Sunday, January 11, 2009

Cozy up your View

Baby, it's cold outside. Well, not so much here in California. But most places are experiencing cold, gray winter. It's a great time to think about fabulous window treatmets, which both keep the warmth in (saving on your heating bills!) and cozy up the view of the winter wonderland outside. Here, a few of my favorite trends in window treatments:


Match, then layer, curtains and roman shades. This look--mounting a roman shade inside the window, then a curtain on a rod outside the window in the same color and material--is incredibly polished, elegant and restrained without looking sparse (these are from Pottery Barn's Silk Dupioni collection).

Wood shutters. You can't beat white, thick (3 1/2" is ideal) shutters, either on a full window or just the bottom portion for privacy (these are by Smith & Noble). For a budget route, my partner Chrissy and I sometimes fake it with Home Depot's 2" white faux-wood blinds. They are especially effective on the interiors of front windows of a home, adding finish and modernity to even the most dated of exteriors.
Thicker rods. I love Restoration Hardware's 1 3/4" diameter rods (this one is from their Estate Crystal collection). Thick rods require thick finials and curtains made from substantial material, like linen, silk or heavy-woven cotton. Hang them a bit higher above and further out from a window than you would a narrower rod. A thicker rod means a stronger design statement, which means it needs a bit of air to show itself off.

Natural-fiber shades layered under elegant silk curtains. I love this high-low look in an ecclectic, sophisticated home. The key to this look is to allow each item to stand as their own piece, ie don't try to 'match' them. I actually love the idea of Cost Plus' simple, classic matchstick blinds (link below) under elaborate, embroidered silk drapes like Pottery Barn's (link below).

Upholstered cornice boards. Yes, cornice boards. A padded, simple cornice board over a blind (or two) is modern again when seen in an elegant urban apartment or young suburban home. To keep it from coming off as your grandma's cornice boards, stay away from florals, pastels and any lace, and instead choose bold borders, silhouettes and luxurious fabrics (these are by Smith & Noble).
Have a great week!


Posted by Ashley at Sunday, January 11, 2009

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