Four impressions

There is something sophisticated, yet utterly nonchalant about French country window treatments. They make the décor look refined, despite employing patterns that are simple and inspired from the peasant’s daily life. So what are exactly the key elements that make certain window treatments categorized as French country-style?

An essential aspect is pattern: from rich combinations of checkered fabrics and floral prints to simple straightforward stripes, French-inspired window treatments are ornate and eye-catching. Another quintessential feature is texture; whether coming from ruffles, tiny tassels, the roughness of burlap curtains or the delicacy of traditional embroideries; these rustic fashions always draw the eye towards the windows and create a sense of depth and coziness. As for the color palette, nothing says Provence better than dreamy lavender, delicious pink sorbet, elegant ivory, or soothing gray; however, more vibrant colors, like poppy red or mustard yellow are also popular. And to add the final touch, picturesque depictions of farm-life scenes and animals also convey undisputed Old World charm.

French country refinement with toile Roman shades

Not only does the term ‘toile’ come from French, but it also refers to a decorative pattern that is intimately linked to Provencal rural homes. Rendering glimpses of tranquil pastoral living like picnic, promenade, or farm scenes, the print always combines white and blue, red or black; the vignette is then repeated over the canvas, resulting in a refined display.

Featured on the elegant folds of Roman shades, French toile can elevate the look of any space, oozing delicacy and showcasing a rare complexity of traditional design and fabric richness. To make such treatments stand out, use them on windows with white molded frames that provide a beautiful contour to the shades, making them appear even more impressive. If the space also features classic French windows, the combo will look extraordinary.

Furthermore, toile Roman shades are also versatile: they can complement sturdy furniture pieces, while adding romantic gracefulness to contemporary glossy items with their generous pleats and sophisticated patterns.

Mixing fabrics for your French country drapes

Combining different fabrics and patterns to make draperies was not uncommon in French rural communities of the past. Often, material scraps and surpluses from making dresses or bedding were repurposed in this way, after deciding on a pleasant-looking mix. To make your drapery panels echo the aesthetics of rural France, think of juxtaposing delicate floral motifs with solid pastels that pick up one of the colors of the first fabric; to add a finishing touch, hide the sewed transition between the two with ethereal lace.

French country curtains with animal motifs

Decorative motifs that portray animals from the farm are a staple of French traditional homes. Picturesque depictions of cattle, sheep or poultry often adorned the dwellings of Provencal peasants, imparting a characteristic cottage feel that underlined the humans’ connection with their surroundings. To re-create the same ambiance, pick curtain fabrics with similar colorful illustrations featured over earthy-toned backgrounds. These window fashions work wonderfully in classic kitchens or vintage dining-rooms.

Add French cottage flair to your kitchen with grain sack stripes

Grain sack stripes, meaning ornamental lines featured on plain, unbleached cotton or burlap, are also popular with French farm kitchens. Their simplicity pays homage to the serene French countryside and annual harvest, and can garnish pretty much any ensemble of rustic cabinets.

Horizontal stripes work best with window valances and café curtains, looking neat and unpretentious, while vertical stripes are better suited for lengthier curtains, providing the illusion of height. Also, the lines should come in subdued pigments, such as pastels, while the woven texture of the cloth should be fairly visible, for a shabby chic décor that values the coarse appearance of grain sack fabrics.

French country café curtains in vibrant colors

Vibrant colors are also part of the French country heritage, and they are often featured on flowery patterns set against a white background, that speak about the laid-back rural way of life. And since café curtains are very much Parisian, hence French, the combination between the two will result in an adorable window treatment. Search for pigments like poppy red, sage green and light blue. Complement it with matte or aged curtain rods, and also include lots of pleats, in order to create an easy-going cottage atmosphere.

Provincial delight with handmade curtains

French provincial design also honors handmade pieces that reflect the skillfulness of rural housewives. Traditional techniques like cutwork and crochet items were very popular in the peasants’ homes. To re-create this look for your windows, search for needle lace or crochet frills, borders and patterns displayed on simple cotton or linen. Whether featured on diaphanous café curtains or on floor-to-ceiling ones, these ornate details will bring undeniable rustic flair.

Domestic bliss with French country valances

Valances exude Old World charm and provide a stylish approach to creating memorable window arrangements. For a countrified appearance that also looks eminently French, choose rich floral embellishments in earthy tones with a light backdrop. Tiny frills or ruffles can also be added to mark the borders in a rustic manner, while the fabric has to be heavily pleated to create a sense of vintage lavishness. To finish off, complement with wooden or antique rods that echo the materials and stains of your other furniture items.

A modern twist over French cottage window coverings

To incorporate French cottage window coverings into the design of a room while keeping things effortless and modern, go for modest fabrics such as cotton, linen or burlap, with simple prints inspired from traditional French logos. The end result will consist of a youthful approach that is both delightful and care-free.

High-end décor using French country curtains

Although the terms ‘country’ and ‘high-end’ seem to semantically collide, they can certainly coexist in interior design. In case the space you want to decorate is luxurious, yet needs a rustic note, adding French country curtains to the mix might do the trick. However, to achieve a complementing look, opt for traditional fabrics that extend from the ceiling to the floor and even puddle a little; the sumptuous feel can also be enhanced with generous pleats of burlap or easy-going cotton, so find out the width of your windows and install treatments that measure twice as much.

To conclude, French country window coverings are all about celebrating traditional patterns and fabrics that can come in both vibrant and subdues hues. Either paired with rustic décor pieces or modern interiors, they will bring undeniable Old World charm.

Blackout shades, or solar shades as they are sometimes known as, can be a fantastic design tool and have proven their worth as a window covering that has the dynamics and style panache to stand the test of time.

