1. INTD 50A window treatments

2. today’s window treatments offer a variety of options—continually expanding technology consumer demand beauty privacy energy conservation comfort cost efficiency

3. considerations—aesthetics careful selection to look beautiful and to blend with and support the interior and exterior design and architecture requires sensitivity to good proportion top heavy too wide overdone too skimpy

4. considerations—aesthetics if the window treatment is aesthetically disturbing, the interior will seem incomplete and lacking in harmony, no matter how handsome other furnishings are

5. considerations—privacy protects valuable belongings against burglary gives psychological well-being makes space more useable after dark day translucent allows benefit of daylight sheer/semi-sheer curtains, pleated fabric shades, louvered blinds or shutters, pierced screens

6. considerations—privacy during the night opaque treatments that can be closed fully EXAMPLES: opaque draperies and shades, solid vane vertical louvers, opaque cellular pleated shades, routless (no holes) horizontal blinds

7. considerations—energy consciousness the cost of heating or cooling a room is reduced through energy-efficient treatments the comfort of a room is enhanced by controlling excess heat gain and heat loss ideally, heat gain is addressed on the exterior of a building—can be addressed by window treatments that reflect heat heat loss can be addressed heavier, more solid treatments and using insulating materials

8. considerations—light control light controlling needs should be noted in the program—generally main goal is to control glare need for light and glare control varies according to window orientation: north facing—little light control bright east light, constant south light, hot west light may require shading during different times of day

9. considerations—operational control selection should also be based on whether or not it needs to be operable stationary treatments offer little flexibility many operable treatments (cords or pulley) can be designed to use motorized units hard-to-reach areas control by disabled person convenience of automation or remote control also mechanisms that can sense (light, temp) when to close thus enhancing energy efficiency

10. types— soft gives softness to hard & poorly insulative material provides sound and temperature insulation visual comfort interest through color, texture, possibly pattern provide privacy reduce glare

11. soft window treatments

40. types— alternative generally very durable require little maintenance can be clean and contemporary can be traditional serve as versatile backgrounds often simple statements—coordinate well some are moderately priced offer both privacy and light control

41. alternative window treatments