Fall in Vancouver: Window Treatments
November 23, 2022
Fall in Vancouver: Window Treatments
Fall in Vancouver is often a peculiar mix of glorious autumn colours and grey rain, and the poignant joy of the last crisp, sunny days that are growing shorter and shorter as winter approaches. If you are like most Vancouverites, you are spending more and more time at home, and if you feel a sudden need to spruce up your living space, you aren’t alone! Lots of people update their interior design in the fall, so they have the winter to enjoy it, and a simple, cost-effective way to upgrade your living space is to redo your window treatments. It can also be a frugal upgrade, as blinds and drapes can significantly reduce heat loss through your windows when kept closed. However, this means you have to look at them a lot more, so you want to like them, too. Let’s consider some simple options for changes you can make to your window treatments before the winter closes in.
First, let’s look at some practical considerations.
Insulation
The insulation that blinds, curtains and drapes can provide in cold weather is substantial. If you are looking for ways to save money on your heating bill, upgrading your window treatments should be high on your list. When closed, well-fitted, quality blinds and drapes will create a cushion of air between the window treatment and the exterior window and frame, which will dramatically reduce heat loss from these windows. If you tend to see condensation on your windows, this is a sign you are losing heat through them and insulation will make a difference for you.
Privacy
Vancouver is a city in a northern latitude and as our nights grow longer, it’s easier to see into our homes, since we are awake and have the interior lights on for a larger part of the day. If you want to maintain privacy, make sure you have windows and blinds that are opaque from the outside.
Creativity and whimsy are important as well, and as we mentioned before, fall is a great time to consider making any decorative changes that will let you enjoy your home more in the coming months.
Here are a few fun ideas for autumnal upgrades.
Combining window treatments
An exciting reason to think about combining treatments, such as having blinds and drapes, is that you can have an element of the window treatment that you can change with the seasons. For example, if you have a nice, neutral blind as the basic treatment, you can swap out drapes seasonally – such as having gauzy sheer drapes in the summer, and then dramatic, heavy drapes in a striking colour for the fall and winter. This also lets you try out colour schemes you may not want to live with one hundred percent of the time.
Be bright
Fall and winter in Vancouver can be dark seasons, so choose window treatments that brighten up your space. You will likely be spending much more time with your blinds and drapes closed, so choosing light, neutral or warm colours that reflect lots of light back into the room will add to the cheeriness of your space.
Updating your window treatments is a great way to nest into your home during the fall season, and can make your space more comfortable, functional, and enjoyable for the cold days to come.