Essentials of Window Coverings

1. GO WIDE, GO HIGH

If you have wall to wall glass windows or doors and want curtains, consider where the stack will be when the curtains are open. If a track is the width of the opening, the stack of a curtain will be covering a portion of the glass, reducing your view and the light that can get in, effectively making the space within feel smaller. If you take curtain tracks past window or door openings where possible to get the stack off the glass, you not only utilise the light to its fullest potential but also make the room feel larger. The same goes for the height of your curtains – don’t put them just above the window or door, go as high as you can.

2. THINK ABOUT THEM EARLY

Window coverings are an essential design element of an overall interior design scheme, but they are often overlooked until the end of a job, limiting your options. For example, curtain tracks and roller blinds can be hidden in bulkheads, or they can be motorised and wired in before walls go up. These little tweaks at the construction stage can significantly impact the finished product both visually and functionally. Consider the overall aesthetic and how they will feature in the space. Will they be a highlight and stand out or blend in? What are you trying to achieve with them – softening of the room, day privacy, night privacy, insulation, sun protection, complete light block out, or a combination.

3. BE FLEXIBLE

Have a corner or angle to work with? Not a problem! The bending or curving of curtain tracks is an easy solution. It allows for a free flow of the curtain in the space instead of butting tracks into a corner that can limit movement options and create a light gap. We also utilise the bent tracks in situations where the glass is wall to wall. When bending tracks, the curve radius varies depending on the track type, so keep in mind if building a bulkhead too!

4. BLIND CONTROLS

Roller blinds can also be utilised for corners or angled windows with angled brackets used to allow the blinds to move up and down on one chain, so you don’t have to reach over things to access chains. Up to three blinds can be ‘linked’ to the one control with these brackets. Consider how motorisation of curtains and blinds can help you in everyday life. You can now control everything from an App connected to your wifi. So you can shut down your house from where ever you are and set timers too. Yes, there is an extra cost initially; however, we find that most people are surprised that it's not as much as they expected.

5. FABRIC SELECTION

This should be both an aesthetic and a practical decision. Consider where you live, though. Newcastle, being near the ocean, means there is salt in the air. This can deteriorate natural fibre fabrics faster and allow them to move up and down with heat and damp. Polyester can get a bad wrap. However, an element of polyester in the mix will help stabilise natural fibres (such as linen or cotton). This allows the product to be washed and stand up to direct sunlight better than a product with 100% natural fibre content. Also consider the space the fabric will be in – a blind in a bathroom will get exposed to a lot of moisture, so the fabric choice must withstand this and survive.

With such a wide range of products available at many price points, there is an option for everyone. Remember that window coverings purchased now are long-term investments. They can be utilised as textural artworks that just happen to have a practical use as well.

Visit www.tailoredhq.com.au for more!