Window treatments have been MIA of late, but they’re starting to make their return. Chrissie Jeffery, creative director at textiles shop No Chintz, gives us her expert advice on choosing window treatments that will frame your windows nicely and add polished style to your home too. “These are less window furnishings and more an architectural feature,” says Chrissie Jeffrey of No Chintz. Shutters are chic and smart, and allow light and air in while maintaining privacy. They’re good in situations where curtains might not fare so well, such as bathroom windows. Consider using them in a boy’s room, if a fabric option isn’t the right fit, or to disguise an ugly outlook. “Shutters let in a lot of light, so if you wanted to soften the brightness you’d be better going for a translucent roller blind,” advises Chrissie. “Shutters don’t provide full block out for sleeping, but are good light filters.” Shutters are adjusted with a tilt bar, positioned in the middle.

Note that the name doesn’t mean they are produced from plantation timber – in fact, many modern shutters are often not made of timber – but it refers to a style of house that theydagny curtains review Tip: Look beyond plantation shutters for effective protection from light and heat. swish curtain rail holderThese heavy-duty shutters are ideal for west-facing rooms or for cooler climates.judy's curtains covington la There are many lovely fabrics on offer for curtains and a million ways to hang them. curtains kaiapoiPlaying with length, texture – such as sheers, linens and cottons – and the weight of drapes is a great way to add visual interest.

Two-fabric combinations can also act as insulation and soundproofing. If you’re doing the curtain measuring yourself, remember that you need more fabric than the width of the window. This could be anything from 1.5 to 3 times the width of the curtain fixture, depending on how much volume you want. There are also plenty of instructions and videos online about how to measure windows; ..au as a starting point. Apart from the look of your curtains, you’ll also want to consider the mechanics. A curtain rod with a ‘flick stick’ is a great fit for a small window in a study, while motorised curtains on tracks would suit an open-plan living area. “Motorisation is the ideal choice for style, elegance and convenience,” says Jenny Brown of Luxaflex Window Fashions. Decorative elements, such as finials for the curtain rod ends, ornate cleats to secure your cords, and pelmets that frame the window, are some options for finishing touches. Tip: There’s no sign of rods or tracks with these curtains that are mounted flush with the cornices.

Ceiling mounts give you maximum height and a neat finish. This option hangs straight but concertinas up in evenly spaced folds when you pull on the cord. As you raise the blind, the excess cord can be tied to a cleat at the side. Cord locks allow you to secure the blind easily at set heights. Choose stiff fabrics for a smart, crisp look, or soft ones for a relaxed feel. The top 30cm or so of a Roman blind remains in place, forming a kind of pelmet when the blind is fully raised, so be wary of using them on windows you like to leave open. In this case, wind will blow dirt and dust onto the back of an exposed blind, and rain will hit it, encouraging mould. It’s often better to face-mount these blinds – where they’re fitted over the architrave – well clear of the top of the window, as this is more effective at blocking light. Tip: Don’t get hung up on keeping everything the same within a room. The vertical fall of the drapes versus the horizontal line of the raised blind helps define the space.

Roller blinds are an inexpensive way to cover your windows and achieve a clean, no-fuss look. Fabric options range from sheer to full block out, with features such as anti-fungal properties and UV filters available. Roller blinds are often used in conjunction with curtains to offer a different level of opacity, so you have more ways to control glare, privacy, insulation and outlook. Roller blinds can be hung in two ways: front roll, which hides the roll at the top of the window (important if the fabric is bonded at the back); and back roll, where the roll is visible and the fabric needs to be the same on either side, as it’s mainly the underside that’s on show. Blinds that roll back sit closer against the window, providing better light control. You can also install motorised roller blinds. Tip: Many windows require two treatments to deal with the elements. Plain, white blinds moderate the heat and glare, while the sheer curtain adds colour and greater privacy when drawn.

