary, valences, swags and rod pocket draperies may suit your needs.

Mix and Match

The perennially painful issue of how to make windows match the rest of your home isn't a problem anymore.

"Don't get stuck in a rut with solids. Patterns are in," Pasquale said. "And patterns can complement other patterns. Plus, confidence in color will result in draperies that are classic yet fashion-forward."

Confused about fabrics? Consider the room. Silks and taffetas are dressier, lending themselves to formal rooms. Linens, cottons and polyester prints offer a more casual look.

The Waiting Game

"Custom draperies from an interior designer are beautiful but can take an eternity to arrive," said Patricia Gordon, a decorator and owner of design firm and home store Caroline Riley Co. in State College, Pa. "If you want immediate results but can't find what you need in ready-mades, consider semi-custom draperies."

Semi-custom, a fairly new concept, combines the availability of ready-mades with the designer options of custom orders, usually at much lower prices than custom draperies. While the widths of the drapery panels are standard, the lengths, fabrics and embellishments are customizable. Panels often are ready in four weeks or less.

According to Gordon, semi-custom drapery companies are revolutionizing drapery design -; diverse product offerings and availability through designers and furniture stores -; and simplifying the measuring process.

Measurement

Measuring is tricky. Inside jamb, outside jamb, molding to the floor, window casing considerations - the mathematics can scare even the savviest of home decorators.

The lengths of ready-made draperies - 84, 96 and 108 inches - mean that your measurements don't have to be exact, and new online design tools automatically generate window measurements for you.

Author Bio:

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De-Mystifying Window Decorating

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