Custom Window Treatments

Window treatments are meant to filter out light and provide privacy but they also play a pivotal role in creating a finishing touch to a room. From dramatic fabric choices to simple shades to plantation style shutters the choices are literally endless. It’s a great way to get creative, throw some of your personality into your space, and express yourself. To quote Mary Ann, “Window treatments are like the icing on the cake!”

Getting started is often the most difficult part of the process. There is an abundance of inspiration on the internet but remember what works in one of those beautiful photos may not work in your room. This list will give you an idea of points to think about:

10 things to consider when purchasing custom window treatments:

• How much light are you trying to filter out
• Do you want something simple or something dramatic
• What type of window do you have
• What color would you like
• What type of fabric would you like
• How would you like them lined
• What length do you want them to be
• Do you want the material to be washer friendly or is dry clean only acceptable
• What is your budget
• Do you have pets

Keep in mind that although custom window treatments are more expensive than ready made they typically last longer and fit the window better. With so many different fabric choices, hardware choices, and styles to choose from it is often easy to stay within your budget. It’s definitely worth the investment.

If you’ve been following along with our blog then my dining room will look familiar to you. It has been transformed with freshly painted walls, new wood floors, a new chandelier, and finally the shutters.

I want to point out the length of the windows here. Notice how they are longer than normal. Most of the windows in my home are like this. 8-10″ off the floor and 8″ from the ceiling. This lets in a lot of light making the house very bright and it also provides beautiful views. I wanted to be able to capture the views through out the day and evening without having to fluff or adjust folds of fabric and I wanted to maintain the simplicity of the space. For those reasons I chose the 4 1/2″ plantation shutters. They are easy to open and close, super easy to clean, and do not have tilt guides. Another plus is I can close just the bottom half or just the top half depending on the suns position, privacy needs, or enhancing the view. I love the way they turned out!

I ordered a total of 26 shutters and they came in 6 weeks later. The install barely began when it was noticed that they weren’t fitting! They were 1/8″ too short! Glen from the Louver Shop stopped the install and checked each one and realized they were all 1/8″ too short. They all had to be remade. Mistakes happen and you have to be prepared for a few mishaps along the way. Kudos to the Louver Shop for catching the error and doing an awesome job in rectifying the situation. They gave my job high priority, had all the shutters remade and installed perfectly 4 weeks later. I am very happy with the product and the service and would use them again in the future.

Some before and after examples from some of our favorite fellow designers on Pinterest

Simple and elegant.

Difficult windows are lengthened with floor to ceiling drapes and excellent placement of artwork. Hard to believe this is a basement.

Roman shade made from the skeleton of the mini blinds. We love how it was finished with a solid band.

Are you thinking about window treatments for your home? We recommend checking into custom treatment options before purchasing ready made. You’ll be surprised at the different options and how they often can work within your budget.

Check back in the near future…we’re finishing up a few window treatment projects and will be bringing you some before and after photos.

Need help? Just ask! We’d love to hear from you!

Let’s create great design.