Shut out the winter blues, trap in the warmth!
/This month I have been busy with the final soft furnishings, window treatments and furniture of two builds and have been holding off writing this blog until I had resolved a few issues with the window treatments so I could pass on the learnings to you. Therefore, this blog’s design ideas is all about window treatments.
DESIGN IDEAS
As the cold months close in, it is important to think about window treatments and how curtains, blinds and shutters can keep out the cold and hold in your heat. But here are a few things to consider when installing window coverings.
Here’s the story of what I’ve learnt about window treatments that I want to pass on to you today. I have been working with a client of on a new build for the last 18 months. From design inception through the build and we are just at window furnishings stage. During the design stage we made sure that we made room within the window sill and architrave for shutters to sit so we didn’t have to box them out. We knew that we wanted curtains in the bedrooms so we allowed extra timber in fixing spots behind the gyprock so that they could handle the weight of the curtains. We knew that we wanted the curtains to be electric so we included wiring in the electrical plan. The architects plan has a window either side of the bed with a gap to the northern and southern walls where we could stack the curtains when open. So, everything made sense on paper…
So, here’s the stumbling block. The client decided to add the electric curtain part to the build after plans had been finalised and the build was underway. When you use electric curtains mechanisms they don’t allow the curtains to open as far as normal curtains so the curtains for the small windows either side of the bed and on the eastern wall wouldn’t stack back into the corners. When open they were going to still cover part of the window and my client wanted to have the whole window uncovered when the curtains were open. So, it was back to the drawing board to find a solution.
Final solution was to keep the electric curtain on the northern wall and use electric Roman blinds on the small windows so that they were still able to get a luxury hotel experience of lying in bed and opening the window furnishings to the morning light.
So the big learnings that I want to share with you are the following:
1. Consider your window furnishings right up front if you are lucky enough to be designing a house from scratch.
2. Include enough wall space to stack curtains so that they are not obscuring your window and view if that is important to you.
3. Curtains take up 1/3 the space of the closed curtain when open. More if electric. Enquire with curtain supplier before finalising plans.
4. Include electrical wiring in the initial electrical plan, if needed.
5. Include extra studs to support heavy curtains before you gyprock the walls. (I learnt that one from a job a few years ago, where there weren’t enough studs to support a heavy curtain and it came down). Lucky it was my place and I got the builder to open up a few spots in the wall and put in extra studs to support the fixtures.
6. When wanting to install shutters over windows advise your builder upfront as they can set the window further forward to allow room for the shutter within the window frame.
7. Mounting curtains and blinds higher up the wall lifts your eye and makes a ceiling feel higher. Go at least ½ half to 2/3 the way to the ceiling. Or if you want an opulent feel, mount curtains on the ceiling.
8. You can use curtains or blinds to cover different height windows in the same room by mounting them at the same height.
9. Let’s talk curtain lengths. We want to make sure we get the length right. There are three lengths when taking then to the floor. You can either float, hug or puddle.
FLOAT – have the curtains finish just around 2 cm about the finished floor height.
HUG – This is the hardest to achieve as you need to be very accurate with the measure. It does look the most custom, but don’t forget to include ring and clip heights in your measurements.
PUDDLING – This is a lovely romantic and feminine approach. I’ve done this recently for a client where we were wanting a romantic effect in a bedroom with French doors. This technique also allows for any stretch up fabrics to be obscured. Linen does stretch. As you can see below. The puddle effect is beautiful. Note the rod position (in the below photo) is also 2/3 the way above the door. Lengthening the height of the room.
10.Consider window treatments as part of your heating and cooling plan. In winter they can keep the warmth in and the cold out and in summer the reverse, they can keep the heat out.
My message to you is, if you have the opportunity to build from scratch or are renovating you home and have the ability to change windows, please consider your window furnishings as they do impact the build. With all of this in mind, now is the time to get those windows covered to keep out the chill and block in the warmth for winter.
3 THINGS I’VE LOVED RECENTLY!
I am loving the new Venus Charlton fabric by James Dunlop. Available from Mokum Fabrics I am using the Ivory colour in the job I explained, backed with a lining that will keep out the elements and keep it nice and dark.
This fabric is gorgeous too. It was the original one we wanted to use in the property I was telling you about but, alas, not enough in stock. I’ll use it for cushions instead.
Charlise in Oartmeal by Raffles
If you’re looking for a great sheer with texture that falls well I love this sheer from Nettex, Vevey.
If you are heading down the track of window furnishings the team at Blind Inspiration have been great to deal with.
PROJECT UPDATE
If you have been reading my newsletters for a few months now you know I am building my own place this year and am very excited as we have just finalised our plans and have made sure to include thoughts on window treatments as we have been in the design phase.
We have just had the final plans back and I have just finalised my first step of the design process. I have created my mood board to check all my design ideas and selections against. I do this with words and imagery. I hope you like it.
That’s it for this month. I do hope you all enjoy the Easter school holidays and maybe consider window furnishings right up front in your next project rather than at the end when the majority of people do.
Take care
Jules xx