We love everything about decorating a room but there’s something really special about window dressings. They’re like the icing on the décor cake, whether the look is curtains with a dominant pattern and bright colours or barely-there neutrals in soft shades, or anything in between, ranging from shutters to blinds.

Window dressings transform rooms in many ways. The most noticeable is by softening the edges of a space, especially if you’re using ‘soft’ window treatments made in fabric. ‘Hard’ window dressings (those made from hard materials), such as shutters and blinds can soften a space to an extent, but the overall look might require a few extra design tricks to lessen those hard lines. Moulded timber window frames around and above the shutters if your home is of the right vintage, can work well.    

Whatever your personal style though, most of us require our window dressings to provide us with privacy. They also create layers of interest or warmth, complete the look in a room, provide a subtle background to let other elements shine, and protect furniture and soft furnishings from the harsh sun. So let’s explore our window dressing options:

Curtains

Curtains add elegance and texture too. If you’re looking to update a room and are happy with what’s already in the space in terms of furniture, choosing new curtains is a great way to go. Selecting new and relevant shades with on trend effects can then lead the way to refresh other soft furnishings such as cushions and upholstery.  

Curtains provide extra ways to embellish as well by adding gorgeous trims or contrasting borders, which reference other colours and features. Double tracks are fantastic and floaty fabrics hanging in front of thick, lustrous, silky linings always look appealing.  

Not so long ago many Kiwi home decorators played it safe with neutral curtains but these days there’s more boldness coming through in fabric selections. Recurring design themes include botanicals, metallic threads woven through natural fabrics plus geometric designs including Mid Century Modern for a touch of retro.  

Hanging curtain tracks as high as possible adds the illusion of extra height in a room and showcases elegant long and gorgeous fabric drops. For a little more expense, the impact of placing tracks up high is stunning and you’ll be thrilled with the result.

Tracks can also be concealed in the ceiling but this is usually limited to new builds or major renovations, because planning at the earliest stages of design is required. In some existing homes curtain tracks can be fixed to the ceiling, to achieve the same effect.

Roman Blinds

These are also great for lovers of fabric and when a softer effect is best but design features rule out curtains because of high windows above beds and smaller and unusual window shapes. Having different window dressings in the same room such as romans and curtains works when the same fabric is chosen for both.

Roller Blinds

Roller Blinds are Ideal if you’re looking for a crisp minimal look or want to solve practical requirements such as screening out sun and heat and providing insulation effects for summer and winter. A double-blind combination of sunscreen and separate block out blinds works really well.  

If you love the practicality and clean lines of blinds but still want a soft fabric effect, you could install sheers on tracks above the blinds – that way you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds.

Shutters

It was thought shutters were best suited to older-style homes such as villas, bungalows and Georgian-style architecture with deep window reveals. Not so. Shutters can work in any setting and add value and character to a home.

Customised for every window and their function, with bi-fold, sliding and swing-opening options, the look is sophisticated and crisp. Shutters also make it easy to control light and privacy, they’re great in bathrooms, for odd shaped windows and windows that face the road. It’s no wonder they’re so popular.    

Keen to start your window dressing transformation? Enquire Here