If you're looking for a bang-for-your buck decorating tip, you might be staring right through it! We're talking about your windows, and more specifically, the treatments around them.
Draperies and shades are highly functional decor items that often get relegated to the "if we have money left over" side of the decorating equation. And this is where we tell you to reconsider your math. Window coverings can decorate an entire wall just like a piece of art; but they also provide privacy, light filtration and energy savings. This is much more than can be said for a framed picture or painting.
Last week we stopped by Dan Kugler's Design Center, the leader in window treatments in the Washington area and our exclusive provider. Dan showed us how window treatments soften up a room by adding texture and depth to the space. "What we really do is make a house a very inviting home," he told us. "When you walk into a room, you say 'Wow.' Our work is more art than accessories." We tend to agree. The right window treatments make a room look polished and complete, even if there is nothing else on the walls.
Before you get images of Vivian Leigh and her green velvet curtains stuck in your head, know that there are many contemporary and transitional options on the market today. In fact, Dan and his designers told us that the popular trend right now is clean, classic, and timeless. Many customers are ordering simple side panels with gorgeous rods.
If you want to hang your draperies like a pro, Dan recommends hanging the rod just below the crown molding to add drama to your room and make the ceilings look higher. No crown molding? No problem! The do-it-yourself crowd's natural instinct is to hang the rod just above the window frame, but Dan typically looks to hang the rod somewhere between the window frame and the ceiling in order to give height to the room.
New EYA townhouse and condo buyers can roll the cost of their window treatments into their mortgage when purchasing with Dan Kugler's Design Center. This financing option is available regardless of window treatment selection, from faux-wood blinds to Hunter Douglas shades to draperies using to-the-trade-only fabrics available at Dan's design center.
For more information on Dan Kugler's Design Center, visit their website. Kugler's on-site designers offer full design services, as well as custom window coverings, furniture, bedding and floor coverings. For folks ordering a full suite of window treatments, Dan may bring one of Kugler's designers to your home to help with a few non-window decor ideas as well. If you're interested in Dan's custom furniture offering, check out Adriana Hoyos, the few pieces Dan showed us were amazing!