Window Coverings

The world of window coverings: a comprehensive guide to understanding blinds, curtains, shades, shutters, and window film for your home.

Slender House office featuring drapes from The Shade Store in “Osprey Check / Parchment”.

So, what are window coverings? They are decorative and functional coverings for windows that control light, privacy, and aesthetics. They come in several forms like curtains, blinds, shades, and shutters.

Teal and Wendy’s relationship with window coverings - Yes, they have a relationship with them just like they have relationships with frosted bulbs, orange accents, and many many inanimate objects.

Teal - I grew up in the country with great views of the lake in Madison, Wisconsin. My mother, an interior designer, NEVER installed a blind or a drapery. Living on the lake draws crazy lake bugs too so cleaning screens, doors, windows was always a situation! She did not want to add window coverings to that dusting list AND wanted a view of the lake. Of course we were in the country and the next door neighbor couldn't even hear us yell so privacy was not an issue (trust me, high school parties were a breeze). Now, living in a more urban environment, my go-to is still blind free windows HOWEVER due to some potential streak moments with neighbors, we have installed blinds in the bathrooms.

Wendy - I also grew up in the country, however I am not a morning person and love my blackout shades. I can’t imagine my life without them. I also love the drama of drapes. Part of me wants a traditional home just for drapes!

Let’s dive into the different types!

Blinds - Horizontal or vertical slats/vans of material that can be adjusted depending on how much light you want. Blinds usually mount on the inside molding of the casing of the window. This provides the most custom and tight fit to shade the light or achieve privacy. Like all window coverings seemingly, these can be tedious to clean given how many parts there are. However, for windows near a sink (like in a kitchen) they can be a good option for potential water splashes, where a fabric covering would be harder to clean.

Example of blinds from The House Beautiful.

Shades - A continuous piece of material/fabric that can be pulled up or down with a cord or lifting mechanism. These are great for a more sophisticated look and come in a variety of forms from roller, roman, to tie-up and honeycomb/cellular. Shades also usually mount on the inside molding of the casing of the window which provides the most custom and tight fit to shade the light or achieve privacy. They can also top mount on the trim but that allows for way more light escape with the gaps. Below are two examples of shade types: Pottery Barn Sutton Natural Roman Shades where the shade gathers at the bottom and The Shade Store Custom Roller Shades where the shades roll at the top. (Images from Pottery Barn and The Shade Store)

In Teal’s bathrooms, kitchen, and primary bedroom, she decided to use “light-sharing” shades which means a thin fabric that is permeable to light but you can't see any body parts. Hers are custom honeycomb/cellular style shades from Hunter Douglas that condense into a 2 inch block at the top of the window for daytime viewing.

Hunter Douglas light sharing cellular shades similar to what Teal has in her home.

“So we can fly to the moon but HOW can you clean an accordion shade? In my kitchen, I have some blinds that did get the other half of a blender explosion. I was told to use light soap, water, and a toothbrush. WHO has 10 hours for that? Definitely not me, but I did it anyways and guess what, I did get all the spots out. If you have blinds, eventually with dust and life they will need a refresh after a good 15-20 years.” - Teal

In Teal’s kids’ rooms, she has custom shades with fabric she selected from The Shade Store that are reinforced with blackout material. They have worked really well as her kids are teenagers, and the light interrupts their social media scrolling after early morning sports practice. Note that blackout shades come in different thicknesses. You can work with your local Hunter Douglas rep to select the exterior shade color, the blackout blind custom layer that gets installed in the manufacturing process and the fitting which they custom measure for each window. Hunter Douglas is a go-to as they have a lifetime guarantee for cords, pulls, and blinds etc.

Shade color - Teal almost always matched her shade to the window trim paint color. At the time of templating and selecting the fabric she matches the Hunter Douglas or The Shade Store fabric samples to the paint on the client’s trim. BAM, the color is locked in and cohesive to the space. “The only time I do not just match trim is if I really REALLY am sure I want a textured or aesthetic statement for my shade. For example, in a modern, all-white, clean kids’ room, I’ve installed a textured weave (also known as hemp or natural/rattan/textured/woven) shade to add a natural fiber to the vibe.

