Window Treatment Ideas: 9 Types of Window Treatments

A window treatment is a covering that you can place around a window to create a desired aesthetic or functional effect. Window coverings come in styles like blinds, drapes, curtains, or glass blocks that can alter a room’s lighting, temperature, energy efficiency, and privacy. Custom window treatments can make your home decor stand out and provide functional home comforts.

When choosing a window treatment, consider the effect it will have on your space.

1. 1. Level of privacy: Window treatments are a great way to enhance your privacy at home. Frosted glass or curtains can keep people from looking inside your home, giving you total privacy in places like your bedroom, bathroom, or living room.
2. 2. Amount of light: Consider the type of lighting you want in a room before selecting your window treatment. If you love the natural light in your dining room, choose a sheer curtain for minimal light control rather than a room-darkening option like blackout curtains or other thick drapery.
3. 3. Temperature control: If a room gets too cold in the winter, your window treatments can help keep out the draft and maintain a cozier temperature inside. Conversely, if the room gets too hot in the summer, treatments with thermal backings can help keep out the hot air, keeping your room more temperate. Energy efficiency is important to consider when selecting window treatments, as a more insulated room will need less air conditioning or heat.
4. 4. Decor: Most window treatments serve a functional purpose, but you can also use them purely for decoration.

There are many different styles of window treatment options that can work in any room.

1. 1. Curtains: Curtains are one of the most common window treatments on the market. Curtain panels often come in a set of two and usually hang from curtain rods. They come in many different materials, thicknesses, patterns, colors, and styles, which can add color or texture to your home. The type of curtains that work best for your needs will depend on their function. For instance, sheer fabric curtains won’t keep out sunlight or provide privacy.
2. 2. Drapes: Drapes are much thicker than curtains, and they provide more privacy. Drapes are usually double-lined and more commonly used to block out light. Drapes are more formal than curtains and better at keeping out cold drafts and heat.
3. 3. Blinds: Window blinds are made from hard materials like wood or vinyl, unlike drapes and curtains. There are also faux wood blinds that are more durable and moisture-resistant than standard wood blinds. Blinds have slats that can be angled open with a mechanism or pulled with a cord to customize the amount of privacy and light you get in a room (they also come in cordless versions). Horizontal blinds work well for small windows, while long, vertical blinds usually pair with sliding glass doors.
4. 4. Shades: Window shades come in a variety of materials and don’t feature any slats or vanes. You can find shades made from light-filtering fabric that keeps out UV rays, as well as woven wood shades made of bamboo. You can have smooth or pleated shades. The most common shades are Roman shades, roller shades, balloon shades, solar shades, honeycomb cellular shades, blackout shades, and sheer shades. Shades can be motorized or manual, and you can size them to fit the window.
5. 5. Valances: Valances are decorative tops that cover the mounting hardware for your curtains, drapes, blinds, or shades. These fabric tops are draped around the top of the window frame and are mostly for decorative purposes. They come in a few styles like pleated, arched, or flat.
6. 6. Cornices: Cornices are similar to valances, but they have a box-like shape that fits around a window treatment’s mounting hardware. Cornices are made from wood and other hard materials. You can pair cornices with curtains for a coordinated accent to a muted room.
7. 7. Swags: Window swags are long pieces of fabric that drape around a curtain rod, cascading down toward the floor. Swags give windows a softer and more elegant look and make a fun DIY home improvement project if you have extra fabric on hand.
8. 8. Panel tracks: Panel tracks are a stylish choice for tall windows or sliding doors. These fabric sliding window panels are a stylish alternative to vertical blinds. The panels mount to the wall or ceiling and move side-to-side on a track.
9. 9. Treated glass: If you can’t find the right window treatment for your home, you can also treat the window glass itself. If you like your big bay windows and don’t want to install curtains or blinds, frosted glass, stained glass, and window films are all ways to keep your privacy without having to deal with choosing the right drapery for your room.

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