Calling all architects, builders, renovators, homeowners... anyone who will listen! What's up with the windows? I swear everyone only thinks about how the windows look from the outside. Windows are styled, sized, and positioned for the benefit of the exterior aesthetics, often at the expense of interior aesthetics. It is so painful sometimes that you got to learn to laugh.
I can hear you now: "I want a big arched window in the centre with two smaller ones on each side. That side of the house will look fantastic!"Guess what? One small, arched window and the larger one are on one wall in the same room. This may look great from the outside, but really awkward in the room. Then you call the window treatment specialist or your decorator hoping for a miracle.
What about those windows that are either too narrow, or too wide for the room? These can usually be fixed by scaling the window treatment to the room, rather than to the window. If the window is too narrow extend the treatment on to the walls. If the window is too wide, keep the treatment close to the width of the window and design the treatment to draw the eye upward. Be careful. You need to do so without adding visual weight to the top of the treatment, thus, defeating the purpose.
Let's have some laughs. Who has seen the top of windows disappearing into the ceiling with little or no space to mount a window treatment? I actually love mounting window treatments close to the ceiling. This can make the room seem taller and it gives the treatment greater presence in the room. The problem lies when there is no space. I then resort to installing the treatment from the ceiling or inside the window opening.
Heaven forbid if the ceiling cannot support the treatment or the window recess is too shallow. Do I have a story about that! Let's just say, I am an engineering genius!!
The opposite of this dilemma is when the window is placed too low on the wall and it is also too wide. Compound the problem by having another window on an adjacent wall placed higher than standard. Yes, you got it. I was also asked to this party. We mounted both treatments at the height of the higher window and used the tricks for wide and narrow windows mentioned above. The windows turned out great.
Then there are problems with obstructions in and around the window. The usual suspects are lighting fixtures and air condition units. Picture this: a large lighting fixture mounted two inches over the centre of a window. Or an a/c unit eight inches into the window on one side and less than two inches above the window. The homeowner dreamed of an elaborate lifted swagged treatment for her living room. It's a good thing that air condition units can be moved!
What about a column about four inches in front of the window? What about a wall dissecting the window! I am not done yet. Drum roll, please. What about no window? Yes, a room with no window. I actually had to create an illusion of a window. I did a few of these in my career. Many of these situations were a result of renovations. Mind you, there is no evidence of these "oddities" from the outside. Very often the exterior looks well-balanced and "normal."
Now let's talk proportion. I love arched windows. They look great on the outside and window treatments that honour the shape of the arch are often remarkable design successes. But what's up with those top-heavy custom-made arched windows? I have seen arched windows with two-thirds of the window being the half circle and 1/3 the rectangle beneath. This is extreme. That's when I camouflage, rather than celebrate, the lines of the window. I dare say these proportions look "interesting" from the outside as well.
Okay, enough of the whining. I can give scores of examples. These "quirks" often give the room character or inspire of a fabulous window treatment design. Treating a window successfully is more than great fabric and a great style. Especially when we have these peculiar situations, it is all about good design-balance, proportion, placement and scale. It is about a solid knowledge of mounting and installation options. It is about an understanding about how design can create illusions and transform a space. And... you got to learn to laugh!
MORE INFO
Ann Moore-Spencer
Beyond Drapery Limited
Phone: 868-678-3414
Email: beyonddrapery@tstt.net.tt
Web site: www.beyonddrapery.com
Blog: www.beyonddrapery.com/blog/
