Is Your Curb Appeal Being Ruined?

What comes to mind when you think of the term “curb appeal?” Landscaping? Exterior paint color? Maybe even your front door? One item in your home that can greatly impact your home’s curb appeal are your window treatments. How can you be sure that window coverings aren’t ruining your home’s beautiful exterior? Below are a few tips that will help ensure your windows look great from the street!

I often notice homes with mismatched window treatments. One window will have 2” wood blinds, while another having colored drapery. Another common mistake is using drapery or other window treatments that may look great with the interior of the home, but be atrocious when viewed from the outside. It is a real shame when these mistakes are made because it can ruin the façade of an otherwise beautiful home. Does this mean that your window treatments must be exactly the same? Is it necessary for them to match your home’s exterior instead of the interior? Luckily, no, there are ways that you can have the best of both worlds!

Creating Curb Appeal with Window Treatments

• Use window treatments that appear white to the exterior of your home

One way to make sure that your window coverings aren’t ruining your home’s curb appeal is to make everything that faces the street white. Depending on where you live and the type of neighborhood you’re in, you may not even have a choice. Some Homeowners Associations (HOA’s) mandate that homes have window treatments that are white to the outside.

What do I do if I don’t want all white window treatments? No worries, the “white out” approach can be achieved using various covering options. The obvious, though not always most desirable option, is to choose all white window treatments. Another is to choose window dressings that have a white liner on the street facing side. If you want to add some character and color to the inside and maintain the clean white look outside, cellular shades would be an excellent option. Most cellular shades are produced with white fabric to the outside, regardless of the fabric color on the inside.

• Choose Matching Treatments

Choose the same type of treatment for all the windows in the house, or at least all the windows in the front of the house. Another strategy that would work, is to choose treatments that match in each individual level of your house. To best pull this off, you should at least try to match the colors from one level to the next. An example of this would be to use cellular shades on one level and white shutters on the next.

• Create a Matching Look with Design

If it’s not your style to have uniformity throughout the entire house, you can still achieve both style and curb appeal. The simplest strategy to achieve a unique interior while preserving a beautiful exterior is through the use of layering. As long as all of your base coverings are the same, your home’s curb appeal will remain intact. On the inside, you can add your personal flair with curtains or other draperies to fit your taste.

• Keep Coverings Resting Positions the Same

Another crucial factor to consider in order to maintain curb appeal is the position in which you leave your window treatments. Symmetry greatly affects how your home’s exterior presents itself. For example: if you have three windows on the street side of the house and only one window is partially opened, while the other two are either fully opened or fully closed, the odd one out is going to stand out. This doesn’t mean to set them and leave them, however. We buy window treatments to serve a purpose and to use them, so adjusting them is a necessity. When functionality isn’t a concern, however, they should be in a uniform position.

• Sometimes Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

Remember when I said that you are safe if you choose white coverings to face the street? This isn’t always true. Some style of homes just aren’t meant to have white in/on them. In fact, it would actually look out of place. Log cabins and some other more rustic-style homes typically showcase a more natural look, often with wood tones. In these situations, window treatments such as wood blinds, shutters, or natural woven materials are more ideal.

Another situation where wood or other natural materials would be a better option, is when your home has stained trim or dark window frames. In some situations, white would look fine with these, however some may not create a complimentary contrast. As long as you choose a window covering color that compliments the colors on the exterior of the home, your curb appeal will not be in jeopardy.

Remember, curb appeal is the first thing that people notice when approaching your home. You will want to be sure that ALL elements that contribute to the look of your home are sending your intended message.

Have more questions or need help choosing the right window treatments?

Call (503) 581-8257 or visit www.mitsmidwv.com to schedule your free in-home consultation today!