Valances

These are smaller pieces of fabric that hang over the top part of the window thus adding softness to the look, not to mention color and patterns. The role of the valances is purely decorative and all you have to do is to add a piece of fabric to a couple of rods with clips.

Swags

Probably this kind of window treatment is easier to add to a room than the valances. This is because all you have to do is to place a piece of fabric on a wood or rod that can be found at the corner of the window. In the end the swag works as a valance; it adds color and softness to the room.

Balloon shades

When looking for a romantic touch for the room, nothing beats the balloon shades. They come with cascading scallops that are folded at the bottom. The best thing about the shade is that it is movable both vertically and horizontally, and usually there is need for fabric that is twice as wide as the window.

Tie-up shade

Just as the name suggests, the main point of the treatment is that they hang loosely and they are tied up with ribbons, ties or cords.

You can adjust the length of the shade, but in this case you have to untie the ribbon and then tie it back. Because tie-up shades have a rather decorative role than a functional one.

Roman shades

In case you don’t want any fabric hanging around, this is the look to go for. When you close it, you have a sheet of fabric and when it is raised there are cascades of horizontal folds. The mobility of the shades is given by the rings from the back of the fabric. It is possible to have some puffy folds too.

Cornices

This is a kind of wood valance that is a wide piece of wood mounted over the window and that usually is covered with wallpaper or some kind of material. This could be used on its own or it could be accompanied by another treatment such as a fabric shade or some kind of curtain to make the hard lines look softer.

(photos credit: www.bhg.com)

Usually these blinds come in neutral colors, but you could spice up the room a bit if you add some decorations to the venetian blinds.

First you should repaint the blinds with a solid color. Then use sandpaper to rough all the slats and so it will have better adherence for the paint.

Add another layer of paint to the slats, but this time follow a striped pattern by using different colors on each slat.

In order to go with the decorating process, close the slats of the blind to have a flat surface. Then paint something on the slats that will become visible only in case the slats are in that certain position. You could also paint something else on the other side as well.

Stickers could be used as well, in case you don’t have the talent or the time to decorate the slats on your own. Come up with a pattern and stick the stickers according to that pattern. You could make this a project for your child, because it is fun and he or she would feel useful.

Another alternative for decorating the slats is to use a sponge to add different color pattern to every slat.

In case you are good with carving, you could etch a different pattern on each of the slats. This works best if the blind is made of wood. For this you will need a carving knife or a wood burner but you shouldn’t forget about the safety measures.

There are also some craft supplies that you could glue to the slats, like glitter, ribbons, craft foam shapes or other thin items that wouldn’t bother the functionality of the blinds.

Before choosing the blinds, you should take a look at the options that you have.

Regarding the color you should pick one that is suitable for the colors used in the room or a neutral color that works for just any kind of room, like crème, beige, or off-white.

Also consider the kind of slats you would like to have. Some of the blinds come with narrow slats, while the other ones have wider slats. The narrow slatted blinds work best for the small bedrooms. The larger rooms require blinds with wider slats.

The material of the blinds is also important when making the decision. In case the room is prone to collecting dust, you should go for metal, vinyl or wood because you can vacuum clean or dust them. The fabric blinds make the room look more sophisticated, because the fabric blends in with the rugs, upholstery and the other interiors.

There are some additional features available in the specialized shops; so if you are not the crafty kind of person you can always buy new venetian blinds.

The curtains can be an extension of the décor in your home or they can be the focal points and the topic of discussions.

Though curtains are essential, maintaining them can be a pain for most people who are busy on the treadmill of life.

This year’s trend tends towards the minimalist and elegant designs that require minimum maintenance.

Curtains are a very functional part of the décor as they are required to keep the sunlight and prying eyes outside.

When the two factors are not considered, curtains add to the beauty of the room, even if they are pulled back to enjoy the view.

This year has a lot to offer, right from sheer fabrics with modern patterns to bamboo Roman shades for the organic lovers.

Organic is the choice to go with even if all you use is wood or bamboo for decorative hardware like pulls or finials.

The most fashionable color on the windows this year is blue in its array of tints and shades right from light sky blue to the hues of the ocean. Lavender and gray are among the soothing colors of this palette.

Jewel tones like gold, orange and persimmon will also be in demand. Brown is the all time favorite for window treatments and remains so.

You can choose from fabrics like damasks, suede, leather, velvets and silks to satiate your luxurious tastes or you could go for the low maintenance no frills Pottery Barn curtains made of polyester.

If you are a green aficionado you can opt for performance fabrics that help insulate the house, cutting down on fuel costs.

And if technology is the name of your game then you could look for curtain gadgets that help you adjust, open and close your curtains with remotes or even with the help of wireless internet connection.

All this and more is all yours even if all you can afford are the $12 window shades from K-Mart. The secret ingredient is an inexpensive trip to your craft store and plenty of creativity.

With some heavy duty drapes and a dash of ingenuity there is a lot you can do to add pizazz to plain old boring shades. Here are three of the many things that can be done with them.