For more inspo, check out these ideas:For more expert advice try: *  window treatments: a guide on the dos and don’ts *  Wayd’s kitchen dos and don’ts *  Sean’s kitchen design adviceDiscover beauty in motion See how QMotion products work. What people love about QMotion Read our customers' stories QMotion Exhibits New Honeycomb Shade Fabric Collection and Other Award-Winning Solutions at IBS 2017 4 Favorite Summer Color Trends to Liven Up Your HomeWith summer comes the daunting nature of preparing for family gatherings. Stress a little less about your interior design skills by following simple summertime color trends to help you create the perfect place to be the host. Advances in technology and increased demand for smart and connected living have all contributed to rising excitement about motorized blinds. The benefits are many: The ability to control your shades or blinds with the touch of a button. Freedom from unsightly cords that pose a risk to children and animals.

Cost reductions on your home heating bills. Transforming your living room into a media room for the best middle school sleepover ever.You’ll want to know how much installing motorized blinds costs. In truth, the answer varies greatly depending on a variety of factors including the type of motor you select, whether or not your existing window treatments are compatible with motorization, and the size and number of windows you seek to add motorized blinds to. Here, we breakdown the cost of the different Somfy motors and examine what the costs would be for outfitting different window treatments. When it comes to choosing which motor will power your new motorized blinds, you have a variety of options to choose from. While motors on the lower end of that price range may at first seem like a steal, it is important to keep in mind that motorized blinds are an investment, enhancing your home’s comfort and liveability. Investing the money upfront to purchase a quality motorized system can save you money, time, and headaches down the road.

Often, motors that fall on the lower end of the spectrum have shorter warranties, more mechanical difficulties, and may even be louder. You’ll also want to research the warranty that accompanies your motor; Somfy motors are covered by a full five-year warranty, but this may not be the case with other products. The price of motorized blinds and shades will vary, depending on whether they are battery, plug-in, or hard-wired. Somfy battery powered motors start at $270, and hard wired options go up from there. Before making your final decision then, it is important to make sure that you have examined the technical capabilities of your selected motor, which will impact price, speed, and noise level. A complete warranty is a strong indicator that the company stands by their product and suggests that, should you need assistance, the company will be there to help. Since you are contemplating installing motorized blinds, chances are that you already understand your window treatments to be an investment in your home.

As with your choice of motor, you have lots of window treatments options to choose from, and there are a number of factors that will impact how much these window treatments will cost. With so many different types of window treatments to choose from, picking the right one is a challenge. The best solution, if you are struggling to decide whether you want to outfit your home with shutters, blinds, shades, or curtains, is to identify the main needs that you expect your window treatments to solve. For example, cellular or honeycomb blinds help with energy efficiency and solar shades can reduce UV glare. Below, we consider several factors that will impact how much you can expect to spend on your window treatments. One of the main factors that impacts the cost of a window treatment is the material that it is made from. Before making a decision, consider the tradeoffs between different materials. For example, real wood is one of the most expensive window treatment materials out there, but it can also add more value to a home and is more durable than faux wood or vinyl.

Eco-friendly window treatment materials like bamboo or other woven fibers may also be more costly, but add value if you are seeking to green your home. In order to develop a sense of the cost of your window treatment project, you will first need to spend time measuring your windows. If you feel uncomfortable gathering the exact measurements, do not hesitate to contact a window treatment professional -- measuring windows is all just a part of their daily business. However, if you are not afraid to get out your notepad and measuring tape, here are a few guidelines to ensure that you are taking accurate measurements: Use a metal tape measure. Soft measuring tapes that bend or fold will not provide you with the level of accuracy you are after. Measure every window you plan to cover. Even windows that look identical to the eye can vary slightly in size. Round to the nearest 1/8th”. This is where having a metal tape measure (and your glasses!) really comes in handy. Notate measurements in width by height.

It is very easy to flip those numbers around, but doing so will cause many headaches down the line. Keeping these guidelines in mind, it is time to take your window measurements. Once you know the width and height, you can begin to get a sense of the materials cost of your project. Below, a glance at the average price range for some of the most popular window treatments. Note that this price range is per shade, with a shade considered a fairly standard 36” by 48”: DIY is all the rage nowadays, but what if you would prefer that someone else does the DIY for you? This will impact the cost of your project, but many people feel that it is worth working with a professional to ensure that the job is done right the first time. Installation costs will vary depending on the number of windows you are covering, but you can expect to pay anywhere between $35 - $75 per window that is receiving motorized blinds treatments. (This is just an estimate and can vary depending on where you live and whether or not any of your windows fall into the “tricky” category -- skylights, bay windows, etc.