Type of window treatments: 12 Types of Window Treatments
12 Types of Window Treatments
12 Types of Window Treatments
Updated September 14, 2022
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Looking for window treatment ideas? Meet our top 12 favorite types.
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No matter the types of windows in your home, take a look at these 12 treatments and learn about the unique features each product provides.
What Are Window Treatments?
Window treatments are anything that modifies a window—usually some sort of covering like shades or shutters that amp up a window’s look. There are so many different types of window treatments, and each one offers a different aesthetic and functionality.
1. Roman Shades
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Roman shades consist of one continuous piece of fabric, featuring horizontal folds down the length of the shade. These folds lay flat against the window when down but fold up nicely when raised, combining the soft look of fabric drapery with the functionality of a shade.
2. Shutters
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Shutters are a classic window treatment choice, adding architectural design directly to your windows. Shutters are on the lower end of custom window treatment costs but can add value to your home.
The elegant design of shutters looks attractive from both the inside and the outside.
3. Solar Shade Window Treatments
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Solar shades are also known as “window sunglasses” for their opaque design that allows you to preserve your outside view while also providing considerable light control. Available in openness factors ranging from 3 to 14 percent, you will want to choose a higher openness to let in more light and preserve your view.
4. Wood Blinds
Photo: slobo / E+ / Getty Images
Wood blinds are a classic choice for windows and outlast trends or styles.
Made of real wood, using various grains and stains, wood blinds remain durable through the years. The warm look of wood blinds pairs well with other wood furniture, flooring and trim.
5. Faux Wood Blinds
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Faux wood blinds have the same look as real wood, but are more affordable window treatments because they’re made out of PVC, vinyl or composite wood material. Faux wood blinds are also moisture resistant, making them a great choice for kitchens and bathrooms where real wood would otherwise warp and crack.
6. Cellular Shades
Photo: drewhadley / E+ / Getty Images
Cellular shades are the best insulators of all energy-efficient window treatments. They get their name and insulating properties from their fabric honeycomb cells that trap air between the window and the room. This results in heat gain in the winter and heat loss in the summer.
7. Woven Wood Shades
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Window treatment manufacturers make woven wood shades out of a variety of materials, including grasses, reeds and bamboo.
These textured shades instantly add a casual, natural feel to your space. You may add liners to increase privacy or include fabric trim to further customize the woven wood shade to your room.
8. Panel Track Blinds
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Panel track blinds are made out of a series of fabric panels that slide back and forth to give you optimal light control and privacy.
These blinds are a modern alternative to vertical blinds for covering large windows or sliding glass doors.
9. Roller Shades
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Roller shades are one of the most affordable options when it comes to covering your windows. These shades roll up neatly onto a tube, making them appear minimal and discreet when raised. With blackout and light-filtering options, you can choose the amount of light control that you wish for any given room.
10. Sheer Shades
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Sheer shades are an elegant window covering.
These popular window treatments feature two sheer fabric facings over soft fabric vanes.
When vanes are open, diffused light is let inside, and your view to the outside is preserved.
When closed, however, room-darkening styles of sheer shades will completely block out light.
11. Pleated Shades
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Pleated shades are made from a single piece of fabric with pleats that collapse and stack neatly as you raise the shade. This slat-like effect gives your home a casual, semi-sheer look that allows a considerable amount of light to filter through the window.
12. Drapery
Photo: Courtesy of Blindsgalore
Drapery adds style and elegance to your home while also providing functional light control and privacy. Panels hang vertically from hardware at the top to your desired window treatment length.
Available in many different styles, fabrics, colors and patterns, you can easily coordinate drapery to layer with any existing window treatments or simply use panels only.
Other Considerations for Custom Window Coverings
When looking at the different types of window treatments, remember that child-safe features including cordless and motorized operation are available for all categories.
Before you make a choice about which window treatment to use, consider what you will be doing in each given room. Whether you are sleeping, playing or cooking, you can customize your shade to match your style and provide all of the functions you need. However, if you want to spruce up your windows without adding drapes or shades, decorative window film, which comes in a variety of patterns and colors, can make a big visual impact for a lower cost.
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Katie is the in-house designer at Blindsgalore. She has created bright looks for windows and rooms for more than 10 years.
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14 Types of Window Treatments.
Window treatments are divided in 3… | by Anna Samygina | Basics of Interior Design
Published in
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6 min read
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Jun 13, 2016
Window treatments are divided in 3 categories:
- Hard window treatments are made of hard materials like wood or vinyl. Such as: shades, blinds and shutters.
- Soft window treatments: anything made of soft materials such as: sheers, curtains, drapes, swags, valances, roman shades – from flat to hobbled styles.
- A combination of both is called a layered window treatment.
Hard Window Treatment
Window Shutters: Louvered or fixed slats. Attached with hinges so they can be opened and shut. Made of wood or plastic. Shutters may be employed for a variety of reasons, including controlling the amount of sunlight that enters a room, to provide privacy, security, to protect against weather or unwanted intrusion or damage and to enhance the aesthetics of a building. The term window shutter includes both interior shutters, used on the inside of a house or building, and exterior shutters, used on the outside of a structure.
Woven Wood Shades
Woven wood shades, often called bamboo shades or matchstick shades, offer an exotic, natural look and are a great way to add textured, casual good look to almost any decor. Woven wood shades offer complex textures, exotic reeds, grasses, woods, and sophisticated natural colours.
Woven wood shades
Cellular shades
feature a unique honeycomb design that maximises energy efficiency and insulates home. Cellular shades come in single cell, double cell, and triple cell. They also offer different levels of light control from light filtering to blackout. Cell shapes in the blinds hold trapped air and create a barrier between the window surface and the a room which helps to keep the warmth inside during the winter. Unlike window blinds which are made of hard materials, they are made of a soft paper- or cloth-like materials. Typically spun lace and bonded polyester are used, but other fabrics can be used during the manufacturing process.
Honeycomb Design
Pleated blinds
Made from a pleated material that pull up to sit flat at the top of a window to hide from sight when open. Both Pleated and cellular blinds can have a Top Down- Bottom up Blind (An ingenious addition to the world of windows. Offers easy control of light).
Pleated blinds
Venetian Blinds
Made of wood, metal or plastic. They are suspended by strips of cloth called tapes, or by cords, by which all slats in unison can be rotated through nearly 180 degrees. The slats can be rotated such way that they overlap with one side facing inward and then in the opposite direction such way that they overlap with the other side facing inward. Between those extremes, various degrees of separation may be effected between the slats by varying the rotation. Slat width can be between 16 and 120 mm, with 25 mm being a common width.
Venetian Blinds
Vertical Blinds
Unlike horizontal blinds, vertical blinds are less likely to collect dust because they stand vertically.
Since they draw to the side rather than lifting and lowering, they operate better on doors and windows that also slide from side to side. Generally they require less muscle strength, and are faster to operate. Are an excellent solution for covering windows that are extremely wide and for patio doors as well. Fabric blinds are noise reducing and will insulate from the heat of the sun and the chill of the wind. Vertical blinds are available in flat plastic (PVC), fabric, embossed PVC, faux wood materials, metal, wood and also S-curved slats. Vertical blinds are also used for door ways in public spaces in order to keep the warmth inside the room and/or in warmer climates in order to discourage flies and some other insects from entering the building
Vertical Blinds
“Grande Perspective” vertical blinds: Give a 3D effect. Made out of PVC for total light blocking capability.
Shoji Panels
Used in Japanese decorating. Can be used as room dividers, doors and window coverings.
These screens are made of wood or bamboo with a translucent rice paper, which is porous and easily allows light into the room. It can be also used as folding screen (free- standing furniture). It consists of several frames or panels, which are often connected by hinges or by other means. It can be made in a variety of designs and with different kinds of materials.
Shoji Panels
Panel Tracks
Sometimes called sliding window panels. Offer a simple, versatile and stylish solution for sliding doors or picture windows.
