How to Choose Window Dressings that are Practical & Pretty
Having recently moved house and currently tackling a huge home renovation, I want to share my top tips on how to choose window dressings for your home that are both practical and pretty. I can’t emphasise enough the dramatic change that our window dressings have made throughout our home, not only aesthetically, but practically too!
*This post is sponsored by Hillarys.
How to choose window dressings that are practical AND pretty…
When it comes to dressing and styling your windows, the options really are endless. It’s quite a daunting task to tackle as it’s definitely something you don’t want to get wrong. Curtains, voiles, blinds and shutters are all options to choose from, and they each have a variety of different styles too. It’s a lot to consider, and definitely something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Sometimes it’s easy to stay inside of your comfort zone and pick something that’s safe and simple… If you know me well enough by now, then you’ll know that this is NEVER a solution for me! So, let me give you some tips and ideas on how to choose the perfect window dressings for your home. I promise that you’ll feel far more confident with dressing your windows after reading this post…
First things first…
Before I delve deep into to process of choosing your window dressings, I can’t urge enough how brilliant it is that Hillarys offer a measure and installation service. Believe me when I say that it was a HUGE relief not having to risk getting it wrong myself! Me and my partner, Tom, are both pretty hands on when it comes to DIY… But measuring & installing window dressings? I think that needs to be left to the professionals!
Kevin, our Hillarys advisor took all of the stress away and was a master at getting all of our blinds and curtains installed perfectly. He’s been working in the company for a whopping 37 years, so it’s safe to say that he knows a thing or two about window dressings…
Hillarys advisors are not only able to help with the measuring and installation, but they’re able to offer advice and recommendations too. Kevin was extremely knowledgable about all of the Hillarys products and helped give guidance on what would be best for each room in our home.
To book an appointment with a Hillarys advisor, click here. You can also save 15% off on all products by quoting ‘GEMMA15’ .
Window dressings that are practical and pretty…
Now that we’ve got the labour worked covered, let’s talk about style, aesthetics and practicality. This is where I come in! Window dressings are a key thing for setting a tone in a room. We spend so much time thinking about paint colours, furniture, art work & accessories… The same amount of effort should be considered for your window dressings too.
The style and texture of your window dressings can dramatically change the mood in your room. Not only for aesthetics, but with light and heat control too. It’s important to think about the overall atmosphere you want to create in a room and picking the right window dressings will massively impact on this. I’m going to share a few examples below of different windows in my house and highlight some of the key features they offer that are practical and pretty.
Bedroom window dressings
We are absolutely BLESSED with beautiful square bay windows. The front of our house faces East so we get the most amazing morning sunshine rise through this room. I really wanted to enhance the traditional beauty of the house and do the square bay windows justice. Venetian blinds were the ultimate solution for this room! It’s also important to mention that with these being at the front of our house, we needed to consider the aesthetics from the outside too. Venetian blinds are timeless and streamline so it really was a no-brainer for us! I will eventually share a shot of the blinds from the exterior but we have yet to renovate the garden (so watch this space!).
I get asked a lot about the light filter from these blinds. With it being in a bedroom it is, of course, important to ensure that we have a restful nights sleep.
Top tip!
My little trick for venetian blinds is to ensure they are closed at night with the slats facing upwards on the inside. This stops light filtering down through the slats and it’s also proven to help retain heat.
The beautiful shadows that these blinds create are definitely a huge part of what creates the overall ambience in this room. I genuinely wake up in the mornings excited to open the blinds! These venetian blinds have not only dramatically changed the rooms aesthetic but the atmosphere of the room is unmatched. Our bedroom feels so serene and is definitely a space we feel comfortable and relaxed in. I’ve very much enjoyed dancing around in the shadows…
Living Room Window Dressings
The living room is also at the front of our house and sits below our bedroom. We matched the blinds so that from the outside it looked cohesive and as one. Venetian blinds were the perfect solution for this room as we live on a busy road. We wanted window dressings that provide privacy without compromising on the light filter in the room. The blinds can easily be adjusted and altered to suit different times throughout the day… This is just what we needed!
The living room isn’t necessarily our most-used space but it’s a room that will be frequented throughout different times of the day. It’s the room where I enjoy a morning coffee, do the occasional bit of work and a place we unwind and relax in for an evening. All of which are occasions when the window dressings need to provide different purposes.
Whether we want to let the sun shine through brightly with the blinds fully open, or keep them half closed for privacy… It’s safe to say the venetian blinds cater for all needs throughout the day. Practicality was key in here!
Here’s a video I made that shows how we use this room.
Now, we may not use this room as much, but Digby certainly does! He is often found perched on our pouffe, window watching. I love that he can still enjoy doing this and being on guard for us throughout the day without having to have the blinds fully opened.
When choosing the right window dressings your home, consider every aspect of how you want to use the room. The right window dressings can help with privacy control which is ideal if you live on a busy road.
View the full range of venetian blinds on the Hillarys website here.
