9 Modern Window Treatment Ideas to Inspire Your Inner Decorator
Windows do much more than let natural light dance around your living room. They add richness and architectural details to every space in which they're found. Here are nine modern window treatments that are trending in 2021.
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- Silver-Gray Curtains
- Retractable Roman Shades
- Sheer White Curtains
- Woven Shades and Fabric Curtains
- Frames
- Printed Roman Shades
- Shutters
- Electronic Glass
- Plants
Silver-Gray Curtains
Curtains are an interior design staple that manages to top the list of window treatment trends each year. Color, material, and placement are the keys to giving this classic window treatment a modern twist.
Many modern decor themes use neutral walls that are enhanced by wooden or dark metal accents. Without the right textiles, the space can feel positively frigid.
Silver-gray curtains that offer a little sheen can soften the cold, hard edges of the room. They work to add elegance and understated polish to a room whether its ceilings are vaulted or are of the conventional 9-foot variety. When you're working with the latter, consider installing floor-to-ceiling curtains to make the room look larger.
Retractable Roman Shades
Roman shades can be made of substantial, light-blocking materials or of semi-sheer fabrics. The function of the room in which they are placed and your personal style preferences determine the types of roman shades that are right for you.
Pairing thick, light-blocking shades with light, airy curtains is a window treatment idea that's growing in popularity. Retractable roman shades are the modern take on this classic pairing.
Retract these roman shades and let diffused light flow into the room through woven linen curtains. Lower the shades and block light when you want to sleep in.
Sheer White Curtains
Sheer curtains are the very definition of versatility and can stand on their own when privacy isn't an issue. Designers often push the limit with rooms that show lots of patterns. When you've decided on a busy geometric wallpaper for a room, go easy on the eyes with classic white sheer curtains.
Some designers are constrained by spaces that offer limited windows. Installing sheer curtains allows you to dress up the space without blocking any precious natural light.
You're making a mistake by only considering white sheers for your space, however. Add subtle sophistication to your room by enhancing an off-white or white wall with stormy gray sheer curtains.
Woven Shades and Fabric Curtains
A combination of woven shades overlaid with fabric curtains checks all of the boxes for flair and function. Woven shades bring the natural warmth and texture of wood into the space. Fabrics that give off soft sheen add an elegant touch to the primal beauty of woven matchstick, bamboo, or rattan shades.
When you want to create a private retreat, lower the woven shades and draw in the curtains a bit. For a more welcoming look, raise the shades some and fully draw back the curtains.
Frames
When you've thrown privacy to the wind, you're ready to make your window a work of art. Creative designers forsake the function of curtains as window coverings and use them to frame windows to produce truly unique looks.
These decorative curtain frames go beyond conventional valances, however.
The fabric can be draped in unlimited ways around windows to bring the beauty of outdoor landscapes indoors.
This decorative framing technique works particularly well when you have a lot of windows in a space. If you feel that full-on curtains and sheers at each of these windows make the space look heavy and overdone, consider framing the windows with drapable fabric curtains.
Printed Roman Shades
You played it safe with neutral walls, ceilings, and floors that match. To keep the monochromatic scene from looking too bland, add more interest with roman shades in a tasteful print.
With printed roman shades, you can go as opaque or as solid as you'd like. Cream-colored, semi-sheer roman shades that portray ornate patterns in dark lines are like wall tapestry in the right room. At a glance, they make it look as if you covered your windows with beautiful wrought iron window grates.
Shutters
Shutters of all types are enjoying a moment at window casements across the world. You'll find them taking center stage as internal and external window coverings at modern and contemporary homes.
While modern design enthusiasts love the simplistic furnishings and fixtures in contemporary spaces, it's easy for these rooms to take on an unwelcoming, industrial vibe. Interior shutters give designers the chance to incorporate rustic elements into clean-line, minimalist rooms. Installing wooden farmhouse shutters at the windows of a minimalist, white kitchen is an example of how this is done.
Exterior shutters have great style as well as practical appeal. The modern take on hurricane shutters allows homeowners to slide the coverings across windows to block light as needed.
Electronic Glass
Sometimes less is more, and that's certainly the case with electronic glass (e-Glass). One of the hottest trends in window coverings for the tech savvy isn't a physical covering at all. Windows that are made with e-Glass technology frost or tint on demand with a flip of a switch. These windows allow you to enjoy the beauty of bare windows while not compromising privacy when you need it most.
Plants
Can't afford to outfit your home with e-Glass windows? All is not lost. With some carefully placed foliage, you can still enjoy the look of open windows while not giving up all of your privacy.
Using a set of exterior window boxes full of flowering plants to cover your windows floods the room with sun and color. Also, interior windows get a fresh makeover when you install a hanging herb garden where a set of curtains would normally reside.
Conclusion
There's a common theme that runs through most of these modern window treatment ideas. Nearly all envision getting the best of both worlds of style and function.