Using Color in Window Treatments and Decor

Many people are inspired by color but are afraid to use it in their own homes. As a design consultant having worked with many clients to choose appropriate window treatments and décor, I find clients fearful of committing to the use of strong colors. There are endless possibilities when choosing color combinations for a room with no furnishings or decor. However, most people have some established colors in a room as a starting point.

If you are starting with a few neutral colors (i.e. sofas or wall color) and want to explore the use of color, try adding color to a room with colorful pillows or decorative drapery panels. If the drapery panels are decorative, they will not be fully operative drapes and will act as columns of color in the room setting. If the drapes are to be fully operative, you will be introducing a "wall" of color when the drapes are in the closed position. Patterned-fabric in multiple colors is one way to add color rather than working with a strong, solid color. Also you may want to consider adding some color-banding, colorful trim, or an added top-treatment piece to neutral drapes if you are unwilling to commit to a wall of colored drapes. In these examples, there are splashes of color added without overwhelming the room. Colorful vases or pillows can be coordinated with the drapery-colors to finish off the room.

If you are looking for some high-contrast color combinations, you will need to start with one extreme or the other: light-colored walls or dark-colored walls/flooring. One example would be to integrate chic, black-white window treatments with black-white bedding against white walls and flooring. This combination produces a high-contrast effect.

Many people express an interest in using the color red: a rug, draperies, or window treatments. If you are not looking for a high-contrast effect, you will need to make sure the red-colors are balanced. Red-colored drapery panels look best against dark wood floors and/or medium-tone walls, i.e. tan walls. Red draperies against white walls and white floors produce a high-contrast effect which may be a little unsettling for most people. The color red should be used sparingly; it is best used as an accent color for most people's tastes.

Another way to introduce color is to work with softer hues of color to create a tone-on-tone room. The combination of softer hues that coordinate well together will create a "soothing effect" in the room. Using a silk fabric with a sheen or an unusual texture is a way to add more interest to a softer-hue room.