designing a home for pets and kidsdesigning a home for pets and kids

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designing a home for pets and kids

I have four kids and three dogs that make keeping my home nice very challenging. I have worked hard over the years to find flooring, wall finishes, furniture, and decor that can hold up well to the things that my kids and dogs can put everything though. If you have kids and/or pets that make keeping your home looking nice difficult, visit my blog. There, you will find some tips to decorating your home in a way that makes it look very nice, but durable enough to remain in great condition while your kids and pets live their lives in it.

Best Draperies For Small Rooms: Basic Guidelines For Homeowners

2 June 2015
 Categories: , Blog

Choosing the best draperies can be overwhelming for many homeowners. This task can seem even more daunting for people who live in apartments or small homes. If your living space is restricted, here are some guidelines for selecting the best draperies for small rooms.

Fabric Patterns and Colors

When choosing draperies for small rooms, avoid bold colors and busy, contrasting patterns. Instead, go for those fabrics containing small prints and plain, neutral colors. The more unified the patterns and colors of a fabric, the more the fabric can create a visual expansion for small quarters. In other words, go for simplicity over fussiness.

When deciding on a drapery color, consider your wall color. You'll want to match your drapery color to that of your walls. If the color of your drapes has too much of a contrast to a wall color, it can cause affect the visual flow. As a result, a room can look smaller than if the visual unity is unbroken.

Drapery Rod Choices

Selecting the right type of drapery rods is just as critical when it comes to creating an illusion of spaciousness. When choosing drapery rods, go for elegant, long ones. Be sure your drapery rod is solid and adjustable. Choose an attractive drapery rod that picks up on some of the same color that's found elsewhere in your room. This helps to draw the eye upward.

Hanging Your Drapes

Rather than mounting your drapery panels at the window frames, hang them near a ceiling.  In most cases, this entails hanging your drapes just below the ceiling or crown molding.

By hanging your drapes higher, you can create make your panels seem visually higher by forcing the eye to travel upward. Also, when you hang your drapes at ceiling level, more sunlight can shine through the windows. As a result, a room appears larger because the walls seem taller.

Considerations and Warnings

  • Consider that pleated, linen drapes can visually enhance small windows, giving it a fresh appearance.
  • Choose lightweight fabrics, rather than heavy ones made of materials such as brocade or canvas.
  • Select drapes that are longer than your window. This can visually expand your window so that they look more vertical than horizontal. Keeping your drapes full length can get rid of the horizontal line that seems to dart across a room, drawing attention to where your drapes end.
  • Include a light sheer underneath your drapes for short windows. This adds impact and detracts from a short window that doesn't extend to the floor.
  • If you plan to reuse existing drapery hardware, be sure that it can handle the weight of your new drapes.  

You don't have to make your these decisions on your own. Because choosing the best draperies for small rooms can be challenging, don't hesitate to consult a professional, like the ones found at Shady Lady.