While we were looking for a designer to talk about window coverings, friends suggested Kim Smart of Smart Interiors in San Diego.
She does every kind of interior design, including customized window treatments. Her YouTube channel features scads of short 5-minute videos of design tips. One is about – you guessed it – how to hang draperies. We wanted to know more about window work.
Q: What is the most important function of a window covering?
A: For most people, it is about privacy and light control, but window coverings can also complete the design of the room. As a finishing touch, window coverings can add warmth and texture and coordinate with the upholstery. We can use fabric panels, shades, shutters and blinds.
Q: What are the most common mistakes people make about window coverings?
A: People tend to buy a rod that is the width of the window and install them right on top of the molding. The rod for the draperies and valances should be 10 to 12 inches longer than the width of the window and be installed nine to 12 inches above the top. The extra height draws the eye up and the additional width makes the window look larger. When people see how it looks, they say they wish they had done it sooner.
It’s the same rule for valances. A valance for the kitchen window can be placed high enough so that only a sliver of the window is covered. That results in more natural light and no loss of the outside view.
Q: Are there fads in window coverings, like lace curtains? In the’90s, plantation shutters seemed to be the rage, and now everyone wants horizontal blinds. I confess I did a few windows in our house with faux wood Venetian blinds. Big mistake.
A: Wood blinds were a trend for a while, but they are really heavy. When they are lifted up completely, it makes a thick stack of vanes, and that blocks the view. Worse, in the sun they can start peeling, and the pull cords break from the weight.
Shutters are still around and are a good choice. I’ve designed in San Diego for 15 years and I haven’t seen a lace curtain yet.
Q: What do you think about vertical blinds? A few years ago, we saw vertical blinds that are nestled in fabric panels as a possibly cheaper alternative to some of the high-end sheer draperies.
A: I don’t like them; they are too big and cumbersome. A better solution is the Silhouette, which has movable vanes inside two sheer fabric panels. They are out of sight when rolled up into its casement box. For soft, filtered light, draw the blinds down leaving the vanes in an open position. For privacy, close the vanes. It is a simple and clean look, and it comes in lots of different colors.
Roller shades are also a good choice. They are operated by a side pull cord and can be installed inside the recessed wall around the window. The only problem is when you pull them down, you can’t see out or in.
Q: What should we know about draperies and how to make them look good?
A: If the drapery panels are made right, they will have a lining that protects against sunlight. The challenge is to make sure they hang well and not look too thin or skimpy. A lining made of felt fabric gives extra weight, so they hang nicely and look great.
Q: Is there anything brand-new in the world of window treatments?
A: In my 20 years, window treatments have not changed. What does change is the type of fabrics and colors. Curtains, roller and Roman shades, valances, blinds and shutters have been around for a long time. Woven wood shades made several decades ago are still in good shape.
Q: Do traverse rods still use the same cord and pully system to move clips or pins across a track to open and close the panels?
A: Yes, but we now have a lot of decorative wood and iron rods and finials to choose from. Instead of hanging fabric along the bottom, there are wooden rods with the slot for the track in the back, so you don’t see the traverse mechanism.
We sew the various pleat styles in drapery panels the way we always have.
Q: You started on the East Coast. Is there a difference in what people want for their windows here?
A: People on the East Coast aren’t afraid of vivid colors, and they tend to be much more elaborate with layers, trims and tiebacks. In SoCal, we tend to be simpler and cleaner. Fabrics are lighter and brighter and not fussy at all.
Q: Should all the window treatments in a home be the same? I would guess not.
A: I just finished installing the final treatments for the windows of an 8,000-square-foot Spanish Mediterranean home with seven bedrooms in La Jolla. Several bedrooms have draperies that open from the center. Some people like drapery panels to open from one side but I like the symmetry and balance of a center opening. One of the bedrooms has shutters and the kitchen windows have valances. Looking out the dining room window, though, you see the neighbor’s house. We used stationary panels that allow light in while blocking the view.
Q: I’m recalling how I used to just thread a pole pocket curtain onto a rod and how inconvenient it was to open or close. A cord to pull sounds great to me.
A: There is a growing demand for custom window treatments for that and other reasons.
You asked earlier about trends, and I thought of one. More people are asking for motorized draperies that they can operate with a remote or smartphone.
Catherine Gaugh is a freelance writer.
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