How to select the perfect window coverings
Window covering experts Dollar Curtains + Blinds talk us through how to select the right product for your home.
Dollar Curtains + Blinds is an Australian-owned and family operated business, specialising in custom-made curtains, blinds, shutters and awnings. With a focus on craftsmanship and quality, DC+B are experts at helping their customers select the right window coverings for your home.
The first thing to consider is the purpose of the window covering. Window coverings can provide daytime or night-time privacy and can also assist with your indoor climate – be it natural heat or natural light. Different window coverings can also provide a level of energy saving benefits for your home.
Also consider your views out the window/doors. If the view isn’t great you may want a window covering that covers completely but allows filtered light, or if your view is amazing – go for something that can be opened up completely to not block that view. Aesthetics is also another determining factor.
Here are some window covering options for you to consider.
Curtains
There is no better thermal insulator than curtains which can save you money in reducing you heating and cooling costs. They can also enhance and change the look of a room dramatically.
Sheer curtains float delicately across your windows to diffuse sunlight and soften your home. They let the daylight through your windows and provide daytime privacy making them perfect to use in a layered window solution. They also soften the link between your indoor and outdoor living areas whilst enhancing the ambience of a room by adding movement and texture.
Our tip: pair with a blockout curtain or blockout blind for night time privacy.
Blockout curtains provide excellent light control, privacy and reduce outside noise levels, allowing you to have complete control over your environment depending on the occasion and your mood. Studies demonstrate that curtains made from blockout fabric can reduce heat gains by 33%.
Now’s the fun part – selecting the fabric! You can borrow samples of fabrics from DC+B – they can even offer full curtain lengths so you can take them home and try them out for yourself.
Blinds
Roller blinds are extremely versatile and a cost-effective option. The beauty of these, is their ability to control light, block out heat and glare and disappear when required without making their presence obvious. Check out DC+B’s range – they have a multitude of styles and countless fabric colours, textures and transparencies.
Roller blinds can also easily be paired with a sheer curtain giving you the look of a soft floaty sheer with the added benefit of blocking out light and heat. When the blind is a similar colour to the walls, it almost disappears leaving the sheer to become the focus.
There’s also cellular blinds which offer superior energy efficiency. Cellular blinds are designed with a unique honeycomb cell shape that creates pockets of energy-saving insulation. The cell construction traps air and makes it more difficult for heat energy to transfer in and out of the window, improving energy efficiency and therefore reducing your heating and cooling costs in both winter and summer.
For more classic and heritage-style homes, roman blinds are a great option. They have luxurious pleated folds which are raised fold by fold creating a soft layered look. When lifted you can maximise your views and natural light. When they are closed they give complete privacy.
Shutters
Shutters are an ideal choice for thermal insulation – open the blades to stream light into rooms and close to insulate, offering you a more energy efficient home all year round. However, let’s not forgot about how they can also transform the façade of your home. Installing shutters across your home’s front windows can make a huge impact to your home’s curb appeal, not to mention the added sound insulation from outside road and traffic noise.
DC+B’s PVC shutters have the added benefits of being UV, water and moisture resistant to withstand fading, cracking or warping. Not affected by moisture or humidity makes them ideal for high use areas and wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.
Shutters provide a luxe look and are great for coastal-style homes. They can also be paired with sheer curtains to add an element of softness. This works particularly well in living areas and bedrooms. Difficult windows such as corners and bay windows are also perfectly suited to shutters as they can be custom made to any size and shape window.
