Dressing your windows

Almost nobody these days has an undressed window in their home, but how many people have considered all the options available when it comes to dressing their windows in order to add style to their home whilst enabling them to control the amount of light that either enters or leaves their home? A lot of people, many of them men, will have only a curtain or blind which they open or close when necessary and it's colour or pattern will bear nothing in common to the rest of the room. Often people, many of them men, will have a design in or around their windows which completely clashes with the rest of the room and chances are they haven't even noticed.

If you're reading this and are simultaneously thinking "that could be my home", then you need to spend a moment deciding if your window dressings are working for or against the rest of your décor. Firstly, you need to do a colour count which includes the main colour of your walls, curtains, carpet, sofa, rug and any large furnishings or furniture. If you find you have many different colours then you should consider reducing the overall palette of your room to three or four main colours.

It makes sense to fit the curtains or blinds in with the rest of your décor, as replacing a pair of curtains is far cheaper than buying a new three piece suite just because the colour isn't quite right. Curtains can be complemented with blinds of a contrasting colour, or one which echoes the carpet. But as with a shirt and a tie, if your curtains are patterned, then choose a plain blind or vice versa; a patterned blind needs plain curtains. One can however have plain curtain with plain a plain blind, just please avoid mixing and muddling patterns or your room will feel like a kaleidoscope.

Roman blinds add an air of sophistication to a room, especially if the windows are tall and the curtain is decorated with an ornate pelmet or valance. Alternatively, roller blinds are ideal for rooms with a contemporary feel, as are both Venetian and vertical blinds. If you have a set of cushions on your sofa bearing a design or pattern you like, you could look to these for inspiration. Matching the pattern of your roller blinds and cushions will tie your décor together and give your room a theme. You could have striped roller blinds and spotty cushions which would contrast well with each other, or match velvet Roman blinds to match a velvet sofa. By taking a step back and thinking about how your room's décor ties together, and by following a few simple rules will make you house feel much more more homely.