When you hear the saying “window to the world”, what image do you picture? For me, it conjures up the most beautiful and enticing windows of French chocolatiers. Who invite us to step into their world with a sumptuous display of confections, inside and out, to make us linger longer and part with our pennies.
It’s the same with our homes. We’ve all heard of curb appeal and how the way we dress our windows plays a crucial role in how our home appears to others. But what about how we feel when we are looking out of them?
Our windows have a huge impact on how our rooms, and we, feel once we’re inside, and it’s time we make them the magnificent centre of our homes they deserve to be.
Don’t know where to start?
Then let my design know-how and my enduring philosophy of style on a shoestring help you make your windows wow!
A room with a view
Windows are a practical necessity, a source of natural light and ventilation. Yet they are more than that, they and the views beyond them are storytelling tools for our home: they collect sunsets, swap stillness for breeze, and show the restless clouds’ dance. They also influence the mood, shape and proportion of our rooms and dictate how they feel before any furniture is added. So, it’s essential we choose the colour and style of our window treatments carefully, as they have a huge impact on how comfortable we feel at home.
Practical tips
When assessing your window, your firstly need to pull back your window coverings and take everything off your windowsill. Give your windows and frames a good clean, inside and out, to see what you’re dealing with.
If your window frames a beautiful view that invites you to step outside, you have a natural focal point. Let that view take centre stage and keep your window treatments minimal. You could opt for sheer panels, or, if privacy is not a factor, nothing at all, so the view remains uninterrupted and becomes a living artwork.
If you decide not to have curtains, consider framing your view in an unexpected way by painting your window frame a stunning colour. This trick is quick, impactful and economical, and often all you need are two sample paint pots. Or give your room a truly unique touch by using a simple café curtain rod and two designer tea towels (or remnants of fabric or lace found in a charity shop) for a no-fuss solution that adds an element of effortless European charm.
If your view is perhaps not so enticing, or you would like to make your window treatments a focal point in their own right, take time to decide on your fabric. When I design window treatments for my clients, we embark on a journey where I help them understand that beauty and function can be combined for a timeless design. A good way to begin is to take inspiration from magazines and social media, but spend time perusing the immense variety of fabrics available. Feel the textures and weights and make notes of what you’re drawn to.
Also think about how you will be using the room, do you need a blackout lining to help you sleep, something with a thermal aspect to help you keep your room warm and cosy or a fabric that will help you deaden sound? And don’t forget to ask about a fabric’s light resistance, you don’t want to spend a fortune on curtains with a glorious design or colour if they are going to fade quickly.
If you like a particular fabric, ask for a sample and pin it up in your room. See how the light affects its colour and notice how it works with your existing furniture. Sheer materials like voile and sheer linen soften daylight, while linen and cotton create a timeless and relaxed elegance. Velvet, chenille and embroidered textiles offer warmth, privacy and a visual impact.
While a minimalist interior can be softened with a generous use of fabric. The canvas drop cloth from Ikea, hung high and wide, creates the illusion of a higher ceiling and grander proportions. Alternatively, to introduce a touch of heritage and storytelling, consider using a ‘Toile de Jouy’ for some 18th-century French elegance.
Throwing shade
Curtains are just one window treatment option, and I have a real love affair with Venetian blinds. They work brilliantly for smaller windows, or where space around the frame is limited, and poetically allow the outside to flirt with the inside. Venetian blinds also fit all budgets and, with a simple adjustment, can soften, block or redirect light entirely. The amount of light you choose to let into your room will also change its mood, from gloriously light and carefree to dusky, romantic and cosy.
Transitional treatments
As we invite spring into our homes, consider how with a little effort, your window treatments can help you celebrate the seasons. For example, hanging layers of inexpensive voile now will allow light to filter in, giving your room a softer, spacious feel that leaves winter far behind. Yet taking a few moments later in the year to swap the voile for an inexpensive bamboo roller blind will give you additional warmth and structure, giving your room a totally different look without the cost of a complete redecoration.
Also consider what’s on the other side of your window pane. Can you create a better view for yourself by using planters for extra colour in spring or evergreen shrubs to constantly remind you of nature?
Final thoughts
No matter how you choose to dress your windows, remember they are a defining feature of our room. Place low-level furniture in front of them to keep your sightlines open and help you feel emotionally connected to the space. If you place a comfy chair close by to appreciate the view, could it also become a perfect spot for mindfulness, meditation or an impromptu ‘siesta’? What can you do to ensure your window becomes part of your room, rather than an ignored feature?
Windows have two sides, and it’s time to enjoy the view from wherever you are.
About Carole
Carole Coleman is a French, City and Guilds qualified interior designer based in West Sussex. Through Carole Coleman Designs she combines budget-conscious solutions with a strong sense of style to help her clients create homes that truly reflect who they are. Whether it’s by upcycling furniture or working with limited resources, Carole’s 30 years of experience prove that beautiful and elegant living spaces are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget.
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