Window Coverings - They Matter More Than You Think

I’m not an interior designer. I would love to think I am, or go to school to be one, or get paid to be an assistant to one.  But, alas, I am not. 

I have, however, read a lot of books on design and space utilization. I understand the basics of color application, use of voids, and the whole color-texture-and bling concept. I’ve spent more than a passing afternoon on building and painting and designing my living spaces and would like to think I’m pretty good at it.

 

And while all of this sounds very high brow, and while the decision for what window coverings to use in your tiny space should be very easy; when you’re starting from scratch like I did, there are actually a LOT of considerations for choosing window coverings.

Here are some of mine:

My Inspiration

I started with fabric.  When starting an interior design plan, it’s a good idea to find a piece of fabric that embodies your overall design theme.  Flowered? Colorful? Modern? Bright? Neutral?  This fabric then becomes the basis for your overall design and from there on out the rest of the choices are easier.  You can choose paint colors, complimentary fabrics, fixtures, and even artwork using your fabric inspiration as your baseline.

 

Where it all started...

 

I chose a very modern aesthetic with a neutral cream and grey theme. The squares in the fabric were then repeated throughout my design with the tile and the storage boxes and even the “boxy looking” window trim.

Curtains or Blinds

Decorating a tiny space is a bit more challenging than a “normal” house with doors and individual rooms. When you have a normal house you can design individual rooms with their own color scheme or design theme.  Since most of the space in my tiny house is basically one big room I wanted to make them visually unique and yet blend well.

Since I have 11 windows in my tiny space, choosing a window covering that would blend well with any of my individual room choices was key.  And, since my theme was “Modern Nostalgia” I decided to go with cellular fabric blinds.  They would be less obtrusive than curtains, but yet still provide a soft glow and privacy.  I also hate, simply HATE, cheap metal blinds. If I would have been forced to use duct tape and bed sheets for window coverings until I could afford what I wanted, I would have.

 

Basic But Beautiful!

 

With that said, I love to sew curtains. But, since I wanted the window coverings to blend, rather than stand out, and since I have so many windows, having 11 sets of curtains in such a small space would have been visually quite heavy.

Where To Buy Blinds

Big Box stores are good for a lot of things.  Helping you make key design decisions is not one of them.  (in my experience anyways)  If, like me, your creative process involves staring at swatches for days and painting walls just to see how they would look with a particular color, then you’d probably appreciate Blind.com’s methods of helping you make a decision.

Their catalog is dizzingly large and amazing.  If you have questions about how to choose one blind style over another you can call them or watch videos.  Your level of engagement is entirely up to you.  Personally, I like to have my hands held while I walk through that kind of decision.

 

A snapshot of their selection page

 

I chose 12 different colors / styles of blinds and they immediately (the same day) sent me actual samples of each.  I fiddled with my decision for, literally, months. After endless discussions with myself and a day spent measuring and re-measuring the windows, I was finally ready. I emailed them the sizes, they sent me the order to confirm that no data entry errors had occurred between my email and their computer, and the blinds arrived within 2 weeks.

Easy Peasy!

Once I received the blinds, the installation was very simple.

Step One:  Screw the two or three brackets (depending on the size) to the top of the window.

Step Two: Snap the blind into place.  No joke. It was one of the easiest parts of my entire build.

 

 

So easy, a dummy can do it!

 

Step Three: (Optional) If you choose blinds with cords, you then screw the cord “wrangler” to the window frame.  No more dangling cords!?  Yep.  Problem solved

Oops!

I discovered that I had measured the kitchen window correctly, but a “1” looks a lot like a “7” when scribbled on a piece of scrap paper.  I ordered a 46 - 7/8” blind when I needed a 46 – 1/8” one.  They made a new one and sent it to me NO CHARGE!  They told me I could keep the other blind and donate it to charity or give it to a friend.  I can honestly say that kind of service is truly rare and I appreciate the lengths that Blinds.com goes to, to make the whole experience as great as possible.

 

I love my kitchen!

All the Final Touches

I love how my cream colored blinds blend in to the background, but stand out against the grey walls.  I love how their subtle texture provides depth and interest and a touch of class.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cordless blinds in the loft that can close from the top or bottom with the slightest of touch. They were so easy to install, they look amazing, and they’re warm and inviting even from the outside view!

 

 

I’ll never buy my Blinds from anyone but Blinds.com.  Ever.  And you shouldn’t either.  :o)~