If your windows have the blahs, consider dressing them up with blinds or drapes. Adding a rich fabric or a sleek metal blind can do wonders for your home and provide a quick home improvement fix for you. The tricky part is…how do you decide between these two popular window treatment styles?

Choosing Window Treatments

The answer depends on your style and the size and shape of the windows. Blinds typically are more casual window treatments, well-suited for a bathroom or kitchen where the high style of draperies is not the norm. They really fit in any room, but the focus is on showing the woodwork around the window and simply blocking the light and sprucing up the window.

Blinds also are ideal for tight spaces where there just isn’t room for stacking the fabric along the window casing. A kitchen window above the countertop is just one example. In home improvement land, this is called making the best of what you have.

When one gets into drapes as a window treatment, the look changes. Drapes can be floor length or hang to just below the window framing. These often provide more energy efficiency, as they can block harmful sun rays and keep the chill out of the house. While drapes are sold at many stores, there also are online window treatment sites that let you design your own. This is great if you’ve got odd shaped windows that just won’t mesh with store bought standard sizes.

Window Treatments: A Word of Caution

Before buying window treatments, consider your skill in installation. Will you need a contractor to help or can you install them yourself? Many blinds are easy to install with a drill and screw driver. Some drapes that are heavy and will be mounted on long rods might require a contractor or handyman’s help.

Now, the hard part is selecting the color, pattern, and style–fodder for another day!