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Art in Window Dressings
By Annetta Holmes

You may not think of your window as a naked canvas but many windows in newer housing developments are straight forward structures of steel, wood and glass - nothing decorative about them. No interesting quirks or fine designs incorporated. As always, it is a cost factor. For some people, living in a square box with smooth walls, simplistic windows and no detail may be suitable. For others, a bare, bland window sparks all sorts of exciting electrical creative activity in their brain.

Selecting the Style
Unless you are engaged in a total revamp, assessing current furnishings is a must if you wish to achieve an integrated whole. Between minimalism and sumptuous is the look that is right for you and the family. Deciding upon a central theme acts as a beacon when faced with a torrent of methods to cover a window. However, deep down everyone has their own inherent individual taste, that which is comfortable to them. It is this style which you should try to bring to the forefront.

Focusing the Eye
When fireplaces were essential to keeping ones home warm, they, and their rather pretty mantel pieces were the place upon which every one’s eyes rested. Central heating has largely scuppered a crackling log fire as a central focus point. As with all magic, however, it’s not the item that gives birth to the decoration, rather the owner behind the idea.
A window is an ideal area of focus. If the picture beyond the frame is beautiful, then let that be your guide. A wooden rod, placed higher than normal and allowing the drapes to be fully opened would draw the eye to the garden or seascape beyond. You may wish to take your ‘artwork’ one step further by adding window furniture. Pelmets and valances can create a rich collection of texture, form and shape. Your personal taste will produce a unique arrangement of window art that frames the views from your home – almost like looking through the beautifully ornamented arch of some ancient building to the fields in the distance.

Spacial Considerations
From a stylistic angle, the window treatment should be in accordance with the furnishings and proportions of the room. There are two methods of approach, not set in stone, allowing modifications as you go along. However, an inviolate rule is curtains or drapes must be floor- or sill-length

If your room has large dominant windows this allows for rich use of fabric. Curtain headings can exist on their own or in conjunction with pelmets and valances. Pinched pleats suit heavy fabric in floor-to-ceiling arrangements. Pencil pleats are appropriate for lightweight and sheer material – the pleat running uniformly across the curtain.

For a smaller room, particularly if the ceiling is low, plainer sheers and less structured window treatments are best. Colour can be used to define the fabric. Bias binding, found in multitudinous colours and textures, sewn onto plain fabric can create a range of moods. Satiny-type stripes produce sophistication and chic, denim is perfect for a boy’s bedroom and lace for the young lady of the house.

Temperature and Light Control – Blinds and Shutters
Connecting the outside world with the inner is the task of the window. This function has its drawbacks – glass lets in glare and cold. Creating a room that is beautiful but uncomfortable due to incorrect temperature simply won’t work. Unadorned Venetian blinds shut out cold and give natural light when needed. These horizontal slats give a boring window visual definition. For those who prefer more froth, combine blinds with elaborate furnishings – heavier curtains to close on a chilly winter’s night leaving the blinds to act as a second skin against the elements. If the room is small, using dark fabrics can make it oppressive. Lots of light-coloured cloth will retain the sense of space yet still prevent winter’s creep.

Deeply ruched scollops are the hall mark of Austrian blinds. With fabric draping as a curtain then ending with a series of these scollops, the Austrian blind can bring opulence to a room depending upon the fabric used. The structure of these blinds and the gathering of the fabric works well with plain material. Beware of florals or bold prints. These added to the ruching can make the end result overwhelming for all but the grandest of rooms.

Roman blinds with their wide, flat folds look serene on their own and work exceptional well on smaller windows. Use a darker material to reduce glare from the afternoon sun. The rays hitting the blinds will show up the pleats in a series of light and dark lines- adding another visual effect to the room. If direct sun is not a problem try using a lightweight fabric - fine translucent cotton muslin – which will shimmer opaquely as the light filters through...

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Written by: Annetta Holmes
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