Getting Started with Window Treatments
Many people don’t think much about window treatments when they move into their first apartment. Often, the windows are covered with inexpensive discount store blinds. While these serve their purpose — sort of, they are far from ideal. Many don’t stay in the position they are supposed to stay in, and not much time goes by before individual blind panels start to come loose and fall off. Far from an ideal situation. At some point, a person experiencing this comes to the conclusion that quality window treatments in Los Angeles really do matter. So how do you choose which types of window treatments to get and where you will put them? Start by evaluating your needs, your budget, and your priorities.
Choosing What’s Important
If your budget doesn’t allow for you to have quality window treatments installed everywhere, you may need to start with one or two rooms. Usually, the choice comes down to where you spend the most time, and where you gather with friends and family. Normally, this is the bedroom and the living room or family room. In the meantime, the kitchen and bathroom may still have lower quality placeholders (such as low cost blinds), until the budget allows for some upgrades.
Planning Your Upgrades for Window Treatment
You may want quality window treatments in every room that has a window, but simply wanting things does make them so. Without a plan to make it happen, it is nothing but a wish list. The wish list, however is a good place to start. Making that list should involve a balance of style and practicality. Ultimately, you will want something that looks good and remains durable. This is especially important if you have kids and/or pets.
In a kitchen, many choose options that are easy to clean, such as washable curtains or shades that hold up against smoke, grease, and general moisture. Blinds or shades that will repel moisture and that can easily be wiped clean are good options for bathrooms. Some choose to add a secondary window covering, such as a light weight curtain that will contribute to the decor, but still allow some natural light to come through.
Considering Purpose and Function
Those cheap blinds that most people start with don’t do much more than offer basic privacy and block some of the light that comes in the window, but the function of window treatments can go beyond that. Some other benefits people draw from their treatments include
Providing a frame for a great view – Does your master bedroom window look out to a picturesque park, a beach, or some other scene that impresses you every time. When nature is gracious enough to give you such an artistic view, it’s only fair to give it a proper frame. Curtains can be a great choice in these cases, and some choose to apply a coordinating color scheme to the entire room’s decor. Some like to layer different window treatments in Los Angeles, such as fabric vertical blinds, sheers, and a thicker curtain with cornices on top. With layers, the look and feel of the treatments can be altered with ease.
Heat/Cold Insulation – If your home is prone to drafts or your room receives bursts of sun and the heat that comes with it, you may want to look at your window treatment’s ability to provide insulation. Honeycomb blinds are thought to be an energy efficient choice because they trap hot or cold air inside the individual cells.
Noise control – If you need a room to be quiet, such as a bedroom or office, using lots of fabric may be the key. Shades, sheers, and floor length draperies would create a completely sound proof space, but it will provide a decent buffer.
Finding Your Style
There’s something to be said for choosing window treatments just because you like them, but if you’re accustomed to cheap white blinds, it can be hard to pick a style. This is a good time to go back to your wish list. Make note of any types of window coverings that please you, as well as those that don’t. If you get help from others in making your final selection, having a “do’s and don’ts” list to draw from can be very helpful.
Proper measuring and installation
Good window treatments are an investment, and in the long run can save money. They make your home more inviting, spend less going out. Many treatments have energy efficient features that lead to lower utility bills controlling the amount of light entering a room, furniture is less vulnerable to fading.
If you are going to spend time and effort to pick out the right coverings, it’s important to make sure that everything looks the way that it should. Make sure measure spaces carefully, or get the help of a professional.
The Finishing Touches
One component you shouldn’t forget when picking out which window treatments to hang, is what you will want to hang them on. Do you want to stick with simplistic brackets, or highly detailed curtain rods with fashionable ends? Some compare those bits of stylish hardware on the ends of window treatments with a great pair of earrings that finish off a great outfit. They can really complete the look.
Arjay’s Window Fashions is a full service window treatment provider that has been serving Southern California since 1975. The right window treatments can really transform a home, but sometimes it is necessary for that transformation to happen in stages. Arjay’s is ready with a great selection and professional knowledge to guide you every step of the way.