Teal Tip - Adding the blackout feature to a shade will darken the color appearance of the shade, take that into consideration as it will gray-out the bright whites.

Drapes/Curtains - Window coverings also can come in a drapery format. “As a designer’s daughter, I am trained to not cover windows, and with a more casual approach to design, I don’t install a lot of draperies. BUT draperies, a cloth or textile hung around windows, CAN finish a space nicely and add drama” - Teal

A curtain is a loose collection of fabric whereas a drapery is a more formal finished window treatment that might include higher end fabric, pleat detail, or fabric backing.

The same aesthetic rules go for curtains… if you are looking for a statement in color or fabric, prepare to spend A LOT of money on a gorgeous fabric or pattern fabric for your custom curtains. The more accessible manufacturers will have curtain or drape fabric options that are more affordable than matching your curtains to the pillow fabric in your room.

Another look at the Slender House office drapes from The Shade Store.

Cords and Pulls - You can get cordless window coverings which are more expensive and are either push or pull from the middle of the blind base to where you want it to stop. Parents of young children, we always suggest the cordless option for safety.

Continuous Cord Loops - If kids aren’t in your consideration, these will hang at the side. They are still aesthetically pleasing and you can use a cotton cord to control shade up or down for a slightly less expensive option.

Chain Cord - Yep just how it sounds; they hang at the side. AVOID these at all costs as the pull is SO loud. Teal saved some money by installing them in her son’s room…Let’s just say everyone knows when he’s awake.

Motorized - If you really want to go James Bond, motorized blinds mean a remote with rechargeable batteries (only need to recharge 1x every 6-8 months depending on usage) allows you to direct your blinds to go up/down like a wall street tycoon.

Teal Opinion: “Today, NO question, I always invest in cordless. There is less to break, quiet, are more expensive but are aesthetically a win.”

Shutters - A slatted blind that is built into the frame of the window. We typically don’t recommend interior shutters to clients because they use more material which in turn uses up a lot of space around the windows. This is no gig surprise as they close us up from the outside.

Example of window shutters from Blinds.com.

Window Film - Yes, you can put sheer films over your window to allow for light sharing AND privacy. In addition, adding film improves the energy efficiency of your home by reducing energy transfer with the outside and protects your interior furnishings from UV damage. Wendy opted for film in her primary bathroom and bedroom because the windows were too narrow for any other type of window treatment. We highly recommend having a professional do this as you do NOT want bubbles or flaws in the film.

Window film in Treehouse primary bathroom creating privacy and light sharing.

Cost - Keep in mind that window coverings are an investment. Take your time, research makers, a lifetime of each option, and timelines for installation. You can pop up some Home Depot specials and invest around $49 for a standard double-hung window. The custom window coverings from companies like Hunter Douglas or The Shade Store are high quality and aesthetic but expect to pay upwards of $700-$1000 per double-hung window.

Your price point depends on what product or material you select. Wood, faux wood, synthetic, fabric, etc. Beyond the material, you have tons of choices for WHAT window coverings to choose from!

Did you know that Hunter Douglas and The Shade Store also provide complementary custom home measurements? You can have someone come to your home for free to measure and show you fabric/material choices! Definitely take advantage of your local window covering businesses to familiarize yourself with your options before you invest.

Here Are Some Quick Notes to Help You

Roman shades - more fabric = more traditional hard to keep clean.

Roller shade - used in more modern functional spaces and has a very clean look.

Cellular shades (aka honeycomb) - very transitional and versatile. They can be used in spaces from bathrooms to living rooms and can be used in modern to traditional settings. Teal’s go-to.

If you have skylights and you live in a sunny climate you might get window coverings for those as well because skylights naturally heat up the space and make it hard to control temps with air conditioning. And in the summer pulling your window treatments down can help control some of the temperature fluctuations. The black-out shades for sure help. Light sharing or sheer blinds will create about a 10% difference.

Still have questions? Ask us in the comments or DM us on Instagram @tealandscott!