The way we approach apartments vs homes is quite different when it comes to interior design. There are so many varying factors to consider and it’s simply not just a case of making things smaller for apartments because of reduced square meterage – so how do interior designers approach choosing window treatments for apartments?
We take a number of things into account such as:
- Position of the unit and which level it’s on – where the natural light hits at different times of the day is hugely important for deciding what to do with your windows.
- Colour palette is also important so you can determine whether you’re window treatments need to blend in with your colour palette or stand out as a feature for the room.
- Texture – as there are so many different types of window treatments, we think about what kind of texture we want to use in the room early on in the decision making process.
- Privacy is also really important in apartments as you’re more likely to be facing another block of apartments who can see into your unit at any time of the day. Unlike a home that will often only need privacy from the street front, in apartments you often have people over looking you from all rooms in the unit.
- Purpose & end use is also a factor not to be overlooked. If your room is a wet room, plantation shutters are the way to go to ensure longevity. For kitchens, the grime and grease of daily use is something to keep front of mind and choose fabrics or textures that’ll last.
Doubling up to achieve day-round purpose is often the key to success when it comes to window furnishings. Professionally installed curtains can help block harsh afternoon sun, or add double layered curtains for a blockout and light filtering solution. Pairing curtains and blinds for ease of use in the mornings - swapping from blockout blinds for sleeping at night to sheer curtains that allow privacy while getting dressed in the morning. This really does offer so many benefits to the way you live and should be something you invest in to get right from the start!
- Emma Blomfield