Is it Curtains for Blinds?
October 25, 2008
By Samantha Finley
Whether you’re decorating or simply updating, window dressings are the ultimate design feature that can bring a room to life with a dramatic statement or to subtly highlight a theme. Choosing a blind or curtain is integral to making the style of the room work effectively.
This season, prints are elegant and colours are rich with a resurgence on fringing. Luxurious colours and opulent fabrics are enticing for even the minimalist designer!
The brilliance of blinds is that they can match almost any décor even if you are just giving the walls a new lick of paint. The design styles are plentiful from a spectacular bespoke, digital canvas print (http://www.digetex.com/products/roller-blinds.html) to create a dramatic statement against plain walls, through to a simple roller blind for the bathroom to maximise privacy.
Blinds can be very cost effective and can display more of your window as a feature. Obsessive cleaners will love horizontal blinds, although, for the rest of us, they can be difficult to clean and maintain. They also don’t keep out all light during the day, unless you opt for black out which then becomes an added extra cost. Panel blinds are perfect for larger windows and patio doors, they also add style and creativity to a room as practical dividers.
Curtains are superb for versatile fabrics and really bringing a room together. With different lengths for a variety of window styles, it’s not difficult to find something to suit. Curtains can keep out the light more efficiently and certainly ventilate rooms better than blinds.
However, it can be difficult to rematch if you decide to redecorate and there is a tendency to purchase accessories around furnishings like curtains and the room can quickly become dated. Also, if you like traditional, opulent or heavy fabrics, curtains can put a bit of a dent in your wallet.
With the current trend for natural wood finishes and lighter, organic rooms, opt for wooden venetians to complete a natural look. Mary Wrynne Interiors have a gorgeous range of venetians and provide home consultations for measurements, design and colour schemes.
Blinds are a better choice for kitchens, bathrooms and the home office for practical reasons. Whilst matching the style of the room, they reveal more of your window and retain privacy. For ultimate luxury, check out sumptuous fabrics dressing windows in celebrity homes and some of the most esteemed venues around the globe such as, The Ritz, Skibo Castle and The Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
The Classic Collection is available at English Home. For pure opulence on a smaller budget, choose a gorgeous curtain fabric and accessorise with matching tie backs and finials. Visit Scatterbox for contemporary and traditional designs sourced from far and wide.
London blinds are beautifully tailored with the inverted pleats adding that extra touch of luxury. It’s a common cliché to use blinds in contemporary rooms, tab top and eyelet curtains, with the right fabric and colour, will have a similar effect in a modern interior.
For the best effect, team patterned curtains with plain walls and choose plain blinds to contrast well with feature walls. For smaller rooms, colourful curtains or blinds work more effectively giving the illusion of a larger space.
Stay on trend and rid all that beige, we love injecting colour into our rooms or try to introduce elegant prints if you’re not so brave!
To see our top picks - check out the gallery!
Address Book:
Digetex http://www.digetex.com 0161 873 8891
Mary Wrynne Interiors http://www.marywrynne.ie 043 49770
English Home http://www.llph.co.uk 01268 793336
Scatterbox http://www.scatterbox.ie +353 46902 1691
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