Shades of Shades

Just as window treatments in general encompass a plethora of materials and styles, window shades can come in a range of diverse looks and executions. Compatible with virtually any decorating and architectural style, shades can be clean-lined and simple or highly decorative and intricately shaped. They can be translucent or opaque, flat or rounded, patterned or solid.

Balloon valance window treatment
©Butterick Company, Inc.
A balloon valance shade, all the embellishment this window needs,
conveys traditional decor with its jewel-toned fabric.

For a palatial living room that recalls the grand halls of Europe, a sheer shade may be all that's needed at the window, allowing the furnishings and architecture to command full respect. In a living room on a more normal scale, shades can call more of the decorating shots as the focal point, with their exuberant pleats and folds.

Translucent shade window treatments
©Draper Shade & Screen Company, Inc.
Translucent shades on arched windows filter the harsh
rays of the sun without obscuring the view.

For more decorating ideas around the home, see: