How to Choose the Best Window Treatments For Your Home

The right window treatments have the ability to elevate any space by adding texture, color, and detail. We are sharing our favorites, woven wood shades, roman shades and drapery panels, and how to get the right look in your home. 

Choosing window treatments for your home can sometimes feel overwhelming and a little bit daunting. There are so many different components to take into consideration, from the look you want to achieve to their function or purpose. Not to mention, if you’re choosing quality window coverings they are often an investment, so you want to be sure you’re making the right decision. 

I’ll be honest, a few years ago I didn’t give much thought to our window coverings, so long as we had curtains or shades to close when it was dark, I was happy. Fast forward a few years and I am now obsessed. I’ve come to understand and appreciate just how much they can add to a space. But as I’ve mentioned there is a lot of thought that goes into choosing the right window treatments, so today I want to take some time to chat about the coverings we have throughout our home and answer some of the most common questions we see. 

We’ve partnered with Blindsgalore over the years to update many of the shades throughout our home and they very quickly became our favorite go-to for window treatments. They have an incredible selection to choose from and are always eager to help, they’ve answered endless questions from me so that I can be sure we are choosing the right shades for our home and lifestyle. If you’re considering new shades for your home, I know you’ll be happy choosing Blindsgalore. 

Woven Wood Shades

Woven wood shades are an absolute favorite of mine. They are a great choice if you’re searching for a natural option, and they come in so many different materials and hues. One of the reasons I love woven wood shades so much is their ability to add texture and warmth to any space.

We chose to layer our shades with drapery (except in our kitchen), but I also love woven wood shades on their own for a more streamlined look. They really fit with so many different aesthetics, from traditional to modern, and convey a relaxed and laid back feeling to any room. You can see them in our living room, bedroom, Zoe’s bedroom, and Ella’s nursery, that’s how much we love them! 

And while woven wood shades come in a variety of colors, from rich cocoa to creamy whites, I tend to lean towards warmer honey tones. I also stick to grass-like materials, because I love their texture. These two elements add a lot of warmth and keep our home feeling laid back and fresh. The shades in our living room, bedroom and Zoe’s bedroom are Bali Natural Shades in Beaches Sands, however, that particular material has since been discontinued. We worked with Blindsgalore to find a very similar match and we discovered Faroe Oyster (seen in Ella’s nursery and our kitchen) and Faroe Twine are very similar. Faroe Oyster is a little lighter, while Faroe Twine has more warmth, but both are beautiful choices.  

There are a couple of things to consider when ordering your shades. First, you’ll need to consider privacy. If left unlined, they will be sheer, which is a great option for a kitchen, or even a living room. But if you’re looking for a little more privacy you’ll want to choose a privacy liner or even a blackout liner, which are perfect for bedrooms. We opted for the blackout liner in Ella’s nursery and it has been so great for naps and early bedtimes, while the rest of our shades are lined with a simple privacy liner. 

You’ll also need to consider lift options. We chose the cordless lift because it gave us peace of mind, we never need to worry about our girls or pets becoming tangled in the cords. But I also love that it gives our windows a very streamlined look, without any clutter. 

Roman Shades

As much as I love woven wood shades, I also have a soft spot for roman shades. They are a terrific way to incorporate the softness of drapery panels, combined with the clean lines of a custom shade. It’s the best of both worlds! 
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Blindsgalore Designer Roman Shades (Solids) in Linen Texture (White) Plain Fold. Cordless + Privacy Liner + Accent in Pewter

And because Roman shades are available in so many different styles and fabric choices they look great with any design aesthetic, from airy and romantic to masculine and modern. It all depends on the material, color and fold you choose. 

Recently we added a roman shade to our upstairs hallway window and I can’t get over how much it has elevated this little space. We chose the Blindsgalore Designer Roman Shades (Solids), in Linen Texture (White) with Pewter accent and the Plain Fold. 

Drapery 

Drapery panels are another great option when considering window coverings. We chose to add inexpensive drapery panels to all of our windows because I love the combination of the soft linen-like material with our beautiful woven wood shades. It’s such a nice contrast.

And curtain panels don’t have to be expensive, you can actually find a lot of really nice options in big box stores opposed to custom-made. An important element to remember when purchasing curtains is the length, in most cases you’ll want the panels to just touch the floor for a nice clean look.  

Now, we’ve covered woven wood shades, roman shades, and drapery panels, which leads me to another common question we are asked alot…do all of the window coverings in your home have to be the same?

The short answer is no! As you can see we’ve incorporated woven wood shades, roman shades, and drapery panels throughout our home. I think it’s important to take into consideration what you are trying to achieve in each space. Are the coverings purely for aesthetics? Or do you need privacy and/or darkness? Once you’ve been able to pinpoint your needs you can determine the best options for your home. 

As long as there is a feeling of cohesion from room to room, your window coverings do not need to be the same throughout. In our case, our woven wood shades are a similar texture and color, we’ve carried the same drapery panels throughout our home, and the roman shade in our hallways closely matches the material and color of our curtains. Our hardware (curtain rods) are also the same from room to room. You don’t necessarily need to stick to these guidelines, but this is how we’ve created a consistent feeling in our home. 

And one final thought, always, always, always order samples! I cannot stress how important it is to actually hold the fabric swatches in your hands to see the true color and texture of each material. You don’t want to ignore this step. 

Well, I hope this post has helped guide you in choosing the right window coverings for your home. If you still have questions please comment below or send us an email, we are always happy to chat with you.