Mini Makeover: Window Treatments Really Do Transform an Entire Space

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Throughout the first year of living in our new house, the formal living room has gone through a number of transformations. And for a while, the windows went undressed… until now. So today I wanted to share the before and after images of our space to prove how much window treatments can affect the overall feel of a room. Click through to check out the after.   

And the verdict is in… window treatments make a huge difference! Although they were the only major difference between the before and after photos, the space feels significantly more refined. The curtains and shades frame the small windows, making them seem larger and more connected to the rest of the decor in the room. I think of windows sort of like photographs – they look fine on their own, but they look so much better framed.

I decided to opt for a dark curtain to add a bit of drama to the lighter space. The sheer quality of the linen pocket curtains from Country Curtains worked perfectly, allowing light to filter through the fabric in a beautiful, diffused way.

I also like to have the option of darkening the room; sometimes we have numerous house guests staying in different rooms during the holidays, so it’s nice to be able to provide them with a dark space to sleep in. That’s where the shades come in handy. I chose a  textured woven shade in natural, and they work wonders to anchor the windows and provide the option to block out light. Lowering the shades and closing the curtains together provides a dark, cozy space for guests to sleep in at night.  

The two pieces work well together, creating a beautiful texture that draws attention to the windows. And because our house was built in 1830, the windows are small – so I mounted everything outside of the window frame to make them look larger.

Here’s the space from a different angle… again, it looks empty and unfinished without window treatments. But the combination of the soft curtains with the textured shades lends a polished feel – it makes me want to go curl up on the couch and watch the world go by through my newly dressed windows.  

So the moral of the story? Don’t ever forgo window treatments… they add the perfect finishing touch to any room!

Thanks to CountryCurtains.com for sending these lovely curtains for our new home! All opinions mine.