How to Choose the Best Blackout Curtains and Window Coverings for Your Alberta Home
For anyone with a summer in Alberta, this is the name of the game: Fall asleep after a long day, when the sun is still out, or wake up to sunlight before your alarm goes off.
As much as we appreciate our long summer days (especially after Canadian winters), they can make it harder to get a good night's sleep.
The positive is that the proper window coverings, blackout curtains, and blinds can make a huge difference. They also offer privacy, regulate the temperature in a room, block UV rays on your furniture, and bring a room together, to name a few.
These are some of our favorite window covering ideas and tips for making the perfect eye-catching and practical window covering.
Use window coverings to enhance privacy and reduce glare.
Layering is one of our favorite window covering design hacks and is a great way to make light-blocking window coverings beautiful.
In bedrooms, layering is especially effective to allow natural light in during the day and darkness at night. A blackout roller shade along with full-length curtains or custom drapery has it all. During the night, set the shade to hotel levels of darkness and during the day, open it to allow the sun to shine.
Additionally, layering will help insulate your windows, making your rooms cooler on Alberta afternoons, and add softness and texture to your room.
Blackout Curtains Don't Have to Be Heavy and Boring
Consumers tend to associate the terms “blackout curtains” and “blackout blinds” with dark-colored, thick fabrics. Fortunately, that's not the case anymore these days.
Today's blackout curtain fabrics, shades, and curtains are available in gorgeous colors, fabrics and special finishes. They can be used to set up the room that will be the focus behind the scenes when paired with decorative drapery.
Window treatments are also an opportunity to exhibit some character. Color and texture can be added with accent panels, patterned fabrics, or textures without dominating the room.
Let the Light In Where It Matters
Blackout window coverings aren't always necessary in all rooms. While blackout shades work well for bedrooms and nurseries, soft natural light in the living room, kitchen and dining area can work best.
Sheer curtains and drapery make the bright afternoon sun of Alberta less harsh and keep your home bright and airy. They are also very low maintenance in terms of glare off the screen and move with ease in the wind with the windows open.
For blinds, we love roller shades that have a soft linen look to them or Duette shades to offer a top down or bottom-up look. These are excellent as they provide privacy while also allowing natural light to enter.
Create a Coordinated Look Throughout Your Home
If you're looking for window treatments in multiple rooms, consistency is important.
We strongly recommend that you use the same type of roller shades or curtains throughout the front or back of your house, then install different types of curtains, blind fabrics, or blackout shades in each room to fit the specific use.
Well coordinated window coverings present a coordinated, timeless and thoughtful look, while not making each room appear uniform.
Looking for Window Coverings That Work as Good as They Look?
The best window coverings do more than block light. They assist in sleeping better, provide privacy, maintain a comfortable environment, shield furniture from UV rays, and complete a room in a functional and aesthetic manner.
We at Rochelle Cote Interior Design (RCID) design beautiful, functional, and personal homes that will last a lifetime. We are a Calgary residential interior design company and specialize in custom home building and interior renovations, including interior selections, custom millwork design, and packages for interior finishes.
We love to help when you are building a new home, renovating or freshening up a space!
