If you’re like my mother, decorating the windows more than once a year is an absolute must. Now we’re not talking decorating the windows by posting stickers or bedazzling the windows with fake jewels. I’m talking about exterior decorations to make way for the changing of the seasons. Sure, you could go above and beyond in decorating if you chose to do home window replacement every year, but that more or less borders on insanity from a financial standpoint.
Rather, this post is more about accentuating the home and putting your decor skills on display. And there’s no better way to make your home shine from the inside – and outside, too – than with making the surrounding area of your windows a designer’s delight.
Instead of focusing on complex, more costly methods, I’ve got a couple easy directions to helping the windows look their best.
Decorative Curtains
Curtains and drapes work in two ways. They help add a little to your home’s energy efficiency by trapping heat and cold against the window panes. But from a designer’s standpoint, curtains can liven up a room depending on how they are put up.
First things first, though. The type of curtains you put up, and their thickness, most certainly will revolve around the season. For winter, you put up heavier curtains, and you might consider adding a thinly-veiled curtain inside the thick curtains. And if you want to stay festive and like to switch out curtains based off the season, you could put up curtains with colors of burgandy, ecru and beige for the Fall and use red, green or dark oak curtains for Xmas time.
Spring and Summer time will most likely call for thin curtains and lighter color hues. In the Spring, I almost always prefer light green or pure white color schemes because when the sunlight comes in, the room is given a warm, colorful appearance for everyone sitting in. Same goes for the Summer.
Curtain Expressions
After you’ve picked out the curtains, the next order of business falls under how you have the curtains dressed. This can be accomplished in a number of ways.
For one, why not try the overhang style, where the top sheath of the curtain is snaked around the curtain bar and the heavier drapes are slung on the outer rims of the window. This is great for presenting the outside of your home at night during hosting parties or simple lounges on the couch. This method lets in the most sunlight but doesn’t afford the most energy efficient method during the hottest days or coldest nights.
Or there’s the slight overhang style – my personal favorite – where the sides of the curtains are spaced just enough to let in a sliver of light from the windows. This gives the entire room a dimly lit appearance, where you’d just need a couple lamps turned on to help set the proper mood. Plus, you’d do well to use curtain loops at the bottom to make a triangle effect for both curtain drops.
In the end, some homeowners love their windows bare as can be because it helps draw as much of the sun into their home as possible. But if you’re like my mother, curtains are a window’s best friend, almost a mini home renovation project that can be enjoyed year-round.
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