Nothing says spring like pollen, new leaves and the hope of a tax refund. Of course there are any number of ways to enjoy the US Treasury’s many happy returns (beach vacation, anyone?) but if you’re considering home improvement options, window treatments are a great investment in privacy, energy efficiency, comfort and décor. Some treatments such as interior shutters will even add value to your house.
Of course everyone wants to make their budget stretch as far as it can and, as home owners ourselves, we completely understand. Our first step in every consultation is a full-home walk-through and assessment. We ask a few questions (Who uses this room? How often and when? What are your favorite features? What are your biggest issues?) and then we listen. A LOT. Once we have the larger picture of your lifestyle and priorities, we move on to the real fun – choosing treatments and making a plan to get the most value for your money.
Many of our customers decide to install their window treatments in two or three stages. First priorities usually cover privacy in high-use bedrooms and bathrooms or public spaces (living room/dining room) with large street-facing windows. Next on the list comes managing specific issues such as glare, fading or hot spots. The last points of focus are the less-used or rear-facing spaces and attention to decorating details.
Layering Techniques
Layering of treatments is also another great budgeting strategy. For example, say you have a fabulous garden window – lovely daytime views, but you feel like you’re living in a fishbowl at night. Obviously, privacy is the most pressing concern. In this case, one layering suggestion would be to install discreet roller or natural woven shades first, in order to keep the day view without being on view after dark. A second layer of drapes or cornices would be installed later, as the budget allows, to soften the décor.
Planning the most cost-effective strategy for your window treatments is just one element of our free consultation. At the end of the day, we want our clients to be thrilled with their safe, beautiful, comfortable home – and with enough money left over for a little beach time.
