Everyone knows that remodeling doesn’t include just the demolition and reconstruction of areas of the home — it also includes aesthetics! When it comes to interior design considerations during a home renovation, window treatments play a critical role. Long gone are the days when window-dressing options comprised of only unsightly, aluminum Venetian blinds. Today’s window treatments provide homeowners with thousands of options for materials, colors, textures, and designs, with additional features that prioritize functionality, privacy, and interior aesthetics. Paralyzed by the possibilities?
The home renovation and design experts with our remodeling company in Gainesville, FL, know that choosing among the endless types of window treatments can be an overwhelming process. This quick primer from Quality DesignWorks will help you find the ideal window treatments for your home so your new renovations look as amazing as you dreamt they would.
Energy Savings
A significant portion of older homes lack proper window insulation. Poorly insulated windows are a common cause of heating, cooling, and ventilation issues, as well as increased utility costs. Energy-saving treatments add an insulating layer to windows and help homeowners better manage indoor air for optimal home comfort, resulting in your HVAC system working better (not harder). Solar shades block ultraviolet (UV) rays and filter sunlight to protect interior spaces against Gainesville’s high temperatures and humidity levels. What’s more, solar window treatments offer the benefit of reduced air conditioning use. Call our home renovation design team to learn how optimizing your HVAC in Gainesville, FL, can help you save even more!
Color, Texture & Design
There are a number of things to consider with regard to window treatment color, texture, and design. Lighter tones illuminate and enhance the size of a room, while darker shades can offer a cozy, intimate vibe. Match the window coverings to the wall or architrave — the molded frame which surrounds the window — or select a dressing that makes a statement and complements the home’s interior design. Consider the fact that when closed, the blinds will be visible from the exterior of your home. White blinds are highly efficient as they reflect the sun, treatments with dark backings best complement homes with exteriors in dark or deep hues.
Light & Shade
While we love light-filled homes, we know that each room in a home requires different levels of illumination. Spaces in which natural light should be encouraged include living rooms, dining areas, and kitchens, while the bedrooms may require more significant window treatments with greater light-filtration capabilities. When selecting blinds for a kitchen remodel, choose sheer, semi-opaque blinds, which allow for plenty of light but likewise provide adequate shade when closed. For window treatment ideas for the bedroom, we recommend choosing room-darkening or blackout coverings to help everyone get a good night’s sleep.
Privacy
Before you choose window blinds, walk around the exterior of the home in the evening to check for privacy problems. When lit from within during nighttime hours, the interiors of a home are markedly visible from the outside. Unless your property features tall shrubs or a privacy fence, the blinds you select for intimate spaces — such as bedrooms and bathrooms — should provide maximum privacy. When selecting window blinds for a bedroom or bathroom remodel, our design experts recommend choosing styles that provide complete window coverage or picking top-down and bottom-up styles that allow light to enter while still maintaining privacy.
Safety Features
If you have small children and/or pets, it’s important to take time to ensure your chosen window treatment won’t pose a safety hazard to small members of your household (pro tip: for safety purposes, avoid options that use cords or tie-backs). There are numerous types of window treatments that are both kid-and-pet-safe — shutters and cordless window blinds are both easy and safe for pets to be around and for kids to independently operate. Additionally, if you plan to stay in the home through retirement, select blinds with the future in mind. Consider adding remote-control operated shades to best accommodate a range of mobility requirements.
