It wasn’t till I used to be deep within the design world that I ever actually thought-about some other window masking moreover a curtain panel. It was the one form my mother and father utilized in my childhood residence (moreover mini blinds and the dreaded vertical blinds). And it’s secure to say the vast majority of the non-design folks in my life who’re adorning their very own properties additionally use panels as a default. As elegant as they are often, they don’t seem to be all the time the perfect choice for the window you’re making an attempt to cowl.

Say you’ve got a small little window above eye top that panels would look foolish on. A curler or Roman shade goes to be your greatest wager. Or possibly you’ve got a gorgeous image window that faces the road the place you don’t need to block the view however you additionally would quite folks strolling by not see you hours-deep right into a Golden Ladies marathon. Mild-filtering cafe curtains will do the trick.

In case you’ve ever struggled with what course to go together with masking your home windows, this publish is for you. Oh, and also you’re going to need to Pin this information to save lots of for later, too, as a result of it’s recommendation that may by no means not be helpful.

First, right here’s an *precise* cheat sheet for you on when and the place to make use of the 4 commonest forms of window coverings: Roman shades, pull-down shades (like rollers and honeycomb), panels, and cafe curtains:

After all, there’s an exception for every part, and these will not be die-on-the-hill guidelines, however I’d guesstimate that they might apply about 90% of the time. And sure, there shall be home windows the place any of the above choices would work, and in that case, it’s actually only a visible, price range, or upkeep desire. Let’s check out all of those extra intently to indicate you examples of why they work the place they’re pictured (and another ideas).

Roman Shades

First up: Roman shades. Tremendous versatile, clear and tailor-made and an incredible choice for lots of difficult areas.

That’s my kitchen up there (and that cute child can also be mine). I’ve an enormous window in my breakfast nook that frankly was very arduous to determine. I might have achieved panels, however there isn’t a lot clearance above the window to hold draperies, plus I didn’t need to cope with panels kissing the ground of a VERY lively kitchen (anybody who has ever fed a toddler is aware of what I imply). In her eyes, they’d be two big napkins and…a tough no for me. So the subsequent choice was a shade of some kind. Frankly, a light-filtering curler shade may need been essentially the most sensible answer since I don’t need to block daylight, however I knew I wished a extra ornamental look to essentially spruce this aspect of the house up, so Romans it was. I went with an out of doors mount as my sill is tremendous shallow and the shade stack would have protruded awkwardly with an inside mount.

How cute is this bed room? EHD contributor Ajai Guyot had a tiny little window (above an ornamental ledge, no much less) that didn’t have many choices. A Roman is ideal for a window like this since panels would solely draw consideration to how small it’s.

One other spot the place a Roman is clutch is above furnishings. That is Emily Bowser’s bed room, and due to the sq. footage of the room and her residence, she actually wants to maximise her house. Pulling her dresser out six or so inches to go away room for panels to drape behind was simply not a very good answer. The drapey Roman she selected is each sensible on this utility in addition to visually tender, not stealing an excessive amount of consideration from anything within the room.

One other Bowser house the place a shade (or cafe curtain) was the perfect transfer. As I discussed, there are going to be loads of instances when you’ve got your decide of what to make use of, and there isn’t a improper reply. A restaurant curtain would really feel charming and Outdated World, whereas a Roman is polished and absolutely covers the window when it’s down at evening, and so forth.

Roman Shade Recap

When to make use of:

• On a small window the place panels wouldn’t work aesthetically or functionally
• In order for you a clear, tailor-made look
• In an off-the-cuff house like a kitchen or breakfast nook
• On a window above a bit of furnishings, radiator, or baseboard heating
• As a complement to draperies in a room with plenty of home windows
• In case you don’t have sufficient wall house to assist material rods/panels

Material Panels

On to panels. Okay, so this was my previous eating room (I MISS YOU!!!) and searching again, I 100% ought to have opted for Roman shades right here. It was certainly one of my first initiatives, so, as talked about, panels had been my go-to. And look, I like the drama of the deep inexperienced velvet panels flanking each casement home windows, however might by no means really open these home windows each as a result of I had stuff on the credenza in entrance but in addition as a result of the panels didn’t nest absolutely to the aspect of the window so that they bought in the best way. Plus, they collected SO.MUCH.DUST beneath. Fairly, sure, however not sensible.

(Scorching Tip: In case you’re utilizing a Roman shade on a casement window, be certain that it’s put in excessive sufficient that when the shade is absolutely up, it doesn’t block the window from opening. It’s not one thing that you must fear about with a normal single-hung window, however it’s for this kind.)

I wished to indicate you my previous lounge to speak by two various things: #1 – panels are nice for masking a really massive window or set of home windows you need to make really feel like a single window. Truthfully, I’m unsure a Roman shade of this width is even a factor (possibly however it will doubtless have been three as an alternative of 1 and would have felt uneven). Plus, I wished to intensify the ceiling top, which is all the time a job greatest achieved by curtain panels. #2: You see how the panels to the fitting the place the ceiling slopes down don’t line up with the {hardware} on the massive entrance window? It actually wasn’t the tip of the world and didn’t trouble me that a lot in individual, however panels on the image window and Roman shades on the 2 decrease, smaller home windows would have been a nicer combine, for positive. You reside, you be taught, (you snort/love).

