Does the space in your home look unfinished? Redesign is the art of taking what you already have and recreating your favorite place on earth, your home. When it comes to decorating your home, it feels that there are a million things to do, and a million places to start. Somehow, in the middle of this major to-do list, one area of interest is often neglected – your windows.
Windows today come in all shapes and sizes and are often beautiful focal points by their own right, and yet so often we fail to dress or enhance them to really offset their beauty and bring the outside in. It takes a very special window with a very special view to stand on its own, and not every window is up to the task.
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But knowing just what to do with a window can be a problem in itself, and often the easy way out is to do nothing at all. Unfortunately, this can leave a room feel unfinished – as though you forgot to complete your design project – and can actually detract from the overall feel for the room you are trying to achieve.
Things to Consider
Tip #1 – Consider the function of your window.
What does this window need? Think LIPs – Light Control, Insulation and Privacy. Knowing what is needed will be the first step in determining just how to dress your window.
Tip #2 – Make your window a focal point
Many rooms have an architectural element that will be a natural focal point, such as a great fireplace. But if you need to introduce a focal point for design, a custom window treatment created specifically for your home is a great way to set your mood and style.
Tip #3 – Make your window a backdrop.
Beautifully dressed windows can create a wonderful background for the favorite elements of your home. Simple lines and soft drapes can help dictate the feel of the room, by enhancing design decisions you have already made.
Tip #4 – Take your lead from the shape of the window.
A great way to help you determine what kind of custom window treatment you need for your window is to consider the shape of the window itself. Curves call for curves, lines call for lines. A basic design tip is to keep “like with like” so that the eye has a place to rest.
Tip #5 – Scale and Proportion.
Not every window stands up to the grandeur of your room. Yet with some creative window treatments you can turn even a small window into something special by adding curved valances or flowing drapes that hang from the ceiling to the floor. The important element is in matching the scale of your windows to the scale of your room and furniture.
Now that you have a place to start with those windows, do exactly that. Get started, and really add that finishing touch to the fabulous look you have put together for your home and family.
And if you walk into someone else’s house and notice that the color doesn’t quite match on their windows or you have the urge to rearrange their furniture, interior design, redesign or home staging may be the career for you.
Mary Larsen is a nationally recognized instructor for design beginners and professionals, holding monthly classes in Raleigh, NC. Whether you are just beginning to start your own business or interested in knowing more and growing your business, Mary Larsen’s expertise is sure to provide you with the training you need. Her new book, How to Open and Operate a Redesign, Redecorating and Home Staging Business will be available from Atlantic-Publishing in 2008.