Window Treatment Ideas & How-Tos

3d rendering of a living room with a large window.
Large windows, however glorious, can pose a problem for curtains. The sheer size of the window makes it hard to find ready-made curtains. Curtains for large windows tend to be heavier, necessitating sturdier curtain rods and hardware. Large windows admit more natural light, making it more difficult to find suitable...
A restaurant with green awnings and tables outside.
Old photos reveal a very different America. Men wore dapper hats, women dressed to the nines, and every town had a quaint small business area, made all the more charming by the colorful awnings that marked every shop. Awnings did more than attract customers from down the street; in the...
A thief opens a door with a crowbar.
Burglars stake out the ripest targets, sometimes with small, almost undetectable electronic devices. The most common break-ins are between 10 am and 3 pm when the bad guys know you’re at work or running errands. What’s a homeowner to do? One of the best tactics is to make your home...
A dollhouse with a kitchen, living room, and bedrooms.
Small rooms often feel cramped and dark. The right window treatments can transform them into cozy, bright, inviting havens. Window coverings aren’t just about aesthetics — they significantly impact a room’s atmosphere. The wrong window treatments can make a small room seem even smaller, while the right choices will open...
A living room with stairs and a couch.

An often overlooked aspect of DIY interior design is coordinating window treatments with decor.

Whether it’s the charming appeal of curtains or the sleekness of shades, window coverings can elevate a room’s aesthetics — or wreck them if chosen carelessly.

But how do you achieve that flawless design symbiosis?

A woman standing in front of a window.

Curtains or shades?

It’s more than an aesthetic choice — each window treatment has pros and cons, including light control, noise insulation, ease of cleaning, and longevity.

In this blog, we’ll cover their respective strengths and weaknesses to help you make the best decision for your home.

A deck with a picnic table and a shaded area.
Picture this: a scorching summer afternoon, the sun beating down on your patio pavement. Radiated heat blasts through your patio doors, making your home feel like a set from Lawrence of Arabia. In sun-soaked Los Angeles, sidewalk temperatures can reach well above 170 degrees F, almost hot enough to cook...
An ornate bedroom with ornate furniture.
Window covers have always been a thing. At least, it may seem that way to anyone born in the last century. But the earliest humans found caves for shelter and protection; caves aren’t well-suited for vertical blinds. So, where did the idea of window treatments come from? Who came up...
A patio with french doors and a patio chair.
Nothing’s more pleasant than a quiet Sunday as you lounge by the new French doors of your home. You sip your coffee, take in the view, and bask in the morning sunlight… Unless it’s August in Southern California, and the sunlight feels like a blast from a smelting furnace. Worse,...
A living room with large windows and white furniture.
Modern art, modern music, and modern industrial design — they’re all so off-putting. Who would want yet another modern trend in the home? You would, because have you checked out the latest window treatments? They’re nothing short of stunning! Take, for instance, natural woven wood shades. They can make a...
AI-generated image of coastal curtains.

The Beach Boys are an excellent start, but a coastal aesthetic involves more than grooving on surf tunes.

So, how can you introduce this coastal vibe to your home? You can incorporate coastal curtains into your decor. Along with a few throw pillows and seashell accents.

A woman cleaning blinds with gloves and a sponge.
Cleaning blinds can seem a chore, but as Mary Poppins said, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.” Okay, so maybe it’s never as fun as taking a cruise or binge-watching your favorite show, but mastering the right cleaning methods for different materials can...