Inside Design – Working with Window Treatments

by | Aug 7, 2015 | Design, Inspiration, Life Of A Designer | 0 comments

Window treatments are an element of a room that exerts a subtle yet unmistakable influence on the essence of that room; an element that plays a role as functional as it is decorative.

On a functional level, window treatments can bring warmth to a space, filter light, or minimise noise – important roles – but on an aesthetic level, window treatments are equally important.  They can introduce colour, texture and detail to a room in a way that nothing else can. They have the ability to enhance a room, tie it all together decoratively, and can instantly introduce a sumptuousness and sense of luxury – really, is there anything more luxurious than gorgeous curtains that puddle on the floor?

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There are as many styles of window treatment as there are styles of room, which means that making the correct choice for your space can be fraught with difficulty.  From vertical and roman blinds to shutters, sheers and curtains (with and without pelmets!), window treatments are available to enhance every room design.

So how do you choose the right window treatment for your space?  Well, you need to consider the home, the room and the window itself – the architectural style, how it is decorated, the size of the window and the outlook.  Considering all these things will help you decide whether you can – or need to – go minimal, and it will also help you understand what function the treatment needs to perform.  Is it to block light, or allow, or even exaggerate, it? To keep in warmth or to block a draft? To frame a view or to obscure one? Does the chosen treatment need to increase a sense of space and height, or to make a large room feel more intimate or cozy?  What does the client want?   All of these things need to play a role in your decision making?

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A school of thought has been to keep window treatments neutral and understated, but I don’t think that is always necessary. Instead, I consider how various textures, patterns or colours may complement or enhance the style of the room, the other soft furnishing in the room, and also the view.  We want to complement, not compete, with a view and other elements in a room, but sometimes well-chosen colour and pattern in window treatments can bring a room to life.

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The hardware you use (or don’t use) is also an opportunity to add some personality or finish off the effect of the window treatment.

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Elements like the shape and height of the windows and doors can influence – even at times dictate – the type of treatment. And of course, there are times when there is no choice as to what you can use, and other times when it is immediately evident what will work best, and what won’t.  For example, I would not put pelmets in a modern or contemporary home – especially one overlooking, say, Sydney Harbour.  Instead, I may choose sheers, which will allow for the view but also counter Sydney’s harsh west sun in the afternoon.

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If light is needed but the view is not much to write home about (or worse), I would consider plantation shutters or something similar. In a situation where both privacy and light are desired then I may layer – first using roller blinds, which allow light while providing privacy but don’t add much value aesthetically, and then introduce an aesthetic layer, such as roman blinds, curtains or sheers.  This is a good way to combine function and style.

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What’s my favourite window treatment? It would have to be curtaining – but done in a way that starts with gloriously thick fabric that is cut 2 times the width of the fabric, which gives it a sumptuous, chunky, incredibly generous appearance, which is just divine – especially when they fall to the floor in a puddle!

 

 

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Stephanie Nadel

Assosciate Interior Architect

What makes Stephanie Nadel’s success story so remarkable is that she has come so far, so fast.
Stephanie, the Associate Interior Architect at Marylou Sobel Interior Design, has gained more experience, and handled more responsibilities in the past ten years than many other design professionals take on in their careers.

Stephanie, a multi-talented full service professional, carried out a wide variety of commercial and residential design tasks while she was based in London. She worked for three prominent interior design firms, as well as on her own, and served clients around the world.

In the process, she helped complete within 12 weeks the design and installation of a penthouse suite on The World, the luxury residential yacht that circumnavigates the globe. Prior to this Stephanie lead the full refurbishment of a lavish, Grade II listed, five bedroom home in the Hampstead Garden suburbs in London.

During her five years in London, she worked with Gensler, the world’s largest collaborative design, planning and consulting firm; MoreySmith, a leading design and architecture studio, and Fiona Barratt Interiors, an award-winning luxury design firm.

Assisting with projects for those firms, launching her own residential practice, and interacting with vendors worldwide provided her with project management, creative problem solving, sourcing, technical and other skills that benefit her clients today.

Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree at the University of New South Wales.

While she is adept in several aspects of design, she’s particularly interested in the challenge of refurbishing existing spaces. “I enjoy the problem solving that’s involved with existing buildings,” she says. “Although it is always a privilege to design alongside a team to create new and innovative structures, I love creating meaningful design from older properties and taking inspiration from heritage details.”

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