Boston Specialty Window Treatment Guide
Each Boston home is unique, every one with its own charm and its own needs. Similarly, all the windows in your Boston home are different as well. Their size, shape, the way they face and more will differ and influence the style of window treatment that fits them best.
But more than any other factor, the style of window might be the most important for determining your perfect window treatment. Here are our recommendations for window treatments to match the specialty window types found in Boston houses.
Sidelight Window Treatments
Sidelights are those long, thin windows found on either side of the front door in several homes. Getting the best window treatment for sidelight windows is especially important for a few reasons. First, they’re a focal point of your home, as most visitors’ eyes are naturally drawn to the front door of the house. Second, people–from your mailman to guests to traveling salespeople–are going to see them up close, which makes a great window covering that much more important to ensure you maintain your privacy.
What we recommend for sidelight window treatments: Plantation shutters. Not only do shutters offer your home elegant looks and top-notch privacy, but they’re also easily customized for long, thin sidelight windows.
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Window Treatments for French Doors
What we recommend for French door window treatments: Plantation shutters. Since they’re able to be installed directly onto the frame and are extremely durable, shutters are the perfect solution for French doors. Their timeless style and energy-efficiency are also bonuses for your French door.
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Window Treatments for Octagonal Windows
Octagon-shaped windows are some of the most interesting and attention-grabbing windows there are in Boston homes. With their unique geometry, homeowners would be careless to cover them up with a rectangular window treatment like curtains or blinds. Instead, choose a window treatment that can be customized to the window’s unique geometry so your home will reap the benefits of your octagonal window.
What we recommend for octagon window treatments: Plantation shutters or window film. Shutters are built to fit seamlessly within an octagonal window frame, keeping its unique shape and appeal. Similarly, window film applies directly to the glass, maintaining the awesome shape of your octagon window on full display.
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Window Treatments for Wide Windows
What we recommend for wide window treatments: Roller shades, panel tracks or plantation shutters. Roller shades operate easily, and their muted look works great with wider windows. Panel tracks are a type of shade with wide fabric panels that move on a track that are perfect for wide windows. Plantation shutters can give you a little better energy efficiency and privacy than shades do, so if a cool home is a priority, shutters could be your best bet.
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Rake & Angled Window Treatments
Angled windows (sometimes called “rake” windows) are popping up more and more in contemporary home design. A problem with angled window treatments, similar to octagonal windows, is finding one that matches your window’s unique geometry. Remember also that many angled windows are in harder-to-reach places, such as where the ceiling and wall meet at a corner, so a window treatment that doesn’t need to open and shut often is often best for angled windows.
What we recommend for angled and rake windows: Plantation shutters. In addition to being 100% customizable to fit the precise angles and shape of your rake windows, but plantation shutters can usually be set at a single, preferred angle without ever needing to be readjusted - great for windows that are hard to reach.
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Sliding Glass Door Window Treatments
Similar to french doors, the window treatment you choose for your sliding glass door needs to allow you to open and shut the door without any hassle whatsoever. Additionally, a sliding glass door treatment needs to be durable and able to stand up to the frequent usage a sliding door sees. Finally, sliding glass doors are one of the least energy-efficient window styles, since they not only let energy pass through the pane but also through the door opening. A window treatment that can reduce heat transfer should also be a top priority for sliding glass doors.
What we recommend for sliding glass doors: Plantation shutters or panel tracks. Panel tracks and shutters both make opening a shutting a sliding door easy. Panel tracks also offer an array of designs and textures to pick from, freeing up your options and giving you a lot more room to express yourself. Plantation shutters can be installed in different configurations to fit any sliding glass door, and are more energy-efficient than any other window treatment available.
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Bay Window Treatments
Bay windows can’t be missed. The tall panes, concave layout, and broad view you get from bay windows are unlike almost other windows, and thus require some special consideration when shopping for a window treatment. Boston homeowners should look at window treatments that match a bay window’s attention-grabbing layout, offer privacy, and look gorgeous in your family room or living room. Fortunately, there are a couple of window treatments that can do it all.
What we recommend for bay windows: Roman shades, cellular shades, or plantation shutters. Both roman and cellular shades function well with bay windows since each shade covers a single pane, offering a lot of flexibility in how much window area you’d like to cover. Similarly, plantation shutters can be installed on each individual pane on your bay windows, but can still give you even more flexibility in window coverage with the moving tilt-rod and louvers.
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Tall & High Ceiling Window Treatments
Regardless of their shape or style, windows that are positioned near your ceiling can be a hassle to put window treatments on. Normally, the tops of the windows are beyond your reach, and getting the stepladder out every day becomes a hassle. That means that Boston homeowners with high ceiling windows might want to opt for a window treatment that can either stay in a fixed position, or open and close remotely. It would be even better if that window treatment could also effectively block sunlight from pouring in.
What we recommend for tall & high ceiling windows: Motorized shades or plantation shutters. Automated shades can open or shut with the simple flip of a switch, eliminating any hassle whatsoever. On the other hand, with plantation shutters most homeowners opt to tilt the louvers to a single ideal position, and seldom, if ever need to reposition them. Both options address the biggest challenge of tall windows!
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Eyebrow Window Treatments
What we recommend for eyebrow windows: Plantation shutters. Basically any other window treatment has serious disadvantages when put on eyebrow windows. Blinds, drapes and shades hide the interesting shape and a lengthy window treatment may cover the empty space between the eyebrow window and the rectangular window beneath it. Since shutters can be custom-built to seamlessly fit in the frame of your window, they’re easily the best option for this unique window type.
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Casement Window Treatments
What we recommend for casement windows: Plantation shutters or shades. Plantation shutters can be custom-built to make room for a lever or crank–which will allow you to open and shut your window without any hassle. Both cellular and Roman shades can also pair well with casement windows, though you’ll have to pull aside the fabric when you want to open or close the window.
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Find More Boston Window Treatment Tips
There may be more to think about than just the window style when looking at window treatments in Boston. Take a peek at our recommendations for window treatments for each room in your house with Sunburst’s Ultimate Room Guide, or get some personal tips by scheduling an in-home design consultation by calling 781-352-2205 now.
