Treat the Windows – Not the Window Treatments

Not all windows are created equal, so why treat them as if they are?In some homes, the windows scream out for treatment. In others however, the view, the light, and the detail of the windows themselves can provide you with unique opportunities to use light and open views creatively. For many homeowners, the view is the deciding factor in where they choose to live. In such cases, hiding behind draperies or curtains makes little sense.Instead, if a room you're working on has beautiful natural light streaming in, or if the frames and sills offer uniquely beautiful architectural detail, simply painting the trim removing rust and refinishing may be your best option.

Focus on natural light and openness

In the images below from HGTV for example, the windows are left bare to emphasize the beauty of the surroundings and the gorgeous flow of light into the spaces.The window frames in this kitchen have become accents rather than distractions, preserving natural light and the view for the homeowner. Covering these gorgeous portholes to the outside world would have been a shame.A view like the one below should never be covered. By painting the window trim, rather than covering these large picture windows, the panoramic view is preserved, allowing the homeowner to feel a part of the nature that surrounds the home.Once again, the emphasis in this room has been placed on natural light and an open feel. These steel window frames add elegance to a modern look, while also being wonderfully resilient and durable, as well as easy to care for.Have you been able to use existing windows to make a creative statement for your clients? How has that worked for you in the past? Please share your own ideas for the creative use of bare windows to provide natural light and openness for your clients in the future. Would love to hear from you!

Use Bold Colors to Make Bold Statements

Fearless and daring; clear and distinct; even excessively forward; these are all definitions of the word “Bold”. For clients who are looking for “something different”, yet have not been able to articulate that idea for you, taking a daring (and perhaps brash) approach to the use of color may be the simplest – and best – choice you can make for them.Then again, trying to be bold on a budget can also argue for the use of color to make the statement, rather than asking your client for a heavy investment in fabrics, rugs, or furniture. We all must live in the real world after all, where the client who tells us that “Money is no object,” is rare indeed. With this thought in mind, let’s take a look at using bold colors to make bold statements.In an effort to avoid clashing images, the focus here is on the use of blue, but you can of course use a variety of colors to make the statement you believe your client would like to see.As an example of the bold use of color, this image from the Interior Design Blog makes a truly bold statement in a living room yet, despite the courageous use of color here, the room remains comfortable and eminently livable. The blue wall does not overwhelm, but rather provides a somewhat audacious impression, while highlighting and blending beautifully with the variety of pieces in the room.

Using bold colors as accents

Of course, not all clients are willing to be as bold as you may think they should be, or as they implied they could be. In that case, using bold colors to accent select features of a room may be your best course. A truly unique look, as seen in the image of the freestanding bathtub below, borrowed from the Brilliant Asylum blog, can be enhanced by the use of bold colors. The portholes in the tub are not a bad touch either.And yet, if a statement like this is not possible for some reason, the creative and judicious use of color as background can add depth and daring to the simplest areas of a room, as shown in the bookcase of a child’s bedroom below, from HGTV.As you can see, making a bold statement with colors does not have to lead to overpowering or outrageous looks in your client’s home. While being daring can be great fun, and some of your clients may seek that from you, it is possible to be audacious – without being impertinent or presumptuous.Did this blog post help you to be more creative in your use of colors? Have you used colors to make bold statements for your clients? How has that worked for you in the past, and how do you hope to use bold colors to make bold statements in the future?