Shades of grandeur : The Tribune India

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Sukhmani

Window treatments can be the icing on the cake of any interior plan. Balloon shades lend an old world charm and a sense of grandeur to any room. Balloon shades spell opulence. Large balloon like puffs are created by inverting pleats in the fabric and repeating them several times over the expanse of a window, allowing the material to scallop at the bottom. Although beautiful to have they serve more purpose as decorative elements on a window than a more practice one. They need tall windows; so if you have short windows, you can fake it by hanging them way above the top of the window. Balloon shades take a lot of yardage and are thus more costly to make but are worth the money if a rich Victorian look is what you are looking for.

Every great room deserves great window treatments. An arched window opening is the perfect setting for these kinds of shades. Should you want an even more formal feel, lower your balloon shade further. The more fabric that is exposed, the more formal the window treatment appears. These are ideal for windows where full coverage isn't necessary. Although they are more suited in traditional settings you can still have Roman shades in a more modern setup. All you need to do for that is choose a lighter fabric like cotton, linen, silk or sheer with an electric print. The curtain fabric choice depends on the functional purpose of your window as well as the theme of the room. Decorative fabrics in solid colours and with fine horizontal or vertical patterns showcase the beauty of window decorating designs, enhancing the classic style. Large details and fabric prints can be simply lost in ruffles. Pastel colours and neutral colour shades, such as pale pink, milky white, light blue, lavender or pistachio tones, are versatile and offer pleasant colour design ideas for your window decorating.

Balloon curtains look amazing with ruffles or lush design at the bottom. You can enrich these window treatment designs by contrasting colours, decorative tassels, fringes and cords. Playful ruffles set cheerful and festive mood in living rooms and kitchens, and add a romantic feel to bedroom decorating ideas.

So...go ahead and give it a try and I promise, you will love the look!!

(Sukhmani is a Chandigarh-based interior and landscape designer)