Naked and afraid?
By Olivia Bloom
The art and science of window treatments have taken centuries to develop. As late as the 1590s, window curtains barely existed in England. Unsightly slabs of wood alone kept out the light and cold.
Today’s window treatments can change how an entire home looks and feels. Done right, it takes an expert to choose and install window treatments. A window treatment professional knows just the right color, texture and pattern to fit a room and function best.
Luckily for Northeast Ohioans, local designer Eileen Zimmerman has spent her entire career in the window treatment business. Along with her husband Don, Eileen owns Well Dressed Windows design service.
Before Eileen even considers how to dress a window, she starts by taking stock of the window itself and the room it’s in. She asks a lot of questions. Like, what’s the primary use of the room? Is privacy an issue? Is light glare on a TV or computer screen a concern? Do you feel like the window is a big black hole at night without shades?
To View, or Not to View
“I look at the room as a concept in itself,” she says. “If the view outside your window is spectacular, you’ll want window treatments to function as a frame to that view.”
Eileen recommends framing windows with valances, cornices or swags that go across the top of the window, or putting drapery side panels on the outside edges of the window.
“These treatments don’t cover much of the glass, so you still get a lot of light, plus retain the gorgeous view,” Eileen shares.
Maybe you need to disguise a less than favorable view, instead?
“Adding multiple layers with shades, sheers, draperies and valances, functions not only as camouflage but can work to cozy up your room, even making the window the room’s focal point,” smiles Eileen.
Eileen’s decorating skill extends to making small windows appear larger. And, no matter what their function, she can mix or match your window treatment colors and textures to other décor in your room.
“During the consultation in your home, we take time going over fabrics chosen from a plethora of samples that I bring. For example, silks and polyesters work well for a clean contemporary look, while cotton prints and florals evoke a farmhouse feel,” she says.
Looking ahead to Fall Trends
Window treatments are connected to trends in home decor, and updating your treatments is a sure-fire way to transform a room. Eileen reports that gray continues to be the new neutral.
“Spice gray up by adding small pops of turquoise, lemon yellow, citron green, plum, or your other favorite lively color,” she advises. “Geometrics and embroidered prints with trees, leaves or airy florals are all the rage. There are some drop-dead gorgeous fabrics coming out now.”
And, just as hemlines go up and down each season, so do drapery lengths. Eileen reports that while the traditional half-inch-off-the-floor will never go away, it’s now common for drapes to be a bit more casual and meet or break on the floor by a half-inch or more.
Form Meets Function
Eileen partners with Hunter Douglas to offer sheer shades, cellular shades, Roman shades, roller shades, woven woods, shutters and vertical and horizontal blinds that blend beautiful looks, deliver privacy and offer year-round energy efficiency and functionality.
“As a designer, what I like most about Hunter Douglas is the vast choice of fabrics and colors,” says Eileen.
In addition to aesthetics, Eileen shares that Hunter Douglas blinds are the most innovative on the market.
“For people looking to create ‘smart homes,’ their shades can operate wirelessly via a smartphone or tablet, are programmable and even operate remotely.”
Well Dressed Windows is headquartered in Wickliffe and beautifies windows all over Northeast Ohio. Call 440-498-9119 for a free consultation or visit DressedWindows.com for details and to see a gorgeous gallery of inspirational window treatments.