Window treatments are a great way to create the mood you want in your home.

Window treatments are a great way to create the mood you want in your home, and with so many options to choose from you’ll easily find a look that matches your style. When you’re building or renovating, make sure you talk window treatments with your architect during the early stages, as you’ll need to consider the size and shape of your windows if you want to be able to cover them. Things like recessed tracks or which side your curtains will stack on should ideally be determined before your plans are confirmed, rather than making it work at the end. And, with many people wanting to control all elements of their home from their smartphone, motorized curtains are becoming increasingly popular. If you’re going down this route, just remember the required motorization needs to be installed pre-jib.

When looking at window treatment options, custom-made is the only way to go! While it may cost a bit more, the result is well worth it – especially when you’re dealing with such a prominent feature in your home.

Remember that window treatments are not ‘one size fits all’ - you can use different types in different rooms. Think about what each room is used for, and what job the window treatments need to do in there. For example, if you’re someone who likes complete darkness at bedtime, your master bedroom will need window treatments to fit. If you’ve ever stayed in a nice hotel, you’ve probably noticed the layers of window treatments – often including a sun filter roller blind, a sheer curtain for privacy and a heavy black out curtain to make the room dark. You might want to consider these options if privacy and darkness are important to you. I personally like to be woken by the sun (I’m not a get up in the dark kind of person!) so I prefer lighter curtains in my bedroom.

DRAPES AND CURTAINS

When it comes to drapes or curtains in bedrooms, you can’t go past soft floaty materials for a relaxed, calm mood. Floor to ceiling curtains will also add softness to a living room, hanging over large stacker doors for example.

There’s a lot to consider when selecting your curtains. You need to choose whether the track is recessed, ceiling mounted or wall mounted, and whether you go with a weave track or a double track. Double tracks are often used in rooms where you want the option of either full privacy or lighter sun protection. One track holds a lined curtain and the other a sheer curtain. Not to be confused with net curtains, these are lovely fabrics in their own right! You also need to decide on the header of the curtains: the type of pleat, the fullness, and whether you’d like the curtain to hang under or over the track. My suggestion is to call an interior designer to guide you through this.

When choosing fabric there are thousands of options. One thing to consider is polyester vs linen or cotton. The more natural materials are always preferable, but you’ll need to consider how much of New Zealand’s harsh sun the curtains will be exposed to, as linen and cotton won’t last as long as polyester.

At the end of the day, everything fades over time and nothing lasts forever! Most window treatments have a life span of around ten years before they start to look tired and faded. If you love the look of linen, just make sure your curtains or roman blinds are lined. In fact, the lining you choose is just as important as the curtain fabric itself. Lining not only protects the curtains and determines how much light gets through, but (if you use thermal lining) can help create warmth.

Tip - Curtains should always go to the floor! Never stop halfway down the wall – they should ideally run floor to ceiling. And If you are covering a small window don’t use a curtain, do a roman blind.

ROMAN BLINDS

I like to use roman blinds in smaller bedrooms, or where you want to hang art or shelving on the same wall as the windows. Fabric roman blinds offer softness and texture, without taking up the space required for curtains. I generally use a slightly heavier fabric, so the blind keeps its form when lifted up and down. Make sure you help the blinds fall into the right place for the first few weeks, to allow the fabric to create a memory and crease in the correct places along the folds.

SHUTTERS

Shutters are made to fit the size and shape of any window, which means they’re the ideal choice if you have angled or unusually shaped windows in your home. A small frame is constructed which the shutters fit inside. Although the frames are made to stay closed, you can open them to clean the windows. Shutters are typically manufactured offshore and shipped to New Zealand, with a relatively quick turnaround time of around three weeks.

One big benefit of shutters is that they take up less space, as you don’t need to worry about a stack of curtains. This makes them a popular choice in smaller houses, or in historical homes where space can sometimes be limited. They are fantastic in bedrooms, as they block out a significant amount of light. They also insulate the window, which means they’re perfect over single glazed windows in older homes. However, while they frame the window, shutters aren’t as light tight as other window treatment options, so if you want a super dark room you might be better using curtains with black out lining.

Shutter panels come in various thicknesses. Thicker shutters offer a more modern look. If your home is close to the road or looking into a neighbouring property, you might want to consider narrow shutters which offer an element of privacy even when open.

TIMBER VENETIAN BLINDS

Timber venetian blinds are a cost-effective substitute to shutters. They offer a similar look and feel, but are not as warm or light tight. I like to use venetian blinds in conjunction with other window treatments where privacy is an issue or if you want extra warmth or darkness.

ROLLER BLINDS

Roller blinds are the most cost-effective window treatment solution. They’re also the most minimal, as they can sit within the window frame (if your windowsills are big enough). If you don’t have enough space for this, the blinds will need to sit above the window, which means they’re a lot more visible. You could choose to put a box pelmet around them, but again this adds more bulk.

Roller blinds come in a huge range of fabrics, but there are essentially only three key types.

• Themo backed roller blinds offer warmth and darkness. However, be aware they won’t give you a complete black out effect, as there will always be light that leaks through the sides of the blinds.
• Sunshade roller blinds provide shade from the sun but are see-through from the inside. Although they’re great for blocking the sun while still letting light in, I don’t like using them in street-facing windows, as you can’t see through them from the outside, so it looks like your curtains are always closed.
• Light filter blinds sit somewhere between the other two options. They’re not black out, not see-through, but are thicker so offer more warmth than sunshade blinds.

HONEYCOMB BLINDS

Also known as thermacell blinds, honeycomb blinds are making a comeback thanks largely to their insulation properties. They offer up to three times the thermal insulation of a normal curtain, and are one of the most highly rated window treatments for helping retain the warmth of a home.

Honeycomb blinds offer a huge range of colours and styles. Like roller blinds, they come in three levels: block-out, light-filter and sheer. They’re also extremely minimal – in fact you can barely see them at all when they’re open.