Congratulations! You’ve made the big decision to hire a professional to design and install new window treatments in your home. Hiring a custom window treatment designer is a great first step. Their expertise and style sense will help you find the right fit for each and every window in your home, and you won’t have to cart samples back and forth from the local home improvement store. Whether you’ve changed your décor, moved into a new home or just need an upgrade from your old blinds, it’s our job to help you get the right fit at every step of the process.
If you’re like many of my clients, you’re a little nervous about the consultation, unsure what to expect. Here are some questions to consider before that first meeting so you’ll be better prepared and feel more comfortable.
Practicalities
The first thing you’re going to need to think about is the practical considerations that will first influence the options available to you. Take a careful look at aspects of your life that may influence your choices.
What’s my budget?
Be realistic. Figure out going in what you need and how much you can afford. Is there leeway? What are your expectations? If you have a clear idea of how much you want to spend, it will help your designer show you options that are a good fit for your windows and your budget.
What happens in this room?
It seems obvious, but sometimes this can get lost in the shuffle. Think about how the room is used. What does your family do there? It’s not always obvious to a consultant who hasn’t observed your family, especially in spaces that can have multiple uses. Take a look at the room and think about its many uses throughout the day.
Is energy efficiency especially important to me?
We’re all concerned about energy efficiency these days, and your window treatments can greatly contribute to energy conservation in any room. Hunter Douglas is the industry leader in energy efficient technology, so take the time to think about if you have any particular concerns or questions about your windows treatments.
Do I have children, pets or elderly people to consider?
If you have safety concerns because there are young, elderly or furry residents in your home, there is a wide range of child safe solutions for window treatments, including
Mechanics
How do my windows work?
This is a basic concern, but it has very important repercussions. How do your windows open and close? Are your windows up high, or otherwise hard to reach? Questions like these may seem simple, but when you’re enchanted by the gorgeous potential designs, you may forget that it’s difficult to actually reach that window behind the tub to close it.
Am I hoping to cover any odd-shaped or otherwise hard-to-fit windows?
If you are planning to give a room a makeover and it’s got one or more unusual window shapes, your designer will need to take that into consideration. Arched windows and the like need a special touch, so you and your designer can work together to realize some innovative solutions for odd windows by mixing and matching styles or utilizing specialty shaped treatments.
What are my privacy and light control needs?
Do your kids nap in their rooms mid-day? Is bathroom privacy an issue? Do you want to work with the family room view or block it out? If you have an idea of what you’re looking for before your designer gets there, you’ll be able to describe the changes you need more clearly.
Style
Now we come to the fun part – here are some things to consider when it comes to matching your sense of style with suggestions and solutions from a designer.
Do I like the view?
A beautiful view can be a focal point of a room, but if your bedroom looks onto a brick wall, maintaining a view can be significantly less important. Think about what you see when you look out your windows – is it something you want to keep seeing?
Do I already have a strong sense of how my home should be decorated?
Sometimes we hope designers will swoop in and find magical new solutions that deeply satisfy our needs and wants, but sometimes we already have a vision. Think about your reasons for calling in a designer: are they more style-oriented, or purely practical? The more you understand your own motivations, the easier it will be to work with a professional.
Do I prefer neutrals or are my tastes a little bolder?
You need to take some time to consider your own style and sensibilities. Take some time to think about the style and feeling that you would like to portray with your window treatments. Also, think about if you want to use them as a focal point in the room or if you would rather they accentuate the existing furniture.
What do I see as the focal point of the room?
One way to build on your own sense of style is to choose your own inspiration in your home, whether that’s an heirloom piece, a sculpture, a view or painting.
Remember – our job is guide you through the many decisions you need to make to end up with window coverings that you’ll love for years to come. Taking the time to think about some of these questions prior to your free consultation will get your relationship with your designer off to a great start!
