A custom window treatment can be a beautiful focal point in your room. It can add interest and complement your room’s architectural shapes and bring all the colors in the room together. But have you considered whether it will give you enough privacy?

For someone who has never owned a custom window treatment before, all those unique shapes, colors and accents that make a custom window treatment so special can become overwhelming. However, before considering the different designs you should determine what your windows need.

To make a home appealing, many of the larger windows of a home face the front of the house. Unfortunately, this can make some families very uncomfortable and many front-facing rooms such as dining rooms or dens end up never being used. If you like light but need privacy as well, there are plenty of solutions. Many of our clients come to us with this problem, but also the expectation that any window treatments that they will buy will completely block out the light in their room, a trade-off that they must make. Actually, it doesn’t have to be that way. Many window treatments can open up your space instead of leaving it dark. In fact, there are window treatments that will make a room even brighter while at the same time giving it privacy. The key is to pick very light-colored or vividly colored fabrics and opt for regular lining alone instead of blackout lining or interlining. You’d be amazed at how much light something like an Austrian shade in a snow-white color can add to a room. Likewise, many cotton fabrics with a white or brightly colored background can accomplish a similar effect. One thing that you should remember is that light alone doesn’t open up a space. Color combinations are of major help as well. If your room is dark despite using pale wall colors or additional lighting, it might be helpful to move away from neutrals and consider fabrics with playful colors such as yellow, orange, or mint for your custom window treatments.

Once you pick a color combination that will least compromise the amount of light in a room and its design, picking the right window treatment for privacy is quite simple.

There are many types of window treatments that can give you privacy. The following are just a few of the many ideas out there:

• Shades - Shades are drawn up and down by a cord. Most people prefer to keep a shade rolled up during the day to let light in and roll it down when dusk sets. However, you have to consider that the longer a shade gets, the more it resembles a panel than a shade. We mention that to many of our clients and with reason. Many of our clients ask us about custom shades for very long windows. For the most part, it’s possible. However, in many cases making a long shade would compromise its shape. For example, a relaxed Roman shade cannot be too long because the fabric gets too heavy to support its shape. A balloon shade loses its voluminous appearance when it’s too long. A London shade does the same as do many other shades. For that reason, you will find that many of our shades have a limit as far as the customizable lengths. We have many other alternatives that accommodate long windows. We have many products with pleats and offer shades with more structure.

  We classify our shades as either functional shades or decorative shades. Functional shades have less detail and are usually rectangular in shape. They can be made very long because they are strong enough to keep their shape. Decorative shades are shades such as balloon shades, London shades, or relaxed Roman shades. They cannot be too long because they lose their shape. The focal point in decorative shades is their bottom section, such as a festoon or pouf. Even if it were physically possible for decorative shades to keep their shape and accommodate a floor-length window completely, the last thing you should do is have a window treatment that draws the eyes down because its focal point is close to the floor. Keep in mind that if you have a floor-length window, you don’t have to cover it completely to have privacy. Sometimes covering only two thirds or three fourths will give you enough privacy.

• Draperies - Draperies are more lenient and can fit any window size. From short draperies that stop at the window sill to tall two-story draperies, there is no length that isn’t possible. If you need privacy, the most important factor to consider is coverage. A drapery must be wide enough to cover your entire window width if you need privacy. A pair of single width draperies won’t help you much if your window is 120 inches wide. You can read more on how to choose the correct drapery width by clicking here.
  
  One last thing to consider is how you will draw your draperies. A rod pocket drapery is a hassle to draw on a daily basis. If your window is tall, it’s impossible. For your convenience, draperies that are installed onto curtain rings are a much easier option.
• Cafe Curtains - Cafe curtains aren’t just for the kitchen anymore. With today’s custom options, cafe curtains don’t have to be primitive white curtains that hang above a sink. They can be made with pleats, such as the pinch pleated cafe curtains shown on the right, and paired up with a simple valance or rich swag. Cafe curtains are an easy and sophisticated way to gain privacy without losing any light. For a laid back dining area or a country-style study area or bedroom, cafe curtains may be a great solution.

Shades, draperies and cafe curtains are only a few of the many options that are available. They are only a sample of all the different options out there that only “custom” can offer.