Kitchen window dressings
The kitchen is the hub of our home and without a doubt the room we use the most. In this space, convenience was key! Motorised smart blinds are certainly most suited to those who have busy lives so we instantly knew that these were the best option for this room. I know it sounds crazy, but in the busy hustle and bustle of a morning routine it MASSIVELY helps having window dressings that can be controlled with a simple click of a button. Especially if you have multiple windows in one room as they can be operated at the same time.
We opted for motorised Day & Night blinds as they optimise privacy without compromising on light. They have two panels of cleverly overlapping fabric which means you can easily control the visibility that is let into the room. This was a game changer for us! We live in a terraced house and can see our neighbours kitchen which sits opposite to ours, so the blinds help us feel more secluded.
Top Tip!
Choose a frame colour on your blinds to match your window frames, it’s small details like this that really make a difference and help make the overall scheme of a room feel well designed and planned. We opted for anthracite blind frames to compliment our new windows.
If you’re not a converted smart home lover yet, don’t worry, I wasn’t either before now! I have previously written this post which outlines all of the amazing benefits that smart blinds have to offer. There’s multiple advantages to having smart blinds and believe me, it’s not just for the ‘cool’ aesthetic! They maximise safety which was a huge factor for us, as well as providing convenience so I would highly recommend you give it a read if you’re sitting on the smart-home-fence.
Bifold window dressings
Since having our kitchen renovated earlier this year, I have been so obsessed with our new bifold doors. They have dramatically improved the room and make the room feel so much lighter and brighter. That being said, they definitely needed some attention with the window dressings as the room felt quite stark. We also wanted to tackle the heat control in the room as the sunnier days are now upon us.
With some help and advice from our Hillarys advisor, we chose to have INTU micro-hive blinds which I must say, are rather nifty! I genuinely didn’t realise that blinds could be so clever until now…
INTU Micro-hive blinds
The blinds are designed with hexagonal cells that trap in air which means in the summer they help to keep the room cool, and in the winter they retain heat and reduce heat loss. They’re measured to fit the exact frame of your windows and offer UV protection too… See, rather clever aren’t they?!
They’re the perfect solution for those in need of heat control in a room. I’ve already noticed a huge change in temperature since having them installed and I love that they fold up discreetly so not to block out any light when not in use. And, the doors still operate as normal… Very practical and very pretty!
The voile has given this corner some much needed softness and texture. This space felt aesthetically cold beforehand so it has given an instant element of warmth and coziness that this room was craving. I am honestly so happy with how this space has evolved compared to what it once was. I’ve created a slideshow of before and after shots at the end of this post so you can see how far we have come!
View the full range of voile curtains on the Hillarys website here.
Top Tip!
Layering window dressings not only enhances the aesthetic of your interiors, but is proven to optimise energy efficiency. A layered look offers more versatility if you’re wanting to switch things up for different seasons. It also improves light control and increases privacy. That’s a quadruple WIN!
Click here to watch how this corner transformed when we had our window dressings installed.
Office window dressings
Quite honestly, this room had nothing to do with me! Tom took full control as this is in fact his office. In our previous house there wasn’t enough space for him to have a room of his own, so he was rather excited to get stuck in to the decor decisions. Saying that though, he normally always takes a back seat when it comes to designing our rooms. He knows that I very much enjoy the designing stage and working as an interior stylist, I always take it in my stride.
In comes Kevin to help him as he really wasn’t sure what window dressings would be best for this room…
This is a prime example of how beneficial the service from Hillarys is. Their advisors are more than happy to help those who are feeling a tad unconfident when choosing window dressings and they will help you determine what is best for the room.
After a lot of deliberation and flicking through the hundreds of fabric samples available, Tom decided on a motorised smart blind in a fabric from their new collection. I must say I’m rather jealous and I think he chose well, don’t you think?! It’s a far cry from what my office is currently looking like (another room still on the renovation to-do list!)
Top Tip!
Smart blinds are a brilliant option for office spaces. They can easily be controlled without even having to leave your desk! We all know how annoying it is to have the sun glaring in on the computer screen.
I often hear Tom chiming ‘Alexa, close my office blind’ and it makes me smile every time because it’s a luxury he’s never had before… I feel so content and rewarded by all of the accomplishments we have achieved whilst turning this house into a home. Day by day we’re working on transforming it into a home we can be proud of that serves function and practicality to suit our daily needs. We are definitely getting there, with thanks to Hillarys!
Choose window dressings that are practical and pretty
Hopefully this post has helped you determine what window dressings are right for your home. Remember, you can always rely on a Hillarys advisor to help you too!
To book an appointment with an advisor, click on this link and quote ‘GEMMA15’ for 15% off your full order. The discount is in addition to other promotions and applies to all Hillarys curtains, blinds, shutters & awnings.
If you’d prefer to book an appointment by phone, then call 0800 587 6402.
As promised, here’s a slideshow of before and after shots in our home.
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