The Intricacies of the Window Treatment

by Ally Evander, Allied Member ASID

 
There are 101 ways that you can mess up a window treatment! When we design a window treatment, we think through all of the details and carefully communicate the design intent to our workroom. We always have our installer come to the site and measure the windows to ensure we are creating a drapery that is compatible with the window treatment hardware we are selecting. Its a time consuming, complicated process. And as I said, there are so many things that can be wrong.
Here's a list of the greatest offenses you want to avoid when selecting drapery:
 
1. The scale of the draperies in relation to the scale of the room.
2. The width/fullness of the drapery- there is nothing worst than a skimpy curtain. (Well, except for everything else on this list.) We usually specify 2.5 times fullness, meaning that the curtain will have depth and will appear full.
3. The height at which you hang the drapery hardware. (It shouldn't look like you are expecting flood waters.)
4. The style of the drapery is important too. There isn't a right or wrong style, just a style that is right for what you want to accomplish in the space.
 
Here's the photographic evidence of the offensive window treatment:
 

Too short....

 
 

Wrong scale, wrong everything....

This curtain has no fullness and just looks flat....

 
 
 
Here's some examples of drapery done right: It fits the room, it fits the style of the décor, it's the right length and fullness. It looks beautiful....
 
 

 See the difference? A perfectly executed window treatment creates a lot of impact in a room, or frames a view, or adds an element of softness. A no-so-perfectly executed window treatment just creates distraction!