Sundaymail Editor
BEDROOM window valances, curtains or other window treatments can help turn your house into a home, adding a uniquely personal touch. Here is what you should know.
What are bedroom window treatments?
Although curtains are certainly included, window treatments provide a variety of options to dress-up your bedroom window. Ideas run the gamut in styling, from vintage to ultra-modern.
Bedroom window treatments include everything from shades to formal drapes, as well as decorative valances, window scarves and cornices that sit above the window.
Master bedroom window treatments are often used to add luxury and serenity to the room, while window curtains for a bedroom in another part of the house might impart a different feel or function. For example, blackout curtains can make it easier for a toddler to nap.
How to buy the best bedroom window treatments
The best bedroom window treatments are the ones that work for you. You might want simple curtains for a bedroom window in a minimalist room or heavy formal drapes topped by valances in a vintage-inspired room.
It is also important to consider the actual window. Bedroom windows come in many shapes and sizes, and some lend themselves more easily to small window treatments like mini-blinds. If your window glass is thin, thermal insulated curtains can help improve room comfort.
Choose colours that blend with the existing ones in the room, including paint and trim, for a peaceful and harmonious look. Or add drama to the room with contrasting colours and bold patterns. A colour wheel can help you select colours that work well together.
Types of bedroom window treatments
Although there are seemingly innumerable styles, window treatments fall into a few simple categories:
Curtains and drapes
The two terms are often used interchangeably, but curtains and drapes are not exactly the same thing. Both consist of two panels that come together in the centre of a window (though single panel curtains also exist), but drapes are thicker, longer and more formal than curtains. Curtains and drapes come in a range of light filtering options, from sheer to max blackout:
Sheer: Sheer curtains allow nearly all light to filter through. They can help reduce glare without blocking your ability to see out the window.
- Semi-sheer: Semi-sheer curtains provide some privacy, while still allowing a great deal of light into the room.
Room darkening: As the name implies, these curtains greatly reduce the amount of light that comes into the room, creating a soft twilight effect.
Blackout: Blackout curtains offer privacy, noise reduction and some insulation while creating a dark sleeping environment even during the day.
Max blackout: For a truly dark sleeping experience, consider max blackout curtains, which filter 99 percent to 100 percent of light. They also provide maximum privacy and insulation, as well as protection against noise pollution.
- Thermal insulating: Some curtains or drapes, especially blackout and max blackout styles, have an extra back panel of acrylic foam for further insulation. It is also possible to buy a separate insulating liner for existing curtains or drapes.
Shutters
Shutters are generally the most expensive window treatment for a master bedroom or other room. However, they add the timeless elegance of wood to your bedroom design. Off the shelf shutters are available, but it is typically better to have them custom made. This ensures that they properly fit your window for maximum protection, privacy and room-darkening effects, as well as aesthetics.
Blinds
Generally the least expensive option, blinds are also the simplest of the master bedroom window treatment ideas. Slatted and operated with a cord or small handle, blinds can sit inside or just outside the window. They can be a great choice for modern, minimalist bedrooms.
Shades
Shades are a fabric option similar to blinds. They come in several styles, from simple roller shades to elaborately folded roller shades, and in different levels of light filtration. Depending on the style, shades can go with nearly any bedroom.
Valances, window scarves and cornices
Bedroom window valance ideas also include decorative window scarves and cornices, but the three are not exactly the same thing. A valance is a piece of fabric that hangs at the top of a window. Simple valances are casual, while box valances hang straighter and are considered more formal.
A window scarf is a long piece of fabric that is draped loosely around a curtain rod. A cornice is a wooden frame that may be painted or covered in fabric and hung at the top of the window.
Valances, window scarves and cornices may be used alone, but they are often paired with curtains or drapes. They can add visual interest, contrast or even drama to a master bedroom window. They are sometimes used in other bedrooms as well, especially rooms with a vintage or shabby chic decorating aesthetic. — freshome
Online Reporter