Windows let natural light into a room, creating a bright, cheerful airy environment. Natural light has many health benefits, including fostering better sleep and an improved mood for those inside your home.
While window treatments should provide privacy, they should also let in natural light for a beautiful environment. Take a look at these four ways to use window treatments to not only create privacy but also allow natural light in.
Layer Heavy Curtains With Sheers
During the day, sheer curtains will provide the privacy you need while letting in filtered, natural light. Also, sheers will allow a breeze to blow fresh air into your home if you open the window. Once the sun goes down, the heavier curtains can be drawn to keep the outside world from looking in. By using blackout curtains, you can also darken a bedroom for a daytime nap.
To maintain an airy feeling in the room, choose a light, cheerful color for the heavier curtains. As long as the fabric is thick, it will provide privacy at night.
Window Blinds
Blinds come in a variety of styles and materials, from plastic, wood, or metal blinds, to light-filtering honeycomb blinds. To keep a room light and bright, stick with white blinds, rather than dark wood or dark-colored blinds. Light-filtering honeycomb blinds are specifically made to create a bright and beautiful environment.
Pleated day/night blinds have two layers, a semi-sheer layer that lets light in, and an opaque layer to block light. The layers can be raised and lowered separately, or together for a full, open view.
Window blind installation is usually fairly easy, only requiring a screwdriver and drill. However, if you have tall or hard-to-reach windows, you may want to have a professional take care of the installation. Before you buy your blinds, make sure you have accurate measurements.
Vertical Blinds
Often made of fabric—though sometimes of plastic or metal—vertical blinds are great for sliding glass doors. These floor-to-ceiling blinds hang from a ceiling track, and are closed to the side, rather than up and down like typical window blinds. Vertical window blind installation is easy, with a few simple tools and accurate measurements.
Shutters
Wide, white plantation shutters can give a room a bright, tropical feeling. When open, the wide louvers let in plenty of light. When closed, they provide the ultimate privacy while also insulating the windows. Before ordering plantation shutters, make sure your measurements are accurate. Like blinds, shutters can be easily installed with a few common hand tools.
Beautifying your home with natural light is easy when you use the right window treatments. By choosing the right window treatments in your home, you can improve the comfort of your home while also preserving your family’s privacy.
About the author:
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.