On the stair landing of a Chevy Chase home, Hawthorn designed a Roman shade made from B. Berger cotton fabric embellished with an appliqué that resembles a work of art. The shade is trimmed in Dupioni silk from Carole. © Kenneth M.Wyner
No decorative element completes a room more dramatically than window treatments. From billowy sheers to elegant draperies to sleek shades, this important touch is also an investment—and as such, it’s best to get things right the first time.
“Know what you want the window treatment to do,” advises McLean-based designer Barbara Hawthorn. “Should it take center stage or is it part of the background? Some window treatments are like art.”
According to Rockville Interiors owner Ilan Fulop, “People are going for fabric-based window treatments, with colorful, large-scale patterns.” He adds that motorized solutions are also popular. “It’s easy to put a motor on a shade, so it’s operable with a time-clock app. We do it often.”
Recent trends are towards lighter, more practical fabrics. “Applications are simpler and cleaner,” says Gretchen Everett, whose custom drapery workroom in Silver Spring does a booming business among DC-area interior designers. “We are seeing a lot of indoor-outdoor fabrics. And sheers are at the forefront.”Another change: innovative hardware, which Everett also designs.
When it comes to window treatments, there are so many choices, says Everett, homeowners should adhere to her philosophy: “Keep it simple and make it beautiful.”