Do you get frustrated when going to your local window treatment store? You walk in the door and think you have walked into window treatments heaven with the array of 
materials, colors and designs on display. Then you realize after hours of wandering round that it’s all just too confusing knowing what to pick and what’s right for your home. There are swags, cornices and jabots, I mean what language are we even talking?
The trick to mastering it is to take each aspect of your window treatment one step at a time. The creativeness and skills of the designers will provide you with a whole range of options to choose from. So it’s simply just a matter of working your way through, and understanding what the various items are for and what they actually do. Once you don’t get overwhelmed you will soon master the process.
To give you a few guidelines in getting started we have provided a list of the most basic windows treatments that you will probably need to be familiar with.
Blinds are usually made of wood, PVC, bamboo or some other similar material they do not contain fabric. They are made up with vertical or horizontal slats that can open or closed as required. Blinds are useful for controlling the amount of sunlight let into a room.
Drapes are made of fabric and are designed to complement your windows. The fabric selected for drapes is usually fairly thick and the drapes themselves are hung from rods above the windows. The drapes can be open and closed as the need arises.
Curtains
Some people get confused when talking about curtains and drapes as they are often thought to be one and the same. However a curtain is actually supposed to be a stationary fixture at your windows. To open curtains you can pull them back by the use of tasseled ropes.
If you don’t know what a valance is it is the section of material that covers the rod and rings at the top of your drapes. Often valances are pleated or gathered to present a nice effect. They are usually found at the top of the window and are intended to give that finished look to your drapes overall.
Cornices
Cornices, which are similar to valances, are also intended to give that finished look to your windows. They are also found at the top of your windows and the main difference is that they are usually made of a harder, solid material as opposed to fabric. They can be covered with material to soften the look and blend with your drapes.
Lambrequins
Lambrequins are very similar to cornices except that they are slightly wider to give the illusion of a wider window.
Shades are somewhat similar to blinds with the main difference being that they cannot be tilted. However they can be raised or lowered as and when required. They are usually made of some type of fabric.
Now you have a basic grounding in window treatment you can go to your local store armed with that knowledge and browse around to your heart’s content. Feeling more confident that you know exactly what you are looking for.
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