Popular Window Treatments

Window treatments can refer to either the internal functionality of the glass or decorative window dressings. If you're like most homeowners, you probably don't have enough time to do things one at a time. If you notice how your utility bill has continued to inch up every year, it's probably time to consider replacement windows. While you're replacing the glass, you'll have to take down those old curtains, and now is the time to think about replacing them as well. If you're tired of the old curtains, take a look at your window pane and ask if it's time to upgrade the energy-efficiency of your home.

Decorative Window Treatment Ideas
With a rejuvenation of interest in textiles and fabrics, selecting draperies is an invitation to give your windows a beautiful new presentation. Draperies can provide a complete window treatment, or they can be integrated as a design element when combined with other treatments.

For a more formal, ornate look, floor-length draperies are the most dramatic and can be used to hide unattractive window frames as well. The dressiest draperies are lined with another fabric to give them extra body. A formal look can be rendered more light-hearted by the choice of a more casual fabric or print, and by choosing to scallop the borders of the draperies.

Draperies combined with window shades, valances, and ornamentation can produce an exceptionally well-dressed window. Drapery service professionals can take measurements, advise on fabric selections and explain how the draperies should be constructed in terms of pleats and length. One popular style, especially when combined with shades or blinds, entails a light, sheer drape, hung over the top and sides of the window. This romantic look works particularly well in bedrooms. For kitchens and baths, a short drape adds a perky look that can tie into the room's color scheme.

Window Glazing
Window glazing is essentially nothing more than the design and type of glass you use for window installation. The most basic decision you'll have to make is whether you want a single, double, or triple-paned window glazing. Single-paned windows used to be the norm, but double-paned windows have become the window installation of choice as energy-efficiency continues to become more and more important to homeowners. If you live in a colder climate, even a triple-paned window with two mediating layers of air can be a wise choice.

Low-E glass and gas-filled window glazing is even better at creating energy-efficient windows. Low emissivity refers to the ability of a window to let in solar radiation to warm your home, while blocking the heat from leaving your home. A thin metallic film is placed between two window panes to create this greenhouse-like effect. Gas-filled windows most commonly use the colorless, nontoxic argon gas to double the insulating value of your window. Using different combinations of window glazing techniques can give you windows that have an insulating value that will rival the adjacent walls.