It is an inescapable fact that lighting can determine the entire feel of room; in addition to matters of aesthetics, comfort and inhabitability are each contingent upon how light reflects and refracts within the confines of four walls. A space with too much or too little natural light can be strenuous on the eyes, for example, whereas a room lit only artificially can feel confining. With this in mind, it’s essential to look to the ways by which windows help determine these factors – be it through their placement or size, windows are wholly intertwined with lighting. With this in mind, it is, indeed, important to look for window coverings and shades that suit the particular needs of a given space.
The first thing that one ought to take into consideration is the purpose of the room. Common rooms and dens are often used as a space for the consumption of visual media such as TV and film. If TV is your primary concern, then it’s important to strategize in terms of glare – if the screen of your device is prone to reflecting a great deal of light, then it’s best to make use of solid window coverings that can darken the room at any given time of time, no matter how bright the sun may be shining.
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Thick black-out curtains, heavy roller shades, or vertical blinds can quickly shroud any room in almost complete darkness. While black-out curtains can cater to just about any style or maintain themselves as unimposing background fixtures, vertical blinds often give an office-like appearance, reminiscent of conference rooms and other formal spaces.
Once you’ve established the lighting situation accordingly, keep in mind that an entertainment hub is not complete without theatre-like accommodations – with this in mind, you might want to learn about motorized window coverings which can open or close at the flick of switch, preventing any unnecessary interruptions from your scheduled programming.
If the room is not used for potentially eye-straining activities and you’re seeking to let the light of the outdoors in (while still maintaining your privacy), less imposing window covering designs, such as Mandalay, honeycomb, or cellular shades are perhaps called for, each of which typically offer more modern designs. Alternatively, if you’re seeking to decorate an office, the benefits of motorized window coverings are also pertinent in this setting. Not only are they convenient and efficient, they possess a futuristic feel that will surely optimize the professional demeanor of any given workplace.
For more intimate spaces, such as the bedroom, blackout curtains are once again advisable, but it’s imperative to account for the sleeping habits with which one is dealing. If the room remains too dark in the morning, it might be difficult to wake up, but if flimsily made curtains are used, sleep itself could easily be stifled.
As we have already seen, the question of window coverings – although often overlooked – is central to both the look and function of a room; there are many factors to account for, consequently. In short, what one chooses will impact how they interact with a specific space and these seemingly minute factors must be carefully considered.