Gorgeous window treatment ideas

Readers, you have my sincerest apologies for the giant hiatus I've taken from blogging. I've got some good reasons for being M.I.A., though. In the past month, my husband and I moved into the new house we purchased, and set to work applying all the things I talk about in my blog! The only thing better than writing about design is working on a project! And there's no better way to learn about it than to do it. On top of this, I've had a horrible virus/ cold thingy that dragged on for 3 weeks. (Partly because I overworked myself during our move. I was so excited about the changes we plan to make on the house that I couldn't force myself to stay in bed and recover, but eventually, the cold overtook me and I spent more time recovering because of it. Lesson learned. For now.) After living in tropical South Florida, readjusting to the Northeast hasn't been easy, even though the Fall season has been gorgeous...until today's ridiculously early snowstorm, which I refuse to acknowledge. In fact, I bought a stunning purple orchid in full bloom the other day as part of my resistance to the weather. Orchids are always stunning, and particularly so in the context of very non-tropical, arctic-ish weather. Ok, moving on before I get all grumpy about it...

 {Orchids are like a little bit of the tropics in your living room.}

So today, in light of the storm I'm trying to be in denial about,  I'll focus on how to make your home cozier. Let's start with window treatments... I remember in design school, one of my professors said window treatments weren't his strong suit. I can understand that, particularly because some of them can be over-the-top fussy or ornate. At the same time, I feel most rooms look somewhat naked without proper window treatments, and when done well, they can transform the room! So here are some examples of interesting and/ or elegant approaches to window treatments to inspire you:

 {These playful roman shades stay within the room's color scheme while adding crispness and style to the windows. Heavy curtains would have looked bulky framing those long, thin windows, and would have blocked a lot of light. (Not to mention rendering the window seat useless.) Jay Jeffers designed this scheme.}

{This bathroom window could've handled regular curtains, but there's a vent below it that might have been blocked by all that fabric. Matching the shade fabric to the wallpaper makes the window treatment blend into the wall, showing off the grid-like crispness of the window itself. When was the last time you walked into a bathroom with this much style? Sadly, I'm not sure which designer deserves the credit!}

 {Meg Braff designed this room, and chose to weave the chinoiserie pattern into the decor through the headboard, bed skirt and roman shade. The crisp shade was not only a smart functional choice-- allowing the night stand to be accessed more easily--the pattern might have overwhelmed the room if used for full drapes.}

 {What can I say--it feels like winter and pink is psychologically soothing and uplifting. These drapes manage to look more crisp than girly, although not every man would want to live with them.}

 {I love animal prints, but a little goes a long way. Toning down the contrast of a zebra print by using grey and white manages to keep these curtains looking fresh despite their bold pattern. Betsy Burnham created this desk nook.}

 {Ah, the billowy, romantic curtain! I'm a big fan, especially in the bedroom. Some people find them overwhelming due to the sheer quantity of fabric, but they definitely soften a room. These curtains strike a balance between romantic and crisp due to the graphic pattern in a subdued colorway. This is Lulu DeKwiatkowski's bedroom. The curtains and bedside tables are my favorite parts!}

 {Curtains can be a great way to add a powerful jolt of color. In this room, they convey a lush, tropical vibe when paired with sisal, a garden stool, and green chair.}

 {Do you remember this living room from Elle Decor? Those lambrequins are pretty fantastic.

 Without blocking much light at all, they add so much polish and sophistication to the room! I believe they were made of plywood and covered with fabric and trim.}

 {Another room featured in Elle Decor shows curtains and seating given an added tailored look with the addition of grosgrain ribbon. It creates definition and structure where there wouldn't otherwise be any, given the soft quality of upholstery and curtains.}

 {Ok, so it's not a window treatment, but it's a great curtain/ shower curtain idea. Michael Berman designed this bathroom. It walks a fine line between contemporary and eclectic, but that lovely chandelier and Asian stool ground it in my preferred territory. A pair of large mirrors are facing each other, causing the endless reflection, making the bathroom look enormous! And the black and white curtains add a lot of life to an otherwise neutral space.}

{I couldn't write a blog entry about window treatments without showing an example of simple bamboo blinds. They allow light to filter through, they're crisp and tailored looking, and the neutral color of bamboo and natural fibers blend with both the interior of most rooms as well as the view they frame. On top of all that, they're generally more eco-friendly and affordable than custom curtains.}

{Layering your window treatments by hanging blinds beneath curtains provides interest as well as giving maximum versatility for lighting control. I love the look in the right space.}

 {Miles Redd strikes again with this beautiful lambrequin/curtain combination! I love how the red accents are woven in through the curtain/ lambrequin trim, chandelier shades, and floral display}

{This bathroom is lovely!}

 {If you like curtains, why stop at the windows?}

 {It's amazing what a little trim can do!}

{Another clean yet decorative look I love.}

Try one these ideas for adding zip (and privacy, and insulation) to your windows. You might be surprised by the transformation!