Window shades can be made personal with a unique message on them. It could be something as simple as a good morning or good night or a favorite quote or saying. You can choose your favorite phrase or word.

Before you embark on this personalization program the things that you will need are roller shades (of course), tape measure, Gaffers tape (chose from various colors available), scissors, rulers, small paintbrush, floating medium primer, acrylic paint (craft) and alphabet stamps (foam).

Make a striking border for your shades with the help of the tape. You could leave equal space all around to form a sort of frame for your message. Apply the primer to the area where you plan to write your message. Use foam stamps dipped in acrylic paints to stamp out your message. You could aim for perfection but imperfections just add to the handmade charm.

Another makeover project for your window shades could be the use of fabric. You could pick up any kind of fabric ranging from prints to stripes, to bolds or whatever pleases your eye.

This fabric can be carefully pasted over the shades to give them an exclusive designer look. Remember to include an extra couple of inches all around when you cut the fabric according to the size of the window shade. Iron out the fabric to get rid of any wrinkles or folds that it may have before you paste it on to the shades.

You could do a similar thing with wall papers too. Instead of fabric you can pick up a wall paper. Remember to use wall treatment adhesive with the help of rollers and yes the adhesive will go all over on the shade in one go. Be careful and avoid trapped air bubbles. This works best for windows that need shades of width 27 inches or less, unless you are sure about being able to match the print.

It is difficult to roll up the treated shades so it would be better to use this technique for shades that don’t need to be rolled up too often.

The first and the most important thing is to measure the old window frame. Make sure you are measuring the frame’s height from the top of the sill to the underside of the head jamb. Record the smallest measurements, for they will guide you to what window to choose.

Use an angle-measuring tool to measure the slop of the still.  Remove the old sash from the window frame as you pry off the wooden stops, in order to remove the sash.

Be careful for prying off the jam liners. The best thing you can do is to use flat bar, for you will pry them free. Prep the frame as you remove all the loose and blistered paint.

Scrape them off and sand the jambs. Then you can paint the surfaces. In case this is the first window replacement you are doing, then you need to remove the original sash weights from their pockets. After that, simply insulate the frame with insulation foam. Spray it into the holes and into the sash-weight pockets. Leave the foam for 6 hours and then continue with the work.

The very next step is to caulk the openings. Use an elastomeric caulk and apply it to the blind stops on the top of the frame. Two continuous beads of caulk also should be considered, but along the windowsill.

The installation of the window is from inside of the room as the bottom of the replacement should be placed onto the sill. Press the window against the exterior casings and push tight. Fasten it loosely as you close and lock the sash.

The next thing to do is to shim the window. Measure the window diagonally and screw it through the predrilled holes. The shim is necessary, in order to avoid bowing of the frame.

Slip a shim behind the jamb at each screw, and then simply trim the shims flush with a knife.

The last things to do are to prime, paint and caulk the window. Finish the installment by reinstalling the stops. It is recommendable to add new ones. If you can’t prime and paint the window, just stain the window’s sash and frame’s interior.

1. Sound Blind Speakers

In today’s world of restricted spaces, here is an innovative product from an innovative designer.

These Sleek and contemporary Blinds work as blinds as well as speakers eliminating the need for additional space for your sound boxes.

2. Better View Blind

Designed by a young designer living and working in Helsinki, these home blinds are inspired by the designer’s travel experiences to various cities.

She has tried to capture the images of the ‘city by night’, where light seeps in through these blinds creating an illusion of light in the windows of apartment buildings at night.

3. Electric Roller Blinds

Mainly a comeback from Europe for the US Luxury Home Market, these home blinds are style statement for high end consumers.

An automated system allows you to operate these blinds, single, or of the whole house, at the touch of a button, giving you a choice of adjusting light and privacy levels according to your needs.

4. Bright Solar Blinds

What better way of green living than having these home blinds which can soak up the solar energy during the day to give you illumination at night.

It serves you by blocking the light during day to serve you at night by giving you light. This is ideal living!

5. Beat Blinds

What a way to keep your kids entertained! These home blinds not only keep the room nice and dark but also serve as an entertainer for your kids by turning into a xylophone instrument when you want to keep your kids off your back.

6. Air-conditioner Blinds

Wow, what a way to keep yourself cool on a hot summer day! The Air conditioner blinds serve just the purpose by giving you a cool breeze with the help of a solar powered AC unit which is built in with the foldable blind.

This is called making the most of natural resources with the help of technology and innovation!

7. Brooklyn Blinds

A natural atmosphere created inside your home by these unique home blinds.

The most is made out of the bright sunlight outside when it seeps in through these window blinds creating beautiful effects you will love. By night the same effect is created for outsiders from the light inside your house.

8. Kontuur Blinds

The designer’s undying fascination for light and shadow has been the inspiration behind these home blinds.

Very beautiful and interesting, these window blinds play with shapes to create a beautiful light effect in your interiors.

9. The Discreet Window

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rear Window, these blinds are as unique as they can get! Visually appealing and far from the looks of a conventional blind, these blinds are nothing less than lovely eye-candy.

