5 Stylish Window Dressings & Blinds

Windows are often the focal point of a room. How you dress them can affect their visual impact. These five stylish ideas take on traditional window dressings and give them a contemporary face-lift.

1.) Extreme Cornices Cornices are window toppers that are traditionally made from a wood frame that’s upholstered in fabric. They are designed to conceal underlying window treatment hardware and add visual impact. Most cornices are rectangular with a few simple details like piping, buttons or ties. However, there’s nothing to say that your cornice can’t make an extreme statement! Add some pop to a traditional cornice by adding extra height. By expanding the cornice to fit most of the space between the top of the window and the ceiling, you’ve increased its presence and drawn the eye upwards. Pair this with a unique shape such as an arch and add some bold details like overlarge buttons or piping to finish the effect.

2.) Sheers with a Past Sheers are some of the most common window treatments available, and rightfully so. Sheers add privacy while still allowing us to see out and let filtered sunlight into the room. Dress up traditional sheers with elements from the past. For a wonderful shabby chic look, stitch a variety of vintage doilies to the lower portion of the panels. The effect is one of delicate, Old World charm.

3.) Track Panels If sleek and modern is your style, track panels will give you the clean lines and bold look you crave. Also consider bottom up blinds with track panels Track panels are perfect for large expanses of windows common in modern homes. There are two major styles of panels: sliding and folding. In both cases, panels of fabric slide along a track to cover your window. To open them, you either slide them out of the way or angle them to the side. Folding track panels essentially create the look of very wide vertical blinds. You can create track panels in almost any fabric or even natural materials such as woven grasses. Track panels are unique in that they can easily accommodate curves and corners.

4.) Interior Solar Shades If you live in a sunny climate, consider interior solar shades. These shades are made of a woven material that cuts down on the glare of the sun while still allowing you to see out. How much sun (and view) you retain depends on the density of the fabric’s weave. While I prefer to buy gold or white solar shades, the fact is that they come in a variety of colors to fit most interiors and design preferences. They can be used alone or with other window treatments.

5.) Interior Awnings Most people think of awnings as an outdoor window treatment. But bring an awning indoors and dress it up a bit and you have a striking window feature. For a transitional room, use classic awning spears as the side supports for an elegantly draped, shallow awning. The effect is similar to a swag but with more dimension as the fabric balloons down between the spears.