Styles of window treatments can be formal or casual. Some treatments can be modified or combined with other treatments to accommodate both a formal or a casual style. Whether you use shades, blinds, drapery, valances or a combination of them, choose the styles and colors that fit your room's decor and your personal tastes. Does this Spark an idea?
Roman Shades
Roman shades as window treatments offer the soft feel of fabric along with the tailored, neat look of shades. When drawn up, Roman shades fold neatly.
Many different varieties of Roman shades are available to suit specific needs. They are made in contemporary styles and often are associated with a modern, minimalist style of design. Yet they can be paired with formal designs to give them a regal appearance.
Blinds
All blinds are typically considered casual and are modest in appearance.
Horizontal blinds are the most popular type of blind used for window treatments, according to ShadesShuttersBlinds.com. Available in metal, wood or plastic and in a huge selection of colors, horizontal blinds are simple and straight.
Vertical blinds are hung from a rod and available in fabric, metal, wood or plastic. Pair vertical blinds with a valance that will conceal the hardware at the top.
Drapery Panels
Drapery panels are fabric window treatments that can fully close and open in front of your window or just frame it by draping on either side of it. Usually the fabric starts from the top of your window and reaches down to the floor. However, box panels stop at the bottom of the window.
Drapery panels are either formal or informal based on what fabric and print they are made from and what treatments they are paired with.
Valances
Valances are a drapery treatment typically about 10 to 18 inches in length from the top of a window, according to FactoryDirectDrapes.com. Often paired with other types of window treatments such as drapery panels or blinds, valances can be found in a number of styles, including swag, ascot and balloon styles.
Swag valances are draped over a rod that runs across the top of the window and have tails that fall on both ends. A swags can be formal or informal, depending on the fabric and the trim added to it.
Ascot valances are usually formal in design. According to WindowValancesOnline.com, ascot valances are designed to look like triangular fabric draped over the rod at the top of your window. The triangles vary in size and length for various decorative effects.
Balloon valances are "puffy" in appearance. Fabric is gathered to look full and runs straight across the top of the window. They are usually associated with a more formal design.
Pleats
Box pleats are very precise, vertically sewn lines at the top of the fabric that result in straight folds all the way down the fabric. This gives curtains a tailored, neat appearance.
French pleats are straight, soft, vertical folds in the fabric in groups of three. The groups of three are typically 4 to 6 inches apart, but this varies according to preference. French pleats are elegant in appearance.
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