4 Design secrets on how window furnishings enhance project outcomes

According to these design specialists, the impact of window furnishings goes far beyond mere aesthetics. Custom-made curtains and blinds offer a powerful tool to elevate your project outcomes and set the tone of the overall design. Whether building, renovating, refreshing a space, or working on a large-scale commercial development, selecting the right custom curtains and blinds can improve your project outcomes.

1. Increased functionality

According to Sharlene Thompson, a residential consultant at Lahood, functionality reigns supreme when it comes to selecting window furnishing. Thompson emphasises the importance of considering how each room will be utilised.

“In bedrooms, where privacy and light control are paramount, blackout curtains such as those lined with Lahood's Protection Plus range offer optimal sleep quality. For high-traffic areas like living rooms, durable materials like polyester blends provide both longevity and style,” says Thompson.

Thompson adds, “In moisture-prone environments such as bathrooms, PVC venetian blinds or shutters ensure easy care and resistance to mildew.” 

Thompson remarks, “An in-home consultation is the cornerstone for perfect window treatments. Often, people ask ‘how to measure custom curtains’, but we ensure every detail for you – from precise measurement to the right operating mechanism, to create a functional and beautiful solution for your space.”

2. Maximises design potential

Tricia Dunlop, an award-winning Interior Designer at Lahood, emphasises the transformative potential of custom curtains and blinds in complementing interior design schemes. "Custom window treatments are the finishing touch that ties a room together," explains Dunlop. "A designer can help you achieve a window solution that seamlessly integrates with your design scheme and architectural elements, creating a truly cohesive space."

“Bespoke curtains and blinds can be tailored to accentuate or diffuse light. For instance, shutters complement traditional and coastal designs that desire light-filled interiors, while gun-metal grey block-out blinds suit moody, contemporary spaces,” says Dunlop.

Dunlop advises how custom options can accentuate architectural features, maintain scale and proportion, and harmonise with other design elements such as wallpaper and upholstery. “Selecting custom window furnishings allows for curtains and blinds that perfectly fit the window size and room dimensions. This creates a balanced and visually pleasing aesthetic,” says Dunlop.

3. Creates ambience

Beyond functionality, custom curtains and blinds can shape a space's ambience, drawing in the emotional buyer and ultimately making a house a home.

Independent Interior Stylist Michelle Halford, The Design Chaser, highlights the role of fabrics, textures, and colours in transforming rooms from functional to beautiful. “Through a considered selection of fabrics, textures, and colours used in the right way, custom window furnishings can lift the mood of your room," says Halford. “Lahood's diverse fabric collections allow endless possibilities to enhance the space and reflect personal style”.

Halford advises thinking about the look and feel you want to create in your space: “Be it a sleek, contemporary aesthetic with roller blinds or a softer, more natural and organic feel with textured linen curtains and soft sheers, think about the bigger picture. And always consider the overall palette when choosing colours.”

Lahood’s fabric collections, sourced from leading New Zealand and international designers, allow you to explore a world of colours and designs to personalise a space and reflect your desired style.

4. The power of forethought

Clayton Sceats, Lahood's Commercial Director, emphasises the importance of integrating window treatments into the design plan from the outset.

“Flush or recessed tracks provide a discreet look for curtains and blinds, but you need to incorporate them into plans while building or renovating so that you can include the necessary cavities in the ceiling,” says Sceats. “Likewise, the hard wiring of motorised curtains and blinds needs to be included in plans at an early stage, although battery options are available for retrofitting automation. These are the sorts of considerations we take care of for customers within our end-to-end service”. 

When it comes to working with architects and building professionals, Sceats advises collaboration is key to achieving exceptional outcomes. "By working together from the design stage onwards, we can ensure your custom window treatments perfectly complement your architectural vision, contributing to a truly cohesive and aesthetically pleasing space," says Sceats.

Whether selecting the right fabrics for functionality, matching architectural styles or curating mood with colour and texture, Lahood Window Furnishings offers expertise, style and collaboration to enhance project outcomes. From residential sanctuaries to commercial showcases, the impact of custom curtains and blinds extends far beyond mere window dressing—it elevates spaces to their fullest potential.

Visit the Lahood showroom today at 104 Mount Eden Road Auckland, or view the extensive range of Lahood Window Furnishings on ArchiPro.