Exciting Windows! by Craig & Darlene Rhodes

There is something about a piece of beautiful fabric, held in the hand or draped casually over a piece of furniture that excites the imagination. Interest is frequently at its peak when considering a wide array of fabric samples. Decorators in particular are most often stimulated and creatively inspired when handling exquisite fabrics. There is something about the possibilities seen in the expanse of beautiful colors and patterns, the fall of the folds, the feeling of the fabric in the hand that makes one sense that a magical transformation is about to be made in the appearance of the room.

We’ll begin the discussion with Natural Fibers. Despite the impressive characteristics of the synthetic fibers man has made, there is still a special fascination for natural fiber fabrics. These are the classics known and admired through the centuries. Never the subjects of fad appeal, their popularity endures, unchanged. They are as effectively used in modern rooms as in traditional ones. Those natural fibers we’ll be discussing include cotton, linen, silk and wool.

Natural fabrics are prized for the range of beautiful colors with which they can be dyed. Since they are highly absorbent, they accept dye in a way that is superior to the dye-ability of synthetic fabrics. However, all natural fibers have a certain oil content which gives the dye in fabric made of those fibers and inclination to fade or run when wet. In addition, natural fibers are subject to rot, mildew and parasites. Moths, for example, will happily skip over a synthetic carpet in order to set up housekeeping in a woo-upholstered chair. Guarding natural fiber fabrics against these potential problems is generally considered a smapp price to pay for their enduring beauty. As with many things of fine quality, however, natural fiber fabrics may be very costly. This is because man has a partner, nature, in producing them.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about silk, the royal fabric.

Curtains are materials that are hung over a window for decoration and other purposes. The main purposes are to provide privacy, block sunlight and decoration.

If the window looks onto streets or sidewalks, then curtains can be used for privacy.

Curtains are also used for light control to prevent glare, for sleeping during the day, or watching TV etc. Opaque curtains are suited for light control. For partial light control sheer or net type curtains are better suited.

Curtains are also used for increasing the aesthetic appeal of a room. An elegant curtain greatly increases the aesthetics of a room and gives an opulent look. On the contrary dirty or ill matched curtains give a room a gloomy look. When the window looks onto a street it is better to give thought to the underside of the curtain as the curtain can be seen from outside and will dictate the appearance of the house. more

Traverse rods are fitting for most curtains and draperies. They are designed for two draperies to be drawn back to either side or one-way traverse rods move only in one direction.   Your Exciting Windows consultant will help you select the correct traverse rod for your room.

The right window curtain can make your bay window look even more stylish. Since there are so many shapes of bay windows, you need to choose which curtains look the best. Bay window treatments come in many styles such as pleated, panels with foam backing, velvet, simple valances, and detailed cornices. A cornice is something like a valance, but it’s made out of wood or a fabric covered foam. There are also tab curtains that show decorative curtain rods. Café style curtains look particularly good on bay windows. Flouncy styles hide the line of the bay.

For bay windows with distinctive features, you can complement or match them with individual inside-mounted café curtains, shades, or blinds. If your windows are closely spaced, you can add a simple set of shades or a sequence of shallow swags. The whole window area can be flanked with a pair of panels that is topped by the treatment with a cornice. Bay windows that are farther apart will look good with a stationary panel between the windows or at each outer window. The angles of your bay window can be softened by an airy and lighter fabric.

You can also choose shutters instead of curtains. Shutters follow the lines of the windows. They are made with a variety of materials and have different performance levels. There is the option of staining your shutters in any color you want, or keeping them in their natural wood finish. They can also be painted white. Shutters give protection from the heat and the sun. They also give light and ventilation. Shutters come in UV resistant paint colors and stains. There are several different blade sizes to choose from. You can have shutters custom made for your bay window.

Window Treatments

A window positioned anywhere in a room provides a dramatic statement, a focal point, or may even provide an opportunity to bring the outdoors inside the room. With window treatments, fabrics may be used in curtains and window valances.

In order to provide a dramatic statement in a room via the window treatment, you can make use of two extreme types of fabrics, either heavy, rich-colored fabrics, or sheer draperies: or possibly a combination of both. Heavy, rich-colored fabrics make a dramatic statement with their strong colors and eye-catching patterns (like damasks, flower prints, stripes, etc.). Sheer draperies, on the other hand, bring a light, sunny feeling to the room by letting in just enough sunlight, yet allowing for a light and flirty curtain solution.

Used together, putting sheers behind the heavy fabric draperies, provides texture and color contrast. The heavy fabric draperies may be opened in the morning with the use of trimmings and tassels, allowing for sunlight to come through the sheer draperies. To create a more formal feeling, some of the heavy fabric draperies may be incorporated into a window valance.

Your professional decorator can help you with your designs!