As San Diego enters into its hot sun season, we hear from a lot of people looking to keep the heat out while not sacrificing their home’s appearance. I’ve had clients who thought because their windows face west and get that afternoon roast of searing sunlight that they had to hang heavy draperies backed with blackout fabric. That is one option, of course, but there are others that might be more suited to your particular space and usage.

Duette Architella honeycomb shades with UltraGlide Top-Down

Speaking of usage, one of the first things I always tell a client before choosing window treatments – there are zillions of options from roman shades to valances to blinds to wood shutters to traditional draperies – is to think about how you use the room. How does this window function for your family? For example, if you are going to be leaving the covering over the window much of the time, you probably don’t want to use a roman shade because when it’s pulled flat it can look like a sheet in the window. On the other hand, if you need something you can pull up and down but don’t want to see the actual shade, you might layer it (hide it, really) with a pretty valance to gain some flexibility.

Alustra Woven Textures roller shades with Motorization

Tony Levas is the owner of Levas and Son Draperies, a local custom drapery company that has been doing window treatments in San Diego for more than 50 years. I love Tony because early in my career he convinced me that custom window treatments are worth their price tag (we can save you money elsewhere) and I’ve been recommending them ever since. We’ll talk more about the significance of custom window coverings in another post. But I did want to mention Tony because Levas and Son is a showcase dealer for Hunter Douglas, the manufacturer of Silhouette and Duette shades. All of the Hunter Douglas products provide heat control, but what is special about them is they still allow diffused light to be dispersed into your room. So it’s the best of both worlds – you get a cooler space yet you still can take advantage of natural daylight. Plus they disappear into a fabric-covered headrail so you’re not left with an unsightly bunching of fabric when you raise them. We find these shades to be suitable for a lot of people who need relief from the sun’s rays but don’t want heavy draperies.

Heritance hardwood shutters with TruView Rear Tilt

As Tony says, it is always a compromise when you are designing window coverings. Achieving heat control or privacy might block that ocean view at times, but once we show you how to dress your window in a way that merges function with fashion, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the transformation.

Please contact us at Style on a Shoestring if we can help with any of your home design needs.

 Hanging drapes is easier than you think. With these simple rules — you’ll have your new window treatments installed in no time.

First, measure your window to see what size curtains you will need and where you will want the curtain rod mounted. Remember to always measure twice and drill once.

 Mount the bracket for the double curtain rod using a power drill. Make sure that the placement is where you want it so that your curtains will hang correctly. If you are mounting the bracket in drywall, you may need to use anchors so that the weight of the curtains won’t pull the bracket out. If you are mounting directly into a wood window frame you will not need them.

 Using the smaller of the two rods, hang the sheers. You will hang the rod on the inside bracket. Using the larger of the two rods, hang the curtains. This rod will go on the outside. When finished, you can buy decorative tie-backs to finish your new look.

Windows are so fun to decorate.  There are so many styles that are beautiful, cute and fun.  Just adding a little fabric next to a window will change the look of an entire room.  We do some great custom treatments at unbelievable prices….for custom…..it’s usually cheaper to buy them off the rack but most of the time they are pretty plain or simple.  So if you’re feeling like you want to do something a little special custom windows will really warm up and make a space look great.  It’s important to realize what makes all those catalog and magazine pictures look so great is not necessarily the pieces of furniture (although there are some great pieces) but all the little “extras” like window treatments, paint, fabrics, decor.  Do a room at a time and watch it trasform. In time your entire house will be done.  It could be the missing piece to your room.