Whether you’re building a new home, renovating or simply updating your home décor, you will need to select window coverings at some stage. These can be one of the major expenses of the project so choosing the right window covering is important from both a budget and a design perspective. Mistakes are costly!

Living room 1

It pays to buy the best quality you can afford. Apart from finishing off the décor of your home, quality window coverings have plenty of benefits including:

  • Insulation for temperature control
  • Protection for your furniture and furnishings from the sun’s harmful UV rays
  • Improved acoustics, particularly in rooms with lots of hard surfaces, eg. where there are floorboards or tiles
  • Controlling privacy

The window coverings you choose will depend on the function and design style of each room in your home.

 

Kitchen

Kitchen windows can be tricky to dress, since there’s a high risk of your window coverings being stained or absorbing odours from food preparation. Many contemporary kitchens have a window in place of a splashback, running horizontally between the benchtop and overhead cabinets. These windows are best left uncovered to keep the look streamlined (and to prevent them from catching alight as there usually is a cook top in this zone as well).

Kitchen

If however, you have a window that needs something to block out direct sunlight (or the view of the neighbours), then regardless of your design style a roller blind is ideal. Their flat surface makes them easier to clean. Some roller blind fabrics are Teflon coated, and so are easily wiped clean. Plus, they can be rolled up into practically nothing when they aren’t in use – they disappear when they’re up and look like a ‘wall’ when they’re down.

Plantation shutters also suit most design styles. They can be fabulous for kitchen windows, as the good ones are made from either aluminium or a hardwood. Shutters are easily cleaned with a damp cloth and won’t absorb smells like most fabrics. They’re also ideal where light control and privacy are concerns because you can angle the blades to suit.

 

Bathroom

Much like kitchens, bathrooms are susceptible to splashes, smells and the odd coating of hairspray. Because of the high levels of humidity in bathrooms, it’s important to choose window coverings that will resist mould and won’t decay or warp in a damp environment. Roller blinds in a mould resistant fabric are great for this reason.

bathroom

Don’t be tempted to put timber plantation shutters (even hardwood) in a bathroom as the timber won’t respond well to high levels of moisture. Instead, choose a shutter made from aluminium; these are impervious to water and won’t warp.

If you absolutely must have a curtain or fabric blind in your bathroom, you can choose from a (small) selection of mould resistant fabrics or if you really have to use other fabrics that are not mould resistant, simply accept that you won’t get the longevity out of these fabrics due to the effects of humidity.

 

Living Room

There are plenty of options available for living room windows including roller blinds, curtains, Roman blinds, ballet blinds, panel glides, Venetian blinds and pleated shades.

Living room 2

You will need to take your design style into account when choosing window coverings for your living room. For example, for a contemporary look roller blinds are sleek, practical, and virtually disappear when not in use… which is great if you have doors opening onto an alfresco area. Panel glides and ballet blinds also suit modern décor, have all of the functionality of vertical blinds, and fortunately are much more stylish (though slightly more costly) alternatives. If you prefer a more decorative approach, try adding an upholstered pelmet to the top of your blinds, or a sheer curtain to soften the look.

 

For a more tactile affect, and this often works well in classic, modern classic, modern country and Hamptons styled spaces, then lined curtains and Roman blinds are your best options. For larger windows and sliding or bi-fold doors, curtains with a stackback are lovely, while Roman blinds look smart and tailored on smaller windows.

 

Main Bedroom                    

Your bedroom is your sanctuary, your private space – it should promote relaxation yet still reflect your personality. For main bedrooms, many people prefer a softer look, opting for curtains either sheer or fully lined, or Roman blinds instead of roller blinds.

Main bedroom

You may also need light control for a good night’s sleep, in which case, you should choose fully lined blockout curtains or blinds. An upholstered pelmet will help to close any gaps that early morning sunlight can creep in through. If daytime privacy is a concern as well, a translucent roller blind or sheer curtain will offer plenty of privacy from neighbours and passers-by.

 

Kids Bedrooms

While it can be tempting to go wild with the décor of your child’s bedroom, bear in mind that their tastes change approximately every 5 years.

Kids bedroom

It’s best to keep their window coverings simple, relatively neutral and easy to change. Plain roller or Roman blinds can be a great place to start because they are easy to operate, and will work even as the room around them changes. If you still want to add something a bit more gender or age specific, a pelmet with a blind is perfect! This way, if you need to update the décor, you’ll only have to update the pelmet, rather than the entire window covering.