Window Treatments

Types of Window Treatments & Hardware

Use drapes, hardware and window treatments to control light in a room, provide additional privacy and put the finishing touch on the decor in a space. For instance, window curtain panels are an easy way to add color and style when decorating your home. Both fashionable drapes and practical window shades offer fun colors that will work perfectly with different decors. Create a modern, drapery feel by gathering window curtain material between your thumb and index finger, while still allowing lots of natural light into the room. Window panels also help to keep outdoor light out when partially closed, or completely block light by closing them completely with a curtain rod. From bold patterns to subtle hues, find window curtains, curtain hardware, panel for drapes and sheers to suit your taste and decorating theme. Read on for tips and advice about selecting the right window treatment hardware and window treatments, organized by type for your home.

Sheer Curtains

Sheer curtains let in the most sunlight, making them ideal for spaces you want well-lit, such as a kids bedroom, the playroom or the kitchen. Most sheer window panels are made with light, breezy materials such as 100% flax linen, 100% cotton or cotton-silk, linen-cotton blends. The airy, relaxed nature of sheer panels accentuate rustic home decor and give more urban spaces a casual feel. Because of the way the light filters through drapes with panels, the woven textures and tiny details of the materials will be visible and add a special decorative touch to the room.

Semi-Sheer Curtains

Semi-sheer curtains diffuse light similarly to sheer panels, but ultimately let less light in. A thicker mix of silk and linen lets in a soft, pretty natural light, illuminating the room while minimizing the sun's glare. Semi-sheer window treatments can also consist of a sheer front-facing curtain backed by a lining to increase opaqueness. Semi-sheer liners are typically made from a mix of polyester and cotton, a less translucent material than the panel face. These window treatments are great for bedrooms, some living rooms, studies and home offices.

Lined Curtains and Draperies

Lined curtains and heavy draperies for the window, provide the most privacy of any window treatment. An ideal style for street-facing windows in first floor spaces—living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, sitting rooms. The light-blocking qualities of window drapes will also serve to protect from fading in harsh sunlight sofas, tables and chairs positioned near the sun. For the ultimate protection from outside light, consider blackout curtains for windows. A 100% polyester curtain liner ensures as much light as possible is kept out of the room, and a 100% cotton panel face ensures the treatment remains chic and stylish. Pair lined drapes with sheers for ultimate flexibility in light control.

Additional Curtain Hardware

Window treatment hardware is not only a necessary component to hanging your window drapes, but can also provide those perfect finishing touches on your window treatment. The style and finish of your curtain rods, rings and tie backs should coordinate with the rest of the room. Brushed brass window hardware, for example, is sleek and glamorous, while antiqued brass curtain hardware has a more classical, rustic look. Understated finials don't draw attention to themselves, and let the spotlight fall on other decorations and accents, while uniquely shaped or textured finials draw the eye to the hardware. Double rods allow you to hang both sheer and lined drapes to control your light and privacy needs.