Window Treatments

Window Treatments | Style Stories



Darren Palmer has a broad portfolio, having studied fine art & graphic design, originally working in advertising and owning his own graphic design company. After succumbing to his true passion, Darren now operates his own interior design studio and has been a judge on numerous seasons of The Block.


1.   Can you mix and match window treatments throughout your home?

Absolutely, and in fact you should. Some windows will benefit from a plantation shutter or venetian blind, allowing for the alteration of light and views to suit. Other rooms will need to have a block out solution, such as a blind or drape; whilst other spaces will need some privacy that can be achieved with a sheer curtain or blind. You can pair drapes with blinds, blinds with other transparency levels of blinds and use the appropriate type on the right kind of window or door.

2.   What window treatments do you recommend for a kitchen?

Within a kitchen you need to think about the hazards of the environment. There is steam and smoke and grime that builds up with the tasks performed within a kitchen, so whatever window treatment you use needs to be easy to clean.

That might mean that you use a roller blind or two levels of roller blind should you need a semi-transparent/ translucent and block out option. You could look at a venetian blind, though the blades can be laborious to clean in a high use space. A plantation shutter will be that much easier to clean with the same benefits of being able to alter and control the levels of light and views into and out from the window.

3.   What window treatments do you recommend for a bathroom?

Bathrooms are perhaps the most demanding environments within a home and for that reason the appropriate choices for window treatments for them are decidedly slim.

The steamy environment means that the material needs to be water resistant. It would be ideal if the material is also mould resistant or at least very easy to clean. For those reasons, the best window treatment for bathrooms is something that can assist ventilation of the room and control privacy levels. Something like a plantation shutter suits both those purposes, as too would a wider slat, synthetic material venetian blind. Roller blinds made from mould and moisture resistant materials could do the job, though be sure that you don’t gather condensation on them and then roll them up. The same is true for Roman blinds, which if cared for and made from the right materials would be a workable if not ideal solution.

4.   What window treatments do you recommend for a bedroom?

Bedrooms are really amongst the easiest to find solutions for, the ideal solution depending on what your challenges and desires are.

If you need daytime privacy you will need a semi-transparent/semi-translucent level of sheer. That sheer could be a panel, a blind or a curtain. If you need night-time privacy, a full block out material, that will also help manage morning light levels is recommended, which can be achieved with a roller blind, roman blind, venetian, plantation shutter or curtain. If you need both, your solutions are to either marry up one of each of the sheer and block out solutions, or an exciting new innovation offered by Carpet Court , Veri Shades. Veri Shades have the best features of a vertical blind, but with the beautiful, linear softness of an undulating sheer drape, to provide daytime privacy as well as night.


5.   What window treatments do you recommend for dining and living areas?

Living areas are really about mood and ambience, as well as access to outlooks but privacy from being seen whilst going about your day-to-day life. Sheer curtaining or blinds work well for daytime privacy. You’ll want a night-time privacy option, just like in the bedroom, though morning daylight light fastness isn’t as large of a concern. Veri Shades becomes the perfect solution in this instance also as you get the moody ambience of a long drape and the versatility of day and night-time privacy built into one elegant, continuous line of drape like appearance.

6.   How do you scheme your window treatments?

I like to think of them as another option for interest and contrast, so I like to create two layers - one with sheer, one with block out. My personal favourite has got to be the gently, uniform undulation of a drape, though the Veri Shades can replicate that look very effectively, needing only one layer instead of two, if you don’t have the space for a double track above your external openings.

7.   What window treatments have you used in your home?

I have a mixture of two levels of drape, full height, wall to wall to create drama and impact. I love a white sheer pared with a coloured drape. I think that gives the best opportunity to add softness and textural interest, as well as a softening shape to otherwise hard looking window and door openings.

Window Treatments | Style Stories

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