Top Tips for Mastering the Art of ‘Window Dressing’ in your Home

June 16th, 2024
DesignProduct

One of the most important aspects to consider when you design a room in your home, is how much natural light you have filtering in and how to effectively ‘dress’ the windows and/or doors. The art of ‘Window dressing’ in interior design is all about the aesthetic and functional treatment of any windows in a given space and how you can enhance the overall décor, while controlling the light, privacy, and temperature. There are many window treatments to choose from ranging from curtains and draperies through to blinds, shades and shutters, but it is essential that you complement the room’s style as well as meeting any practical needs. Alle Interiors are here with their top tips for mastering the art of ‘Window Dressing’ in your home.

Deciding on which window treatment to opt for in your home, needs to first and foremost consider the period and style of your room and the overall look you are aspiring to. They need to be both decorative and functional and the options available include:-

Traditional – classic draperies using velvet or silk and adding decorative elements like valances and tassels.

Modern – the minimalist look using shades or blinds with clean lines and neutral colours.

Eclectic – Mixing and matching different styles and colours and combining patterned curtains with unique tiebacks or layered window treatments.

Rustic/Farmhouse – natural materials like linen or cotton along with wooden shutters and woven shades.

With so many options out there in both curtains, drapes and blinds/shutters and a variety of different ways to arrange them, for this blog we are going to concentrate purely on curtains, how to fix problems in a room and just what the different curtain options are.

How to make a window look taller?

If you have a room with low ceilings and a small window, you can make your ceilings look higher and your windows bigger with the length and style of the curtain material you use. For example, using floor length vertical stripes can help elongate the room, as the ceiling will appear taller. Overall adding curtains to your window can also dramatically change the look of a room and add interest to a plain boring room with little or no features.

Which curtains work best in a period property or cottage?

Georgian Windows – when it comes to adding curtains to Georgian windows, they tend to have splayed reveals with wooden panels and panels below, which are then finished with an architrave all round. Therefore, heading styles such as pinch pleats work well and you can fix pole brackets to the top corners of the architrave which then means the curtains just cover the area.

Victorian style windows – this period style needs fabrics and treatments that will match the architectural heaviness, which is where heavy curtains help to balance the scale and by using deep pelmets, it can add impact to larger windows.

Modern windows – these tend to be much less detailed meaning that roman blinds or curtains with simple heading styles work well or you can opt for a contemporary yet classic look with a straight pelmet.

Cottage with small windows – these are renowned for having small windows, and therefore, full-length curtains are not a suitable option. Curtains that sit on the window sill work well and are beneficial if you also have furniture or a radiator directly under your window.

Bay windows – these can be challenging, as fixing curtains straight across the opening of the bay means that when they are drawn, it closes off the bay area. A bent track can be fitted around the bay to solve this problem and means you don’t lose valuable space that could work well for sofas, storage or a window seat.

What Curtain heading option should I choose?

Depending on what look you are aiming for, there is a wide range of curtain heading types to choose from which we have summarised below:-

Gathered – often referred to as cottage pleat, this gives your curtains a traditional yet informal look. Suitable for the majority of fabric, it works well on smaller windows or shorter curtain drops on a track or a pole.

Pencil Pleat – a very popular heading choice, it gets its name due to the fact it resembles a line of neat pencils. It works in both period and contemporary homes and is suitable for tracks and poles.

Pinch Pleat – a classic and elegant curtain heading choice and it is also known as a triple pleat or French pleat. The pleats allow the curtains to stack neatly whereas pencil pleat curtains sit randomly. This can be used on a pole or a track and the pinch pleat header is typically sewn into place.

Double Pinch Pleat – this offers a more modern take on the triple pinch pleat and works well with heavily patterned fabrics, as less of the pattern is gathered into the fold than a standard pinch pleat. As before the header is sewn into place and you can opt for either a pole or track.

Buttoned Pinch Pleat – this is perfect if you want a more luxurious, decorative look to your curtains. It is basically a triple pinch pleat heading with a button in the same fabric and works with both poles and tracks.

Goblet Pleat – these as the name suggests have the appearance of a goblet or wine glass, and are well-suited to more formal interiors and in particular period and traditional homes. They work with either a track or pole, but look better on a pole.

Eyelet – this style gives curtains a modern, contemporary finish due to their deep folds and clean lines and is available in nickel, brass or gun metal. Eyelets will only work with curtain poles, but are easy to install and the curtains fall in beautiful soft pleats when hung up.

Wave heading – these are perfect for modern interiors and when stacked back, they have a very neat, uniform look which is great for letting lots of light in. Great for tall windows where there is limited room to fit a pole, but it is best to not use heavy or stiff fabric. They require a specialist track and gliders that have been designed for wave curtains.

Tab Top – a more contemporary choice which is both versatile and easy to hang, you simply loop the tabs onto your curtain pole. However, they are not suitable for rooms you wish to block light in such as a nursery or a child’s bedroom, as the light comes through the gap between the tab tops and the main curtain.

Straight pelmet – the main purpose of a pelmet is to add structure and cover the curtain track. They add a slightly more contemporary feel to the scheme and are supplied with pencil pleat curtains, pelmet board, track and gliders. Made from high quality ply, they are covered with interlining before being upholstered.

Shaped pelmet – a shaped pelmet has more of a classic feel and is therefore, suited to more traditional interiors. Made from high quality ply, they are covered with interlining before being upholstered and are supplied with pencil pleat curtains, a track and gliders.

Curtain trims, and leading edges in contrast fabric

It’s all about the details and by adding a trim to both the side of the curtain and to the heading the eye is drawn upwards giving the illusion of height to a space. If you choose a colour that not only coordinates with the curtain design, but also works with the colours in the room, it will tie the whole scheme together beautifully.

How do I get the Minimal Luxe look?
Bylayering up different layers of curtains with different fabric weights but it similar colour tones, you can create a light and luxe look that can be combined with metallic furniture, marble-effect wallpaper and a deep-pile rug, to give a glam look to your room.

There are a multitude of curtain choices out there, and it can be a minefield to work through them to decide what works best for your individual property. We hope our ideas above have helped to clarify what is available, but if you would like Alle Interiors to help with dressing any windows in your home, please do get in touch.

From redesigning a particular room in your house or helping with the overall style and feel of your home interior, we would love to advise. Also please check out www.alle-interiors.co.uk to view our products and collections and the services we offer.

Notes: –

Alle Interiors is a small creative team providing a one-stop-shop for all your interior design and soft furnishing requirements with customer service their utmost priority.

Image credits: alle interiors; Morris&Co; Sims Hilditc; Warner House; Melmerby Fan Braid trimming from the Sanderson X Salvesen Graham trimmings; Joshua Smith / Lance Gerber; Future/Davide Lovatti; Julia Brendel; Loom and Last; Tori Murphy.