Posted on: March 26, 2007
Treatments for Window Problems
Vexed with your vantage point? Here’s a few slick solutions for 5 common window woes
By Darcel Rockett
CTW Features
Whether trying to block out excess sun, a bad view, a draft, street noise or nosy onlookers, a window problem can be fixed in chic, affordable ways, according to Debbie DiFrancesco, owner of Creative Hands, Custom Blinds and Window Treatments, Rochester, N.Y., a 17-year window veteran who teaches classes on window treatment construction. Just follow this advice from DiFrancesco and Jackie Von Tobel, a Las Vegas-based interior designer and author of “The Design Directory of Window Treatments” (Gibbs Smith, 2007) to remedy your specific concern.
Drafty Window
Get a window treatment that has insulation or full-length draperies interlined with a thermal lining. “Interlining is usually a thick, 100-percent cotton fabric that is inserted between the face fabric of the drapery and the lining. The multiple layers trap air between them and act as in insulator,” says Von Tobel. “This also adds body and fullness to the draperies, making them appear very luxurious.”
A cellular shade, or one with a honeycomb design called architella, is made of spun polyester that keeps a room warm while still remaining resistant to the sun, so it doesn’t fade over time like a natural fiber. “People whose houses face Lake Ontario use this type of treatment,” DiFrancesco says.
Too Much Sun
Think solar shades to maintain your view while blocking UV rays and heat. A shade made of a woven wood or bamboo with an integrated solar shade as a second layer offers beauty and functionality. DiFrancesco agrees. “A lot of shades come with different-sized meshing that relates to the “openness factor” – how much light gets in and diffused. The higher the number the less light gets in, she says.
Excess Street Noise
Layering window treatments is the most effective way to cut out excessive noise. Start with an interlined Roman or roller shade mounted directly in the window and cover that with a pair of heavy interlined draperies, says Von Tobel. DiFrancesco says the thicker the layers, the better.
A Room with Too Much View
“Almost any kind of shade offers a privacy rating – from 1 to 5, 1 being very sheer and 5 blocking all light,” says DiFrancesco. “Some semi-sheer shades can still let others see shadows of you, depending on how light the fabric is, but a wood blind, when it’s tilted closed, can give you total privacy.”
Ugly on the Outside
If a room has a less-than-appealing view, the key to solving this problem is not to close off the window completely but to distract the eye, says Von Tobel. “Hanging a semi-opaque sheer underdrape beneath your top treatment will allow the sun to filter through and will obscure the view enough to make it acceptable,” she says.
“Consumers need to be thinking about what they want in a window treatment because there are so many choices around nowadays and it takes some knowledge to know what’s out there,” adds DiFrancesco.