Panel Tracks
Roman shades
Fabric that hangs flat when closed; folds horizontally into pleats when raised. Provides privacy, light control, and offers insulating qualities; can be made in any fabric. Roman shades are usually opened with a cord mechanism, allowing the user to adjust the height of the covered area. Many different kinds of materials, from wood to fabric, can be used to create Roman shades, as well as natural materials such as bamboo.
Roman shades
Roller Shades
Roller shades, also called roll up shades or roller blinds, are an easy and economical way to add colour, style and texture to any decor. Constructed with modern fabrics and offer simple functionality for ease of use.
Roller Shades
Drapery
Also referred to as curtains, can be used to create an elegant, casual or a sophisticated look. May draw across the rod or remain stationary on either or both sides of the window. Curtains come in a variety of shapes, materials, sizes, colours and patterns, and they often have their own sections within department stores, while some shops are completely dedicated to selling curtains. Curtains vary according to clean-ability, ultraviolet light deterioration, oil and dust retention, noise absorption, fire resistance, and life span. Curtains may be moved by hand, with cords, by press-button pads or remote-controlled computers. Measuring curtain sizes needed for each window varies greatly according to the type of curtain needed, window size, and type and weight of curtain.
Sheer Curtains (Net Curtains)
A sheer or net curtain is one that is made from translucent (sheer) fabric. The sheerness of a fabric is expressed in 3 main characteristics (extremely rare, very thin, barely visible). The materials which can be made translucent include gossamer, silk, rayon or nylon. Sheer fabric comes in a wide variety of colours, but for curtains white and shades of white, such as cream, winter white, eggshell, and ivory are popular. They are sometimes referred to as privacy curtains; during the day they allow you to see from the inside out whilst preventing people outside from seeing directly into the space.
Café curtains
straight curtains hung from rings that slide along a rod. May cover the lower portion of the window or the entire window. It is great when you need to allow lots of sight into the room while keeping lower part of the room (above dining table, or in the bedroom) private.
Café curtains
Austrian shades
Fabric shade that is gathered in scallops when down and pulls into tighter scallops when raised.
It has a touch of luxury. Can be made out of different materials including sheer fabric.
Types of glazing in Piter Windows
Modern windows are a complex engineering system. They consist of several components, each of which solves its own problems, providing unique design features and advantages. Windows differ in materials, size, shape, number of sashes, functionality. The variety of types and types of window structures allows you to choose the option for specific conditions of use.
Metal-plastic
The window block consists of a plastic profile, double-glazed windows, fittings and sealing gaskets. The functionality of a double-glazed window directly depends on its characteristics.
Opening method:
- Swivel. They open inward like normal old windows.
- Tilt and turn. On the horizontal axis – recline, along the vertical line – open wide open. Are established on windows of any form.
- Folding. The main function is ventilation, the doors open from above.
- Swing. Depending on the installed fittings, it opens in any direction.
- Shtulpovye. There is no impost – the middle partition. Installed on small windows.
- Sliding. The sashes slide along the guides, suitable for small rooms with a limited area. Used for cold (aluminum) and warm (PVC) glazing options.
Calculate the cost of windows on the calculator!
Insulating glass type
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Single chamber. Two glasses with an air cushion between them, suitable for glazing kitchens, balconies, outbuildings.
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Two-chamber. They consist of triple glass and two air layers. Provide good sound and heat insulation.
The frames are made of plastic – polyvinyl chloride, which does not collapse under the influence of solutions of alkalis, acids, detergents. Inside the frame there are from three to seven chambers with reinforcement made of galvanized steel sheet, which protect the structure from deformation.
The profile is given the desired color and the required thickness.
To give the profile tightness, seals are used that prevent precipitation and dust from getting inside. The control and fixation of the valves is carried out with the help of locking mechanisms, fittings.
According to the level of thermal insulation, windows are divided into “warm” and “cold”.
Warm
The warm glazing option will provide complete protection of the house from environmental influences, and the warm glazing of a balcony or loggia will additionally increase the usable living area.
