Designing Winning Windows
When you’re busy decorating, it can be easy to forget your windows. However, they are a great place to add a touch of elegance or personality to your apartment. The right window treatment can help enhance the effect of the natural light in your space. At Muirwood Village, our Reynoldsburg apartments have plenty of places for your light to fall since our townhomes and other select units feature vaulted ceilings. Don’t miss out on the advantages of this architectural feature!
Measure Twice, Buy Once
Before you attempt to add anything to your windows, there are a few things you want to look into. First, if you live in an apartment, always check your leasing restrictions around hanging window treatments. You never want to do anything that will jeopardize your security deposit or put you in violation of your leasing agreement. If you’re unsure, you can always call and ask. Most leases have limitations about the size of any hole you create. That means your second step should be to measure a few things. Measure your windows from every direction: width, length, how much wall space is above and below. Once you get shopping, check out the hardware requirements for hanging any rods. Make sure your hardware matches the requirements of your lease.
Don’t Waste the Light
When you place your window treatments, you want to think about your vertical and horizontal placement. For the vertical placement, higher is better. By placing a curtain rod higher, you trick the eye into thinking both that the window and the room are taller. However, don’t go too high. A foot or less is plenty. For horizontal placement, you want your panels to mostly sit outside the frame of the actual window when they’re open and only come into the window frame by a couple of inches. This keeps you from blocking that precious sunlight and keeps you on target to frame the window, not overtake the window with fabric.
Watch the Floor
If you’re not sure where your curtains should stop, here is a pro tip: go for length. You’ll make your window, and therefore your space, look stunted and short if you go with curtains that aren’t long enough. The fabric at the bottom of your curtains can sit comfortably in one of three places. First, you can let them fall right above the floor, maybe an inch but not much more. Second, you can let them hit the floor almost exactly. Third, you can let the fabric gently puddle on the floor but not by more than two inches. This gives you some options when you’re shopping, too, so look for anything that fits into that range.
Love the Layers
A quick and easy way to make your space look extra luxurious is to have two sets of panels on each side of a window. The first layer will generally be your heavier layer, often made in a bolder color and thicker fabric, and sits on the outside part of the rod. The second layer will generally be something lighter, like sheers, and will be a neutral color or solid color that complements your first layer. Make sure you don’t end up with competing layers or too many layers. Two is plenty, and you want only one pair to be your focal point.
Match the Space
Different windows are in different spaces, so that means you’re going to need different window treatments. In a living room, you’ll likely want to enjoy any natural light you get for as long as possible. This means it would be wise to avoid overly heavy fabrics. It also means you can be a little bolder with your colors and/or patterns. In the bedroom, however, you’ll likely be looking for privacy and want the ability to avoid excess light when you’re sleeping. This means you may want to opt for something heavy that will restrict light, like blackout curtains.
Add Your Flavor
Curtains are as diverse as pillows, blankets, rugs, and other furniture. Have some fun picking out a set that shows off your personal style. Don’t be afraid to use a pattern, even if you already feature a pattern elsewhere in that room. You can also have fun with color by bringing out a pop of color from the room’s palette or by making a dramatic choice with solid black or cream. It’s also smart to pay attention to texture. Usually, you want your curtains to be more light and airy and gently frame your window. If the curtains are too heavy, you could end up with clunky-looking windows that looked too boxed in.
Do you want the view from your windows to be as gorgeous as the windows you design? Then you should come to take a tour of Muirwood Village. The windows at our apartments in Reynoldsburg, Ohio offer glimpses of mature, landscaped courtyards and other natural features of our residential neighborhood. Our spacious floor plans also offer excellent opportunities to maximize natural light and rustic charms like exposed wooden beams. Call for more details at (614)-503-4076.