Raising the Glass Ceiling With Impactful Window Treatment

Blinds and panels and valances, oh my! Don't feel bad if you spend hours looking at the hundreds of options for window treatments at your local home store, or searching for "the one" treatment that will liven up your living spaces, because the wrong decorations can easily break an otherwise picture-perfect room. To help you speed up your decorating decision making process and avoid purchases that leave you regretting them almost immediately, keep these tactics in mind:

Decide On the Window Treatment's Main Purpose

Each room in your home serves a unique purpose and calls for different window treatments, according to design experts at HGTV. Rooms that are near the street or look out to your neighbor's house are better served with shades that offer privacy. Offices, living rooms and kitchens are where you spend the bulk of your time, so you'll want to allow more sunshine in with thin drapes or blinds. Bedrooms often call for blackout shades with light, flowing panels to soften the look. Thick, heavy drapes work well in basements and media rooms since they block out sound and lend a cinematic ambience to movie nights.

Add Some Texture

For an instant upgrade in style, select roman window shades made from unique materials such as bamboo, rattan, silk or hemp. They'll add visual interest, yet provide the same privacy and function the traditional style ones do.

Fake Large Windows

How do you redeem that tiny window in your family room? The husband-wife DIY decorating duo at Young House Love suggest "cheating the window up" in order to make it look grander and taller than it really is. Just hang some blinds a couple of inches below the ceiling and then hang a curtain rod at the same level, but make sure it extends out another 12- to 18-inches on both sides. This will frame the window nicely, give the illusion that the window is much bigger and make the room brighter.

Know Which Colors to Use

To make small rooms look larger, opt for cool colors in order to brighten up the room. For rooms that are too large and aren't inviting, HGTV design pros recommend using warm dark shades to achieve the desired feel.

Embrace Minimalism

Save money and maintenance and make changing them up a breeze by opting for simple shades or valances. This tip works especially well in rooms where you like to change out the decor seasonally. Small rooms, like hallways and guest bathrooms are great places to use minimal window coverings since you don't have much space to play around with. To add more impact, choose curtains in a fun print and make the window the focal point of the room.

Don't Forget Your Sliding Doors

Tired of the doors looking like a huge, awkwardly placed window in the wall? Make them fit in more naturally by cheating them up and adding a blind and paneled curtains. This will tie them in with the rest of the room and add an extra layer of privacy.