Energy-saving double-glazed windows have from one to five chambers filled with an air gap. The greater the number of layers, the better the heat-saving characteristics of the profile. If an inert gas is used as an air layer, then it gives the maximum effect of heat saving in combination with glass, which is coated with a special coating.
Prices for warm glazing
Aluminum
Aluminum glazing is mainly used in rooms where fresh air is needed, protection from dust and rain, but the issue of heat preservation is not in the first place.
Aluminum is a light metal, fireproof, resistant to mechanical damage. Due to its durability and reliability, this method of glazing is used in the improvement of not only loggias and outbuildings, but also residential premises in areas with a mild climate.
For cold glazing, aluminum profiles with single-chamber window systems without thermal breaks, thin double-glazed windows without heat-insulating qualities or single glass are used.
Aluminum profiles are great for tilt-and-turn windows, hinged, sliding sashes and compartment windows. Due to their low weight, they are used for all types of balconies, as well as for remote glazing, due to which they increase the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe balcony by 40-50 cm.
Prices for aluminum glazing
Aluminum warm
An aluminum profile equipped with a thermal insert, a thermal break or a multi-chamber energy-saving double-glazed window will provide heat savings no worse than metal-plastic windows.
Prices for warm aluminum glazing
Other information
How to choose a PVC window
Piter Windows experts have prepared for you a simple guide to choosing the right windows among the variety offered by window companies. We will tell you about what profile classes are, and much more.
Disadvantages of wooden windows
Until recently, there was an opinion that wood is the best material for all types of windows.
When to change the PVC window
You installed PVC windows when they were still on the market, and they brought warmth and silence into the house. However, blowing has now begun, the apartment has become not so quiet, in the summer it has become unbearably stuffy …
When do you really need to replace the window, and when can you get by with repairs?
Rules for selecting windows for children’s room
We will tell you what is important to consider when choosing windows for a children’s room.
How to check the quality of plastic windows
When purchasing plastic windows, the buyer expects that they will be made and installed with high quality, that they will keep the house warm and protect from noise, and also that they will last for decades.
But sometimes things turn out differently. To avoid unnecessary expenses, you need to be able to distinguish a good window from a low-quality one.
Advantages of loggia glazing
Balcony or loggia glazing has become one of the most common types of glazing. Let’s see why?
Read the article and find out the advantages of glazing a balcony or loggia.
Which ceiling suits your apartment
Each room needs different types of stretch ceiling – depending on the purpose of the room and the interior, of course. We figure out which ceiling where to install
Opening windows
Comfortable operation of windows depends on the direction of opening the sashes. Consider the options for opening and pay attention to the nuances that arise in certain configurations.
Differences between cold and warm glazing
How to make the right choice of glazing for a balcony or loggia? What are the advantages of warm glazing and what are the advantages of cold glazing?
In the article you will find answers to these and other questions.
Plastic windows in a wooden house
Let’s talk about the advantages of choosing plastic windows for wooden houses
5 rules and 15 solutions for glazing a summer house or a country house
Are you a happy owner of a country house or dacha? Or are you planning to build? In each of the cases, sooner or later you will face the issue of high-quality glazing of both the main part of the house and additional buildings.
Reasons for replacing windows
Is window replacement always necessary? We will tell you a few cases when windows really need to be replaced with new ones.
What PVC window is made of
A plastic window is a complex engineering structure, for the reliability of which many elements are responsible. This article is for those who really want to understand the issue thoroughly.
Anti-burglary windows
According to statistics, most of the illegal penetrations into the first floors of apartment buildings and into private households occur through windows.
We offer a solution – burglar-resistant windows, which will successfully replace unaesthetic and inconvenient window grilles.
Benefits of double glazing
One of the most popular options for double-glazed windows on the plastic window market is a two-chamber one. We will understand in detail its design, advantages and disadvantages.
How to count cameras in a window profile
What kind of window profile does the seller offer you? We tell you how to check his words on a sample window and in a finished window.
Service life of plastic windows
It seems that if you install windows in an apartment, then in a hundred years nothing will happen to them. However, this is not quite true. We will tell you what determines the service life of plastic windows.