10. The EOS Blinds

These eye-catching morph print vertical home blinds are made from textile unlike the conventional vinyl. Providing excellent interior design, the USP of these blinds is its elegance!

The Quatrefoil window:

This sort of window is in the shape of a four leafed clover, and is evocative of a Gothic ambience. These can be plain or fitted with colored or stained glass to offer interesting shades of light or color.

The Fanlight Window:

Traditionally this is a window shaped like a fan as the name suggests, and usually sits atop another window or even a door. It can be not just an interesting design element, but it can be a source of natural light into the room.

The Bay Window:

This one is evocative of days gone past when there was time to sit by the window on the widow seat and read or just watch the trees growing. A bay window offers light and air to the room and the semicircular shape offers a view of the outdoors the way other window types cannot.

The Dormer Window:

The sloping roof of a house fitted with a dormer window with its own little roof is an eccentricity of days gone past, that can add charm to any modern home.

If you think about it, what is good for you is actually also good for the environment, as is true in this and several other instances.

Good and effective insulation is the best method for increasing energy efficiency of a home or work environment because this is what makes it possible for you to lower your electricity bills which are largely composed of heating and cooling components. This is particularly true for windows, which is the main channel for heat or cold to enter a house.

What good insulation does is it also decreases the amount of noise that enters the house, because it muffles the sound from outside, letting less of it into the house.

Thermal Curtains: These are usually heavy drapes[window drapes] or curtains that are made with an insulating lining so that they form a kind of barrier at the window, preventing loss of heat or cool air from within the house as well as keeping the elements at bay more effectively.

Pinch pleated curtains or box pleated with foam thermal backing come in different widths and sizes and are an attractive addition to the room. No longer do you have to suffer thermal curtains that look like unattractive burlap sacking.

Thermal blinds or Roman shades: Wide vertical blinds are available which are made from cotton and have thermal backing. Similarly roman shades with thermal backing can be used either by themselves or behind your drapes.

Glazing or Insulating Glass Units: This works in a way much like a thermos flask does to keep things inside cold or hot. Here as well a vacuum is created between two layers of glass (or three layers as the case may be), creating an insulating barrier that reduces heat loss, noise and condensation.

Now three layers or triple glazing is becoming even more popular with ever rising energy costs and increasing environmental awareness.

Making the extra effort and expenditure right now, may actually pay for itself in the long run, when your heating and cooling bills are considerably reduced, so that the extra outlay at present will be well compensated later. The resale value of well insulated homes is higher as well so that you are actually adding to the value of your home due to insulation.

They could be toxic to you and your family, they are certainly not good for the environment and there are simple alternatives that you can use instead of these which may even be actually cheaper to use.

Did you know that you can get excellent results by using some common things that you will find lining your kitchen shelves? Did you know that white vinegar, baking soda, corn starch, club soda and lemon juice can all be useful for cleaning and particularly for cleaning windows?

Also these items tend not to leave any residue, which builds up with chemical formulations that can itself be rather an irritant which needs to be cleaned.

When cleaning widows, newsprint is an excellent item to use, since it is lint free, disposable and when done the right way, it leaves no streaks.

Another tip for when you are cleaning windows: cleaning in circular motions will create more streaks than if you were to use side to side cleaning motions or vertical up and down strokes.

Whether you’re going for a look that is contemporary or classically chic, there are window treatments to suit your needs. Some of these window treatments are available as curtains, blinds or shades.

These window treatments can be used and manipulated to suit your particular design and style.

Before you decide which window treatment to adopt into your home décor, do some research. This will help you to find exactly what you’re looking for without further delays and unnecessary confusion. If possible try to get an expert’s opinion.

Window treatments are a very creative way of upgrading your home interior at affordable prices. Besides the above stated window treatments, there are also roll –up blinds, custom window cornices and natural woven window shades to add that needed touch to contemporary and country style curtains.

Alternatively, you might be interested in using high fashion Thai silk draperies which will be ready made and ready-to-ship. These will light up any room and make it a guaranteed showstopper. Another alternative is faux silk curtains, which are available in various colors and patterns and are reasonably affordable.

Adding a personal touch to your home with window treatments

There is more to window treatment than merely covering up a glass pane. Window treatments can be an accessory and can be used to define your individual or family’s style.

Initially, you have to decide whether you’re going to use window treatments that are made of hard materials or those that are made of soft materials. To be precise, window treatments made of hard materials are those that are made of wood or vinyl such as shutters, shades and window blinds.

Soft window treatments are made of materials such as sheers, drapes, swags, valances. These can also be roman shades- from flat to hobbled styles. However, both window treatments can be combined, but with much consideration and attention paid to as they need special attention in measuring.

Great news in window shades is that they are now experiencing a revolution. Now, you don’t have to be limited to the boring colors that your grandmother used to use. You can now add your personal touch and texture. Texture makes the window stand out.

Literally, there are endless options and styles that you can combine with your personal creativity in your window treatments to come up with a really appealing home interior design that reflects your individual style.