BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

MOST home owners consider window treatment as the least aspect of home finishing or decoration. Because of this belief, little or no attention is paid to interior details of window curtains or blinds. This no doubt reflects in the low budgets for curtains or blinds in most homes.

Window treatment according to Mrs. Alero Edu, Chief Consultant, PR Distinction, organisers of the annual Home & Office Exhibition, should never be neglected, as it plays an important part in emphasising the individual character of the home.

She added that in modern apartments, especially in lofts and penthouses with large windows, window treatment should be given a lot of attention at the earliest possible design stage. She pointed out that choosing the right colour and style of window treatment will make the room not only welcoming and comfortable, but will also highlight its size and ambience, thereby giving perspective to the home.

“White is often a colour of choice for most decorators, because it is really hard to go wrong with white. Timeless and versatile, white provides a unifying base for most window designs. Remember though, that there are different kinds of white, which a skilled decorator may mix in one room altering the feel from warm to cold to increase the impact.

‘Today, the most sought-after design of modern window treatment is fresh, minimal, translucent and light-coloured environment. People seek window curtains and blinds that can give real character and individuality to the room. It should equally be noted that variety of paint shades and fabric textures allows blending blinds and curtains perfectly with the furniture to match the apartment’s light and mood.

According to Mrs. Edu, “Venetian blinds are now available in a range of vintage-inspired muted colours or even in bright plain colours. With carefully selected colours, you can avoid making the room too impersonal. In terms of decoration trends, curtains have gone in two opposite directions. They have become either more feminine, that is made of embroidered and patterned fabrics with rich draping; or minimal, that is made of natural fabrics in neutral tones.

‘When choosing the colour of your window blinds or curtains, take into consideration the amount of light entering into your apartment from outside. The light in apartments changes throughout the day and through seasons as well. In a single apartment, when choosing window blinds or curtains, thought should be given to the orientation of rooms and the warmth of light that will enter them. Rooms that receive light early in the day, or not at all, usually need some warming up with colour. Rooms that benefit from the afternoon or sunset will receive reddish light and therefore need less artificial warmth. The new finishes on blinds, such as brushed aluminum, produce a nice cool effect on windows that need cool light from the outside.

‘There are some optical tricks that have to be considered when you pick your window curtains or shades. Denser window treatments, such as Venetian blinds, curtains and vertically striped fabrics can improve the look of the room with low ceiling. Venetian blinds can create a warm relaxed atmosphere”, she noted.