5 ways to decorate windows
We will tell you 5 ways with which your windows will look not only different from any others, but can also become a bright dominant of the interior
Choosing a double-glazed window.
Single chamber or double chamber?
The main functions of double-glazed windows are to keep warm in winter, protect from heat in summer, and minimize street noise. Which double-glazed window will cope with this better? It would seem that the answer is simple – the more cameras, the better. However, everything is not so obvious. And the experts of the company “Piter” will explain why.
Which profile to choose for plastic windows
The profile is one of the most important elements of a PVC window. It is he who determines how long and reliably the entire structure will serve.
Double-glazed windows
Looking at any window, we all agree with the statement that about 80% of the opening is occupied by a double-glazed window, and, therefore, no less requirements are imposed on it than on a profile or fittings.
Advantages of sliding balcony glazing
If you want to protect the balcony from dust and dirt, pay attention to the glazing with sliding structures.
We will tell you about all the advantages of sliding glazing.
Why plastic windows sweat
If you wondered: “Why do plastic windows sweat?”, then you have definitely been overtaken by the problem of condensation on the windows. And do not rush to complain about the manufacturer – even the highest quality and most expensive windows can “cry”, because there are a lot of reasons for the appearance of condensate.
Plastic or aluminum glazing of loggias
Glazing of balconies and loggias has become not only popular, but also necessary due to rising energy prices. In the glazed loggia, precious comfortable warmth will be preserved and an additional usable area will appear for creating a rest room, office or workshop.
Shtulpovye windows what is it
All window models differ not only in size, profile systems and type of double-glazed windows, but also in the structures used to open windows.
What determines the price of windows
Calling window companies, preliminary calculations and collecting the maximum number of offers will help you navigate the window market, but you need to understand that all offers are a guideline, since any window company, without seeing the object, names the approximate cost of the order.
How to prepare a window for summer? Practice Guide
To extend the life of the window, as well as to establish the optimal microclimate in the room, it is recommended to adjust the window fittings for winter and summer.
Fittings
In fact, this is the control system for your window, and comparison with the steering wheel of a car will not be a big exaggeration. To “steer” windows for a long time, you need to take care of high-quality fittings in advance.
How to choose soft windows
Glazing a country house or cottage is one of the important issues that homeowners have to solve.
Balcony glazing: which is better – plastic or aluminum
Almost every modern apartment has a loggia or balcony. And in order to use additional square meters in a more diverse way, it makes sense to glaze them. But the type of glazing depends on your goals. Unfortunately, not everyone knows the differences between different types of materials, so they choose “by eye”.
As a result, they get absolutely not the result that was needed. PVC and aluminum glazing are really different from each other – and understanding what exactly will help you make the right order.
How to choose a plastic window
We will tell you a few nuances that must be considered when choosing plastic windows.
What to consider when glazing a balcony
Today it is difficult to imagine a city apartment that does not have a loggia or a balcony. They have long become an integral part of modern housing. However, often we use them as a warehouse, or just spend time on them only in the summer.
Types of plastic windows
When choosing plastic windows, the main guidelines should be the technical characteristics of the future window.
After all, not only the price depends on the design features, but also the warmth and silence in the house.
Which windows are better – wooden or plastic
When it comes time to replace windows, you have to decide what is better to buy – wooden or plastic windows?
Dimensions of windows in standard houses in St.
Petersburg
To find out the dimensions of plastic windows in your apartment, find the series to which your house belongs.
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Slopes for plastic windows – what to choose
Mounting slopes – the final stage of window installation. We will tell you which slopes to choose so that you do not think about replacing them for many years and enjoy the beauty and warmth of your windows.
Slopes give the opening a beautiful look and protect from cold and moisture.
What are slopes
A slope is a part of a window opening between a wall and a frame. The slopes protect the mounting seams from moisture and destruction, prevent the formation of condensate, provide tightness, heat and noise insulation. With the help of slopes, you can emphasize the interior of the room.
They hide unaesthetic seams, mounting foam, opening defects and decorate the window.
