Ever felt like your home is missing that certain something, but you just can’t put your finger on it? You are not alone!
Many homeowners find themselves in search of that elusive touch, the secret ingredient that transforms a house into a home. In my design consultations on Long Island, I regularly meet homeowners who are dissatisfied with the look and feel of their home. Many times, they’ve invested a significant amount of money in window coverings from local stores, expecting a beautiful and personalized design, but the results fall short. While privacy and light control are achieved, they’re left underwhelmed by the overall ambiance. It can be a delicate task to explain that these newly acquired window treatments are one of the main causes of their design frustrations.
When purchasing custom window treatments, it’s important to work with a designer who understands how to truly dress windows – not just cover them up. Traditional window treatment stores typically offer cookie-cutter solutions that prioritize functionality over design. Their limited fabric selections and lack of vision often result in lackluster outcomes, where the window treatments fade into the background.
That’s why I founded Grunberger Interiors – to cater to Long Island homeowners who refuse to settle for anything less than extraordinary. By going beyond basic coverage, I create window dressings that become a standout feature in every room, enhancing the beauty of your windows and infusing the space with warmth and timeless elegance.
In this blog, I’ll uncover the difference between window coverings and window dressings, and how they can impact the overall design of your home. Understanding this will help you make informed choices when it comes to selecting the ideal window treatment options for your space.
The Basics: Window Coverings vs. Window Dressings
Not only do window treatments provide natural light and ventilation, but they also serve as a focal point for your interior design. And while window dressings and window coverings may seem interchangeable, they have distinct differences that can impact the look and feel of your space.
Hard Treatments 101
Traditional window treatment stores typically prioritize selling window covering products, also known as hard treatments, over providing a unique and high-end design vision that transforms your home.
Hard treatments are any type of window treatment made of hard materials, such as wood, vinyl, or aluminum, including blinds, shutters, and shades. They are primarily functional and are designed to cover your windows for privacy, control light, or Insulation purposes.
However, they tend to lack the personalized touch and aesthetic appeal that window dressings can bring to a home’s interior design and can leave a home feeling generic and uninspired. As opposed to being a standout feature of the space, they fade into the background, failing to tie elements of the room’s décor together.
Although I use window covering products when needed, I believe they should not be the sole focus of a whole house window treatment design. I look beyond the functional needs that a homeowner expresses to deliver a window treatment plan that elevates the home’s interior to new heights. If your window treatments aren’t fulfilling this potential, you may be missing out on a vital design element that adds to the overall elegance and character of your home.
What Are Soft Treatments
Soft treatments, such as draperies, shades, valances, and cornices, are designed to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your windows while still serving a functional purpose. These fabric-based options can be layered for a more luxurious look.
They add texture, color, and pattern to your space, and can also tie different elements of your décor together. For example, coordinating draperies with the throw pillows on your sofa can create a cohesive look in your living room.
With window dressings, you can have it all – function, high style, and the ability to elevate the interior design of your home to a new level of sophistication and beauty. They enhance your living experience, making your house truly feel like a home.
Grunberger Interiors: Where Function Meets High Style
When you choose Grunberger Interiors, you’re investing in more than just a window treatment. You’re gaining access to a unique design experience on Long Island. With my carefully curated collection of fabrics and trims, expert guidance on window dressing products, superior fabrication, and installation, you’ll receive a level of quality and attention to detail that sets me apart from the rest. Unlike others who outsource their work, I personally oversee every step of the process to ensure an exclusive design outcome that goes beyond mere window coverage.
My background as a British designer who has lived across Europe gives me a unique perspective and understanding of window treatments and their importance in a space. I know how to play with illusion to give windows more prominence and how to resolve architectural flaws, making them appear larger and adding elegance and panache. My attention to detail in fabric and trim selection is unmatched, and I work with unique vendors and sources that are not available on Long Island.
