Window Treatments
Your window treatments coverings set the mood for the room. You can go formal, you can go casual or the look can be contemporary or traditional; in short, it can be just about any description you can conceive.
But it stands to reason that formal window treatments in a casual room would look out of place. So let's take a look at how to make the various combinations work.
The formal look emits an impression of luxury. The draperies are usually floor-length and full. Most often the window treatments are layered with a sheer underneath, a heavier over-drapery, often tied back, then finished with a top to the window treatments. The top window treatments are the one that really sets the mood.
Formal window treatments are mentioned above, and then finished with a straightedge cornice across the top, will look contemporary. But a top treatment that is scalloped with jabots on the ends will be more traditional looking.
Formal window treatments look best in a room with high ceilings and tall windows. They work well in less grandiose rooms as well, so long as they are made in proportion to the room's size. In other words, be sure when using formal window treatments that there is enough wall and ceiling to balance the display of fabric. Putting this formal window treatments in a room that is too narrow, too small or has a low ceiling will look like a little child dressed up in mommy or daddy's shoes and clothes. Get the picture?
The window covering does not need to be heavy to be impressive. Simple window treatments sometimes enhance the room's motif better than a layered look. A Roman shade, for example, can be quite sharp. The impression here is one of crisp organization, a clean, no-nonsense look.
