The Big Reveal: Window Treatment Transformation

My Dining Room Transformation

I've written a few blogs on how to choose window treatments for your home, described different treatments, and how (and why) to layer them. By reading those, you'd think my own home is very put together. Well, you know the story about how the shoemaker's kids have no shoes? I am no exception! Finding time for my own home is difficult. Most of the rooms in my home are what I call finished, and the rest are waiting patiently (along with my husband).

This month I'm inviting you into my own home and sharing the details of my dining room transformation. The before photos, the decision making process, and of course, the results.

The Before: A Window in Need of Help

We were completely renovating our dining room: changing from carpet to hardwood, choosing new color schemes, painting cabinets,  and new table and chairs. That was the easy part. What to do with the window presented a challenge. There was very little wall space on either side of the window, and too much above. We also wanted a less formal look than the swags with sheers and panels we had previously.

GOALS: We love the amount of natural light that comes in through the almost 12' wide South facing window. What we don't love is the heat that comes in during the summer months. The window also overlooks the driveway and a busy road. A 1920's farmhouse, the dining room is one of the main rooms in the house and is centrally located, so heat control and privacy were main issues to be addressed.

The Thought Process:  How the Design Was Chosen

We knew we didn't want traversing drapery panels. The traversing sheers and drapery panels we had previously worked well to block the heat and provide privacy, but didn't allow for light to come in. Additionally, the panels covered the glass too much when they were open. Inside mounted Top Down Bottom Up Roman shades were what we needed, but the large space above the window would need to be addressed.

For the top treatment, I decided on a banded cornice that would extend from the ceiling to just below the window frame and curve slightly down at the sides. The bottom curves gently to a point at the center, where a design element was added.  

Stationary side panels were included to frame the window. 

After the designs were decided on, the fabrics were chosen.  A beautiful botanical print in brown, apricot and wheat for the side panels and cornice would compliment the chocolate brown in the dining room and the earth tones in the connecting living room. A wheat colored woven fabric was perfect for the shades.  A dark orange fabric for the cornice banding brings out the color in the botanical print as well as coordinates with the chairs in the living room. 

The After: Functional & Beautiful Window Treatments

So here it is! The inside mounted shades operate with a lift system that is completely cord free. We can bring the tops down to bring in natural light and have privacy, and also raise them from the bottom.  Stationary side panels and a cornice balance out the wall space to frame the windows. I was unsure about the length of the cornice as it would need to be longer than the optimal proportion, but sometimes you've got to break the rules! To detract from the 13' width of the cornice, I added a custom decorative Tableaux grill to the center. The gentle curves at the bottom of the cornice and folds in the side panels soften the lines of the shades. The handles on the shades were painted to coordinate with the Tableaux and other elements in the room.

The Transformation: From Outdated to Outstanding

The Dining room is now a place my family can gather comfortably and not feel as if we are in a fishbowl. The transitional style of the window treatments suit the semi-open floor plan as the dining room connects the the Living room to the Kitchen and an open stairway is on one wall. We love the flexibility the shades give us for light control and privacy. There are so many things I love about the window treatments, but a couple of things stand out. One is the Tableaux and shade handles. Both mimic the curves in the lighting fixture and are the same color (the handles were painted). The other is the beaded trim on the bottom of the shades. Not an original part of the design, I found the trim and knew it would be perfect. I love the way the light filters through the beads when the shades are up.

Thanks for taking the time to stop in; I enjoyed showing you my dining room window treatments! I hope it gave you an idea of the thought process and decision making that goes into choosing window treatments and provided some inspiration.

What was your favorite part of this project?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments below! 

Until next time,

Laura