As a rule, speaking of slopes, they mean the inner part of the window opening. But the outer slopes also sometimes need to be repaired. For them, plaster or metal is used. The range of finishes for internal slopes is more diverse. Most often, plaster, plastic or drywall are used. But there are slopes made of metal, tiles, decorative stone, wood and other materials.
Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular interior slope finishes.
Slope plaster
Slope plaster .
How to install
Several layers of plaster are applied to the surface of the slope, which level the surface. After the plaster dries, the slope is covered with putty, dried and carefully sanded. Then they paint or cover with whitewash.
Benefits
- the most economical way to finish
- a large selection of building mixtures: you can choose the option that suits the aesthetic and technical characteristics – for example, moisture-resistant or decorative plaster
- joke is not afraid of moisture and is suitable for rooms with any conditions – bathroom, unheated house or greenhouse
- easy to repair defect
- lack of seams
- suitable for non-standard windows: even in round window openings it is easy to create a smooth surface with plaster
Disadvantages a couple of years will have to make cosmetic repairs to eliminate cracks and flaking
There are no sealants that effectively isolate both plastic and plaster, so cracks often appear at the junction of the frame and the slope.
How to install
Slope drywall is a plate of gypsum with fillers covered with sheets of moisture-resistant cardboard. Usually a metal crate is installed to which drywall sheets are attached. For increased thermal insulation, a heater is placed under them. If the opening is without major chips and defects, drywall is glued with mounting foam without a crate. Then the slope is primed, puttied and painted. If you want to do without finishing, choose laminated drywall.
Advantages of
- durability: with careful handling, the slopes will last more than 20 years, just like the window
- quick and easy installation s
- easy to achieve a smooth surface: drywall is already even, you only need to putty the seams
- variety of finishes: you can choose the color and texture of the paint so that the slopes emphasize the design of the room
Disadvantages
- low moisture protection: even moisture resistant cardboard swells when exposed to water. If condensation forms on the windows, this will lead to aesthetic and technical defects
- require careful handling: if the slope is broken, then the windows will have to be refinished
- the seams must be puttied and painted
- the joint between the window and the slope is leaking, as in the case of plastering
If condensation forms on the windows, this will lead to aesthetic and technical defects 9000 2
Plastic slopes
Slope trim with plastic panels .
How to install
Double-sided sandwich panels are used for window slopes – polystyrene insulation coated with plastic. The panel is installed on mounting foam, all seams are coated with liquid plastic: it is the same color as the slope and window, and is more durable than sealant. The contour of the window opening is closed with a plastic corner in the color of the slope.
Please note: experts do not recommend the use of single-sided or wall plastic panels for slope finishing.
They are fragile and hollow inside. If you choose this option, you will have to additionally insulate the slope and spend more time and money on installation.
Benefits
- quick installation without debris and dust
- no finishing required seal seams
- not afraid of water
- easy to clean
- ideal option when you change only the window without repairing the whole room
- corner goes over the wallpaper and protects them along the contour of the window opening
- a wide range of designs: you can choose slopes of different colors or with a “wood effect” coating
Disadvantages
- if the plastic is damaged, you will have to change the entire panel spoil the appearance of the window
Which slopes to choose
Due to the long and dirty finish, plaster is now used less and less. When repairing apartments and houses, plasterboard or plastic slopes are chosen because of the installation time, heat and sound insulation, durability and the ability to decorate them to your liking.
When choosing, be guided by the functions of the room and your aesthetic preferences.
Order turnkey windows at the Breathing Windows Factory: specialists will not only install the window, but also mount the slopes with high quality. Leave a request for a consultation, the manager will answer all your questions and sign up for a free measurement.
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How to choose a window sill for a plastic window
The window sill isolates the junction of the window and the wall from cold and moisture. In addition, this is an interior element that will not only complement the design solution, but also add functionality: you can place flowers and decor on the windowsill or make it part of the countertop in the office and a continuation of the working area in the kitchen.
How to install a mosquito net on a plastic window?
The most practical and popular are mosquito nets on a frame – they keep their shape well and protect against insects for a long time, and they are also relatively inexpensive.