Window Illusions - the "Magic" of Window Treatments

Do you live in the perfect house where windows are
symmetrical, evenly spaced, logically located and
aesthetically pleasing? Wait, don't answer that. I will -
you don't - none of us really do. The majority of homes
have windows that are not placed exactly where or how we
might want them. And sometimes it takes a bit of
imagination to make the look perfect.

Color is your friend! Think of the walls in your home as
your Artist's canvas. Even if you don't care about the
beauty of your rooms and windows, you still need window
coverings for a variety of other reasons: privacy, light,
heat and UV damage control, and even to control noise
levels. Just a little information about how colors work can
give you added dimension in your rooms as well. Dark colors
draw your eye, and seem closer to you. Lighter colors push
back away from you and seem to disappear. To give a room
some depth, use color to prevent having a "flat " feeling
in the room. Think about a room where the walls are painted
in light tones. If you have a room where you want window
treatments to be noticed as a focal point, you should use
darker hues of the colors you like. To leave window
coverings unnoticed, go with lighter colors - even matching
the wall colors as closely as possible. The reverse will be
true if the walls are painted in darker shades. Rooms where
"tone on tone" or similar colors are used throughout the
room, can feel too monotonous for some tastes, but others
love the simplicity. You decide what happens within your
own walls.

Use walls to your advantage. Another way to create an
illusion with window coverings is by placement of drapery
panels and valances. You can take an unevenly centered
window and hang the draperies further into the wall area,
beyond the edge of an ill-placed window, evening out the
wall space. To make a window appear larger, or taller, you
can hang draperies to the left and right of the window, and
not into the window space at all. Vertical Stripes draw the
eye to the ceiling and make draperies appear longer.
Horizontal lines will make windows seem shorter and keeps
your eye lower on the wall. You can also create the
illusion of a curved window by placing a curved shape at
the bottom of a cornice or valance. What were once boring,
rectangular windows, now take on a much more interesting
shape, giving character to the room.

Get in the mood. Dark colors tend to give rooms warmth that
causes us to feel safe and cozy. Lighter colors also create
a feeling in our minds: airy and open. Think about the mood
you want to generate in each area of your home when you
select window coverings for the rooms. Some colors
stimulate your brain, others can put you to sleep. Shades
of red in a bedroom may keep you awake during the day, but
in the dark, red absolutely disappears. Lighter colors show
up at night and in low light. Light affects colors more
than any other single factor. Light also affects you and
how you feel, even though you may not consciously pay
attention to its influence.

So now that you know little "tricks" to make your windows
more interesting - which one will you use?

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Vita Vygovska, Owner of V2K Window Décor and More, a
full-service custom window treatment company, will
transform your ordinary window to extraordinary with
professionalism from beginning to end. To set an
appointment or receive your free Special Report: Top 10
Know How's on Custom Window Treatments plus the 'Curtain
Call' ezine, visit http://www.vita.v2k.com .