It wasn’t till I used to be deep within the design world that I ever actually thought-about another window masking in addition to a curtain panel. It was the one type my mother and father utilized in my childhood house (in addition to 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 houses additionally use panels as a default. As elegant as they are often, they don’t seem to be all the time one of the best choice for the window you’re making an attempt to cowl.

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

If you happen to’ve ever struggled with what route to go together with masking your home windows, this submit is for you. Oh, and also you’re going to need to Pin this data to avoid wasting 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 kinds of window coverings: Roman shades, pull-down shades (like rollers and honeycomb), panels, and cafe curtains:

In fact, there may be an exception for the whole lot, and these aren’t die-on-the-hill guidelines, however I’d guesstimate that they’d apply about 90% of the time. And sure, there will likely 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 choice. Let’s check out all of those extra carefully 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 energetic kitchen (anybody who has ever fed a toddler is aware of what I imply). In her eyes, they’d be two large napkins and…a tough no for me. So the following choice was a shade of some kind. Frankly, a light-filtering curler shade may need been essentially the most sensible resolution since I don’t need to block daylight, however I knew I needed a extra ornamental look to actually spruce this aspect of the area 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 that 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 house, she actually wants to maximise her area. Pulling her dresser out six or so inches to depart room for panels to drape behind was simply not a very good resolution. The drapey Roman she selected is each sensible on this utility in addition to visually smooth, not stealing an excessive amount of consideration from the rest within the room.

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

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 informal area 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 a number of home windows
• If you happen to don’t have sufficient wall area to help material rods/panels

Material Panels

On to panels. Okay, so this was my outdated eating room (I MISS YOU!!!) and searching again, I 100% ought to have opted for Roman shades right here. It was one among my first initiatives, so, as talked about, panels have 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 totally to the aspect of the window so that they received in the way in which. Plus, they collected SO.MUCH.DUST beneath. Fairly, sure, however not sensible.

(Scorching Tip: If you happen to’re utilizing a Roman shade on a casement window, be sure that it’s put in excessive sufficient that when the shade is totally up, it doesn’t block the window from opening. It’s not one thing it’s essential fear about with an ordinary single-hung window, however it’s for this sort.)

I needed to indicate you my outdated front room to speak by way of two various things: #1 – panels are nice for masking a really giant window or set of home windows you need to make really feel like a single window. Actually, I’m unsure a Roman shade of this width is even a factor (possibly however it will probably have been three as an alternative of 1 and would have felt uneven). Plus, I needed to intensify the ceiling peak, which is all the time a job finest achieved by curtain panels. #2: You see how the panels to the appropriate 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 hassle 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 giggle/love).

I suppose I can’t cease exhibiting my outdated condominium. However for actual, it’s simply simpler for me to speak by way of the “whys” since I do know them. In my outdated bed room, I picked curtain panels as a result of I needed a smooth, 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 stunning, eclectic front room. 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 in order for you the 2 window masking varieties, 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 submit, however in case you’re making an attempt to cowl one thing sliding and even French, panels are an incredible selection. This eating area by EHD alum Julie makes nice use of the lengthening energy of panels by hanging the curtain {hardware} all the way in which as much as the ceiling line to match the cabinetry on the wall and provides clear, continuous strains to the world.

This candy little breakfast nook had nearly any choice accessible 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 quick cafe curtain.

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

Material Panel Recap

When to make use of:

• In any room you need to intensify ceiling peak
• In any room you desire a grand, elegant feeling to
• On a window you need to make really feel bigger (by hanging a material rod excessive and extensive)
• Whenever 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 house once more. Loads of you adopted my rental kitchen refresh, and those who did will know I swapped out the wooden blinds that have been within the window above my sink for a restaurant curtain (additionally known as tier curtains). I did this each for attraction but in addition for optimum gentle.

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

In fact, all of us bear in mind Emily’s farmhouse eating nook the place she added in a DIY boro cloth cafe curtain. As she doesn’t have a privateness situation essentially, she opted for the cafe curtain particularly so as to add print and influence to the area. Cafe curtains are a good way to make use of up a small piece of cloth 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 main tub 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 lightweight/views
• If you wish to add some dreamy attraction to an area

Pull-Down Shade

I left essentially the most trendy and sensible window masking kind for final however that doesn’t imply you need to. Non-Roman shades are sometimes curler or honeycomb, although you’ll discover a number of different varieties. 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 form of disappears and is immensely purposeful.

Within the Portland venture from a number of years again (above), lots of the home windows went the way in which of the shade because the structure of the house was fairly trendy and clean-cut. May you add panels across the window with the sort of shade, too? Yup, completely, however in order for you one thing easy and unfussy, that is the window masking for you.

The identical applies to the mountain home, which was Emily’s tackle trendy 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 totally open above within the spa lavatory and in one of many visitor rooms beneath.

Pull-Down Shade Recap

When to make use of:

• Whenever you desire a easy, trendy look
• If you happen to want privateness with both light-filtering or black-out qualities
• If you happen to want higher insulation of sound and vitality on your window
• In an area that wants a low-maintenance and low-profile choice

And there you’ve it! I hope that was useful and helpful for you in case you’re making an attempt to determine window coverings in your house. Once more, a number of it’s private choice, however like I walked you thru, there *are* proper and unsuitable 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 submit opened the window to the world of coverings (pun very a lot supposed right here).

See you subsequent time, buddies!

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