The window is that part of the home that tends to prove difficult for home decorators. Visually, window treatments help set the scale of a room by either emphasizing the shape and location of a window, or by diminishing and streamlining its presence.
Over embellishing a window in a smaller room will crowd the occupant, while the same is true for the reverse. An understated window in a larger room will look out of balance and work against any larger decorative scheme, no matter how harmonious the rest of the room.
Curtains and blinds also have a decorative effect by adding punctuation to a room. Vibrantly coloured or textured curtains will add exclamation and embolden your decor, while muted blinds will tone down a heavily designed room by allowing a design element such as a rug or wallpaper to take center stage.
But it's not just a question of style or vision - window treatments also serve very practical functions. They determine the amount of light allowed into a room, allow access to ventilation, and add a layer of privacy between you and the outside world.
If all windows were a uniform shape and size, and all windows faced the same direction in the same size rooms, well then decorating them wouldn't be as intimidating. The only thing you'd need to worry about was whether or not they matched the room.
To make it easy on myself, I tend to stick to one type of window treatment for all of my window covering needs. No matter the type of room, size of window, or decorating style - a floor to ceiling linen drape is often the quickest and most affordable solution. And it's not just convenience that draws me to these curtains, they also look incredible. They can be lined, unlined, lightweight, or heavy, all without changing the visual effect on the room. By extending beyond the margins of the window they create a sense of balance and uniformity, even when covering the entire wall.
While most popular through the 70's and into the early 80's, floor to ceiling linen drapes offer a timeless elegance and sophistication which complements nearly every decorating scheme and architectural style.
Here, mined from the Supreme Interiors archive, are ten inspiring examples for your viewing pleasure...
