Choosing window treatments to "dress" your windows can be as big a decision as almost any other in your home. As your browse through our varied selections at House of Oak & Sofas, you will understand how the window treatment can change the character of the room quite dramatically. From open contemporary to cozy cottage, the right window treatments will often define the "feel" of the room, and the wrong window treatments will clash with the other elements in the room of your dreams. For instance, a 1-inch metal Venetian blind has very little warmth to it and therefore would be a poor choice for a room that is designed for "cozy, relaxation" but those same blinds might be perfect in a home office where sleek, simplified lines help reduce the clutter.
Reasons for Using Window Treatments
There are four reasons that we use window treatments.
- For aesthetic appeal
- To maintain privacy
- To block sunlight–both for glare, and to reduce fading of fabrics
- Insulation value
At House of Oak & Sofas, we think that looking seriously at these four factors is the first step in making the right decision about window treatment. Of course, the cost will also be important, since our window treatments run anywhere from $60 to $2,000. If you include hand-made treatments, of which we fabricate many in our own sewing room, the cost is higher than assembly-line manufactured goods. Also, the cost of any treatments using fabric can vary widely as our 30,000 fabric choices vary in price from $6 to $200 per yard, and trim and metallic fringe costs per yard are similar.
Popular Window Treatments
Having said that, six of our most popular treatments are:
- Cellular shades: Especially the new cordless type
- Solar shades: The fact that you can see through them opens up a room
- Natural shades: With over a hundred natural materials, these shades say CASUAL
- 2-inch wooden blinds: Thirty different colors help these "real wood" blinds fill the bill
- Roman shades: A great casual way to add a fabric to your room setting
- Shutters: Although a bit more expensive, this treatment "looks" expensive. Adding one or two in a bathroom or hallway is often an affordable choice.
Some windows are easy to "treat" or "dress" and others a bit more difficult. Over the last 20 years, builders have been adding a lot of arched windows to make homes more interesting from the inside and out. These windows can be more difficult to "dress." However, in order to make the home more comfortable, to provide privacy, shading from the sun's glare, and aesthetic beauty, the design team at House of Oak & Sofas has found these practical ways to eliminate the problems presented by arched windows.
House of Oak & Sofas has expert advice on how you can best mix window treatments to fulfill your needs. Most homes use 3-6 different types of treatments to give an interesting look. Stop in today and talk with a window treatment professional. We are happy to provide a do-it-yourself service, which saves you money if you want to measure and install the treatments, or, we will set up a home visit to help make the right window treatment decisions and measure the windows, and then return to install the treatments after they have been fabricated.
Window treatments are just one more design component that permits you to show who you really are. Come see us today.
