Light is one of the most important architectural elements of any space. While redesigning the floors and ceilings can be really expensive, changing the treatment of the light in the space is one of the most cost-effective ways of changing the space as a whole with window treatments. Your bedroom has windows. The way that those windows are covered, altered, and designed will change more than just the interior decorating. It will change the light, vibe, and feel of the whole space.
Experimenting with bedroom window treatments is a cost-effictive way to have a huge impact on the design of your house. In this post, we’re going to look at some elements to consider when choosing how to put together a bedroom window treatment, then we’re going to talk about some different ideas and styles. Most of our time will be spent on considerations, which will give you an idea of things that you can think about when choosing bedroom window treatments.
Bedroom Window Treatment Considerations
Privacy
It’s a bedroom, after all. The curtains in your bedroom, or whatever kind of dressing you use, are meant to do more than block out the right kind of light. They are supposed to make it easy to get privacy and keep privacy even in harsh morning light. This means that the practical nature of the curtains will play a role in your bedroom window dressing. You’ll probably want curtains that can close, and maybe curtains that block most visibility.
Additionally, you’ll consider a window treatment that is fairly easy to get open and closed from a standing position. This makes it easier to toss things open when you want the light and crowd, and easier to close things when you want the dim and the privacy.
Technology
How do you want the light to shift in your bedroom space? There are automated smart home systems that can allow the blinds or curtains to raise and lower automatically at certain times. Our bodies are tied to the light that we surround ourselves with. By choosing a smart home system, you could wake up to an alarm that goes off with curtains being pulled back. You can automate your home to raise the blinds when things get hot outside and lower them when it stays cool.
By having blinds that open when you wake up, you could transform your whole morning routine. If this is the route that you’re going to go with, then you should look into smart home systems first before figuring out what kind of options you’ll have for bedroom window treatments.
The Size of the Room
Remember that in general, the more light will make a space feel bigger and less light will reduce the space and the edges. That means that if you want to make a big bedroom feel cozier, you’re going to want to shrink the amount of light. If you want to turn a small bedroom a bit bigger and warmer, let in more natural light.
The Style
This one seems obvious. The treatment that you give the windows in the bedroom will set the tone and the vibe for the whole of the room. Use big, sweeping curtains to give a majestic and regal feel. Basic plantation shutters will let the space feel playful and modern. Bigger floral designs keep things open. Using lighter colors on the treatment will make the space feel open, sensual, and mysterious. Using darker colors tends toward a feeling of regal, warm, and kind.
Other Sources of Light
Modern architecture wants to blend natural and artificial light in your spaces to achieve the most natural feeling room. Your bedroom is no exception. There are probably candles, overhead lights, and lamps that will all compete for the lighting. If you’re going to layer curtains, you could choose a transparency and color that plays well with the other sources of light that you’ve found int he room. In general, the warmer the artificial light the more you’ll want to filter natural light. When the artificial light is cooler, you’ll want to allow a fuller level of natural light into the room.
Don’t get caught up in the warm light trend! If you love warm light, go for it, but cooler light can also make a bedroom feel cozy and comfortable. If you do use cooler light, balance it out with some greens, reds, or yellows. Cool light with a lot of green will feel like vibrancy and creation. Cool light with red makes the room passionate. Cool light and yellow make things happy and upbeat.
Styles and Designs
Here are a few ideas for the budding interior designers:
Use Layers
One option is to use a couple of different kinds of window treatments to create a layering effect. For instance, plantation shutters can be combined with curtains to create a lot of light control. You’ll also be able to leverage a top dressing with classic blinds for a more modernist, 60s retro kind of vibe.
Natural Object Blocking
Books, furniture, vases, and plants can be used to create some natural blockage. Windows are usually very symmetrical and can make a room feel formal and almost restrictive. By getting some ivy to hang indoors or by stacking books or using furniture, you can block some of the light through creative solid objects. While this kind of bedroom window dressing isn’t super versatile, it can certainly create cozy spaces without overly defined lines and fabrics.
Asymetrical Curtains
Curtains don’t have to be hung in the same order that they always have been. Use ties and pins to contort curtains into different shapes and designs, letting them hang bit differently. For extra play, let one side hang down as normal and pinup the other side. Add a hanging plant to accent the difference.
Conclusions
Be bold with the colors and treatments you use for bedroom windows. The bedroom is how you close a busy day and begin a new busy day, and it deserves the best kind of light that you can get for it.