Any home, big or small, open or closed plan, can benefit from the simple lines and effective functional features of a simple blackout shade. As well as looking great and earning you some style points, blackout shades are predominantly popular for their ability to completely banish any natural light or even some heat from the outdoors entering into your home uninvited. They can also ensure you complete privacy when you need it, not something that most other window coverings can do.

Ultimate light control in your home

Blackout shades give us even more freedom to change the atmosphere of our homes as often as we’d like. If you live in an area that is especially bright all year round, experience contrasting seasons or if your weather is a little bit unpredictable, you’ll be in even more need of having that complete control on the level of light than can and will enter your home from the outdoors. As well as the outdoor light control, room darkening shades can also provide heat protection by absorbing the warmth and providing you with better heat control inside your home.

Although we have more flexibility than ever before with electrically controlled interior lighting, if you want to be able to truly dictate the lighting levels in the house, blackout shades are an absolute essential. You simply can’t recreate the appearance of natural sunlight with light bulbs, but solar shades will allow you to play up to your windows and frame the natural sunlight beaming into your home whenever you’d like it to. Room darkening shades aren’t just a tool for blocking out light, but for giving you the ability to widen and lengthen your windows without worrying about the effects of strong light and heat.

If you’re installing a high budget lighting plan that gives you much more options and flexibility with lighting in your home, including adjusting the lighting from your iPhone or tables, you should also consider connecting your

blackout shades to the same system to give you so much more freedom and control. Mixing natural light when you want it with other lighting in the home at the touch of a button can give you so many opportunities in enhancing how light makes your home look and feel.

Also, not all of the shades in your home need to be completely room darkening. If there are particular sore points in your home where light seeps through, it can be extremely light, or maybe you just need additional privacy in certain parts of your home, you can install a combination of light blocking shades and non-blackout shades to give you more flexibility. These can be matching in style, colour and print, it’s just the function that will differentiate the shades. This means that in areas of your home you want more natural light, perhaps kitchen or living areas, can still benefit from the translucency of traditional shades, but you can blackout individual rooms and areas where it matters.

Blackout shades are an ideal addition to any guest bedroom. Not only are they universally simple to use and understand, but they will give your guests the ability to control the light and heat in their room without any complication or sacrifice. Even if room darkening shades aren’t quite to your taste, they’ll instantly make your guests feel more comfortable in the knowledge that they have extra control over how comfortable their room is for them specifically.

Manage your privacy without sacrifice

No matter how open your home is, we all require at least some privacy from time to time. That might be restricted to just bedrooms, dressing rooms and bathrooms but it might also lend itself to spaces like utility rooms and kitchens which aren’t always the most presentable rooms especially after heavy usage. Forget frosted glass and heavy shades that will always block at least some light or vision, a blackout shade will allow you full access to natural light and warmth, and only block that out when you temporarily require full privacy for changing, sleeping or bathing.

Shades can be opened or closed with very little effort, very quickly, and can even be motorised for better accessibility. If you’re yearning for a home that is open, light and bright, get yourself some solar window shades installed in the most private parts of your home.

Difference between blinds and shades

Although many consumers and even sometimes interior designers will use the terms ‘shades’ and ‘blinds’ interchangeably, we are focusing only on shades here as although they are both styles of window covering, they are entirely different features.

The benefits of window shades is that they are much softer and overall have a much neater appearance than blinds do. Often made from fabric or thin and soft materials that roll up or down neatly, usually just with one sheath of material that provides continuation and a solid block of colour or a bold print statement. Shades are certainly a more minimal option from a design shapes point of view, providing clean lines and a neatness to your windows that isn’t achievable with each type of blinds.

Blinds, however, will typically be made from a harder material, like wood, plastic or aluminium. They have lots of horizontal or vertical pieces called louvers or slats that can be pulled open or closed, and can be rotated individually to give control of how light can filter into your home, something which can’t be achieved with shades because of the one single piece of material.

Cellular blackout shades

Cellular blackout shades is a more modern option that are proven to save energy, even more so than ordinary blackout shades. Cellular blackout shades will provide you with privacy and light control you require, but will also reduce your heating and energy bills with the insulation they provide. Room darkening cellular shades are fairly new to the mainstream market, which means that styles and colours could be limited.

Turning any shade into a blackout shade

While blackout shades are easy to come across no matter where you’re shopping, it can be a bit more difficult to find the perfect shade for your home, with the exact texture, colour and size. Thankfully, being such a flexible and inexpensive feature, blackout window shades can be made to measure, or you can easily upgrade a standard shade into a blackout shade.

If you have found that perfect window shade but it is just not available in blackout form, you don’t need to make any sacrifices or choices between style and function. Not all of us are handy with a sewing machine and we’re not all DIY savvy. Don’t fear though, because once you’ve found the perfect shade a good, local seamstress or curtain maker should be able to apply a good lining to your shades to give it the blackout function. Even if you have a shade in your home already that you wish was blackout, it can easily be adapted. There is a cost attached however and anybody who has ever had bespoke curtains made will know that it takes time and an investment so do shop around first. But if it’s something you have your heart set on, be calm in the knowledge that you can do it.

If you are part of the crowd that loves a DIY project or you want your home makeover to be purse friendly, you can upgrade a plain blackout shade by adding some fabulous fabric, or turning an existing shade into a blackout shade by attaching a thin sheet of vinyl to the back of the shade. If you need any inspiration, have a look at The DIY Mommy’s step-by-step instructions.

The best choice for you?

Blackout shades aren’t limited to one style of interior design, they’re dynamic and adaptable to many styles so that almost any home that need to benefit from better privacy and light control can install solar shades that will enhance and improve the interior design theme. Inexpensive compared to other choices of windows, blackout shades are in no way under par when it comes to quality window coverings and management of your home’s atmosphere as well as its style.