I assume I can’t cease exhibiting my previous condo. However for actual, it’s simply simpler for me to speak by the “whys” since I do know them. In my previous bed room, I picked curtain panels as a result of I wished a tender, romantic look, which is strictly what drapes ship. Cafe curtains would have felt too dinky with the massive scale of my furnishings (plus it wouldn’t have given me sufficient privateness), and Romans would have been too stiff for my styling.

Right here’s Caitlin’s lovely, eclectic lounge. She opted for a combo of woven Roman shades and panels each for texture, privateness, and drama. I like this mix in an area that’s layered and wealthy. Any materials of shade would work if you’d like the 2 window masking sorts, although sometimes you’ll need to select one thing light-filtering and never too heavy.

We’ve but to see curtain panels on any doorways on this publish, however if you happen to’re making an attempt to cowl one thing sliding and even French, panels are an incredible alternative. This eating house by EHD alum Julie makes nice use of the lengthening energy of panels by hanging the curtain {hardware} all the best way as much as the ceiling line to match the cabinetry on the wall and provides clear, continuous traces to the world.

This candy little breakfast nook had nearly any choice obtainable to it for masking that window, however the panels hung excessive make it really feel a lot grander and extra dreamy than it will have with any kind of shade or perhaps a brief cafe curtain.

This complete room is actually jaw-dropping, however it’s additionally a great instance of how dramatic (but tailor-made) panels might be. These are inset into the ceiling so there isn’t a seen {hardware}. It’s a element that must be labored out within the design and renovation strategy of a room, however man is it value it. ::chef’s kiss::

Material Panel Recap

When to make use of:

• In any room you need to intensify ceiling top
• In any room you need a grand, elegant feeling to
• On a window you need to make really feel bigger (by hanging a material rod excessive and large)
• If you need to make a number of home windows subsequent to one another really feel like a single “unit”
• In case you have a big window or sliding/French door to cowl

Cafe Curtains

Shock! It’s me exhibiting my residence once more. Numerous you adopted my rental kitchen refresh, and people who did will know I swapped out the wooden blinds that had been within the window above my sink for a restaurant curtain (additionally referred to as tier curtains). I did this each for attraction but in addition for max gentle.

One other rental house, this time by Julie in a earlier condo of hers. As renters, your choices are restricted, and cafe curtains held on a stress rod are so nice in a small window that wants privateness however can be reverted again to move-in situation.

After all, all of us keep in mind Emily’s farmhouse eating nook the place she added in a DIY boro material cafe curtain. As she doesn’t have a privateness difficulty essentially, she opted for the cafe curtain particularly so as to add print and influence to the house. Cafe curtains are a good way to make use of up a small piece of material you completely love however both don’t have the price range to purchase tons of yardage or can’t get extra as a result of it’s classic.

Cafe curtains aren’t only for small home windows, both. The attractive, tall home windows in Emily’s farmhouse major bathtub let each gentle and tree views in with out letting any ::cough cough:: undesirable views out.

Cafe Curtain Recap

When to make use of:

• In a room you need each privateness and light-weight/views
• If you wish to add some dreamy attraction to an area

Pull-Down Shade

I left essentially the most fashionable and sensible window masking kind for final however that doesn’t imply it is best to. Non-Roman shades are sometimes curler or honeycomb, although you’ll discover a couple of different sorts. These are often inside mounted (so that you want at the least 2-3 inches of window sill), and are available each light-filtering and blackout. As a result of they sit tight to the window, in addition they present nice insulation for each sound and temperature. I opted for a honeycomb black-out shade in my daughter’s room behind fairly panels, and whereas the shade itself isn’t essentially the most aesthetic factor, it type of disappears and is immensely useful.

In the Portland mission from a couple of years again (above), lots of the home windows went the best way of the shade for the reason that structure of the house was fairly fashionable and clean-cut. Might you add panels across the window with this kind of shade, too? Yup, completely, however if you’d like one thing easy and unfussy, that is the window masking for you.

The identical applies to the mountain home, which was Emily’s tackle fashionable Scandi lodge. The ceilings, home windows and views on this home did the heavy lifting, and masking these up with something that made an excessive amount of of a press release would frankly steal from that. You may see how minimal they’re when absolutely open above within the spa toilet and in one of many visitor rooms under.

Pull-Down Shade Recap

When to make use of:

• If you need a easy, fashionable look
• In case you want privateness with both light-filtering or black-out qualities
• In case you want higher insulation of sound and power in your window
• In an area that wants a low-maintenance and low-profile choice

And there you’ve got it! I hope that was useful and helpful for you if you happen to’re making an attempt to determine window coverings in your house. Once more, plenty of it’s private desire, however like I walked you thru, there *are* proper and improper solutions relying on the state of affairs. Whereas material panels are essentially the most versatile (learn: you don’t often have to go the customized route such as you would for a Roman or pull-down shade), I hope this publish opened the window to the world of coverings (pun very a lot supposed right here).

See you subsequent time, buddies!

Opening Picture Credit: Picture by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Portland Undertaking: The Dwelling Room Reveal