add some wow to your
windows

WINDOWS mediate between the world outdoors, and the world within, and hence their décor and presentation is a vital aspect of interior design, be it in the home or at the office. Windows can be decorated in so many different ways. Choosing the most effective window treatment and upholstery for your home or office is one of great importance.

As the design and construction of windows changed over the years, so did the style and type of window coverings. People now harmonize these coverings, called window treatments, with other elements in a room. Curtains and drapes can remain drawn across a window at all times, serving either as a purely decorative feature in the room, or as a means of disguising a less than desirable window or setting. Besides being decorative, these treatments help control the environment at a home. They help regulate the amount of natural light in a room, muffle noise, provide insulation and privacy.

As a designer, I always suggest clients to avoid heavy velvet panels. These are more suitable for colder climates, where lavish layers of shades, drapes and valances are needed to provide the physical and psychological warmth necessary to counter the chilly nights. In warmer climates like ours, uncomplicated drapes and curtains can help streamline the transition between outdoor and indoor living space.

Every window in the home can be a showcase for beautiful fabrics and daring design, but successful window treatments must go beyond decoration to enhance a window's function.

Choosing fabric: Many different types of fabric are suitable for window treatments, depending on the style, functions and degree of formality of the room. The appropriate fabric for your room should match with the other elements, e.g. furniture fabric, bedcovers, room color chart, etc. Pelmets should also be matched with the other elements. A home's architecture should be floor plan, its proximity to the street, and how its property is landscaped to define each room's individual needs for privacy, light and view. Fabrics are made from different materials, which can be used singly or in combinations of two, three or more. The fabrics can be natural, such as cotton, wool and linen; or synthetic, such as acrylic and acetate. The pictures show a vertically striped palmate for the sitting room. The same fabric was used for the sofa set. In the dining room, sheers were used to allow the diners a view of the refreshing green garden outside while they eat. The pelmets match the fabric on the chairs' backs. Checks and floral prints can bring a dramatic change into certain places. Box pleats and checks look good in a boy's room or a home gym. Small floral prints attached to plain fabrics of similar color scheme, edged with frills, bows, lace, or ribbon to give the room a feminine touch.

In our country, people generally prefer synthetic brocade, satin, poplin, velvet, etc for curtains and drapes, as these are durable and easy to wash and maintain. The choice of fabric plays a major role in setting the style of a room, creating accents of color to enliven neutral décor, as well as providing a means of coordinating different elements effectively in a room. Bangladeshi handloom, raw silk, and muslin fabrics are very eye-catching when used as window treatments. Most of our foreign delegates prefer using local fabrics on windows in their residences.

Sheers: Sheers are great for allowing light to filter through, while safely providing you the privacy you need. They're also a face-saver for those windows who have dirty grills.

Tools and equipment: Making window treatments requires basic sewing equipment and supplies. In addition to fabric, thread, specialty tapes, and hooks, you will need a sewing machine, pins, scissors, and rulers. A rotary cutter, while not essential, is of great advantage. You will also need a household steam iron and a well-padded iron board.

Poles, Rods, and Brackets: Curtains and drapes are hung from poles or rods that are mounted inside, on or above the window frame with brackets. Collectively, these pieces are called hardware, in contrast to the soft fabric panels that make up window dressing. There is an enormous variety of window hardware on the market to accommodate many different types of window treatments, and designers frequently improvise their own versions. You can simplify the selection process by deciding first whether your hardware will be ornamental or functional.

Curtains are the largest item of soft furnishing, and though they seem complicated, they actually require very minimal sewing skills. The secret of successful curtain making lies in accurate measuring, estimating, and cutting out. The choice of heading tape is largely a matter of personal preference, but keep in mind that the weight of the curtain fabric should be suitable for the style you intend to create. A very fluid, lightweight cloth, for example, would not make cartridge pleats, as these require a more substantial fabric. Examples: standard tape, heavyweight pencil pleat tape, triple pleat tape, and box pleat tape.

It's hard to change our furniture every three or four years. However, if you can change the curtains or the bedcover, you can refresh the look of your room. Windows are the soul of your home the portals that show you the change of mood of the weather, the tricks of light. So dress them up pretty.
Nazneen Haque Mimi
Interior Consultant, JOURNEYMAN
For further details contact: journeym@citechco.net
Photo Credit: Hasan Saifuddin Chandan