The Art of the Window: How to Embrace the Layered Look
Here are 12 ideas for using layered window treatments to add warmth, texture and style to your rooms
If the woven woods and bare shutters that heralded summer’s arrival a few months ago are starting to feel a bit stark, consider how an extra layer of draperies or top treatments will do for your windows what sweaters and blankets do for our bodies this time of year. No, I’m not suggesting you go out and buy new window treatments for each season, but unpacking a “winter layer” of drapes with your flannel sheets and wool blankets can signal the start of a new season as joyfully as white slipcovers and linen bedding welcome summertime. Sometimes grand and over the top, sometimes more tailored and demure, these 12 windowscapes illustrate how layered window treatments can set the tone for an entire space.
1. Cafe chic. Look closely and you’ll see two iterations of the same pattern here. A sheer cafe curtain proclaims its country cottage pedigree from the lower half of the windows in this great room, while respective draperies and a valance add color and function and complete the homey vignette. The space feels private because the windows are covered at eye level, yet there’s plenty of light floating in even with the cafe curtains closed.
2. Double duty. This bedroom appears to show two shades mounted one on top of the other. As uncommon and original as this configuration is, I can understand the motivation behind layering a light-filtering shade under a more opaque one. It’s the same reason some shade companies offer shades with operable liners: to give users the most “bang for their buck” via multiple light and privacy options.
Designer tip: If you’re mounting one or both shades inside the window frame, make sure you have enough mounting depth so the shades don’t stick out past the wall. In general, 1 inch is the bare minimum, but 2 inches is often essential if you opt for a continuous cord loop instead of the standard type that lengthens as you raise the shade.
Designer tip: If you’re mounting one or both shades inside the window frame, make sure you have enough mounting depth so the shades don’t stick out past the wall. In general, 1 inch is the bare minimum, but 2 inches is often essential if you opt for a continuous cord loop instead of the standard type that lengthens as you raise the shade.
3. Shutter up. Multiple window treatments allow for a variety of light and privacy configurations at a single window. This living room showcases the best of all possible worlds: panels for when you want complete privacy, lower shutters for when you want just a little privacy, and exposed upper glass for when you still want some unobstructed natural light. It’s the window equivalent of making pillows with different fabrics on either side to get two looks in one.
4. Lighten up. This space goes to show that layered window treatments don’t have to look heavy. The combo of swags, stationary panels and sheers dresses up this light-filled living room with a mix of formality and airiness. In fact, dark, heavy textiles would have seemed out of place here any time of year. Choosing the perfect windowscape is all about listening to what the room is telling you.
5. Solar power. Here’s a designer who understands the potential of a layered window: A solar screen protects both upholstery and inhabitants from the hot glare of the Tampa, Florida, sun, while a stationary woven wood shade communicates the beachy theme without any hint of kitsch. Add neutral panels that blend in like sand against the ocean, and you’ve got a recipe for practical sophistication in a space that feels like home.
6. A cornice on top. Savvy architects have long recommended lighting a room from two sides to avoid the imbalance of shadowy corners and a high-glare porthole of light. When the sun’s brilliance is still overwhelming, it can make sense to soften that light by arranging draperies to join at the center and tie back onto the walls. A cornice is the cherry on top here, showcasing a plaid fabric that ties the whole room together.
7. No job too small. Even tiny window treatments can be layered. The look may not be for everyone in every context, but maximalists will rejoice at the sight of this sultry restroom fit for a diva.
Explore 102 eye-popping powder rooms
Explore 102 eye-popping powder rooms
8. Heavy on drama. Layered windows are a maximalist endeavor, and nothing screams opulence like heaping on as many luscious fabrics as possible. If you’ve ever wondered what designers really mean when they talk about such ephemeral notions as mood and personality, this space is a crash course: Mystical, mysterious and sensual, it leaves you half expecting Princess Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin to walk out from behind one of the curtains.
9. Mock sheers. Opaque draperies on sheers will always be timeless. If your budget doesn’t allow for two separate treatments, you can achieve the same look by sewing a bit of sheer fabric to the leading edge of your curtains to create a mock sheer that appears to be poking out when the panels are open.
10. Weave in the wovens. The really fun thing about layers is that they can be coordinated across a room or a whole house. Each window here has two layers of treatments, but each has been suited to the unique purpose and placement of the window. The resulting combination of faux deco-fold shades and draperies over woven woods adds dimension and personality, for the ultimate custom look.
11. Take it to the kitchen. We’re used to seeing a single valance or shade dressing kitchen windows, but a valance on top of a shade can add another layer of softness to a utilitarian space and offer a unique opportunity to make a stylistic statement. If you don’t want to invest in a custom swag, an artfully draped garland or pennant can be just as lovely in this context.
Designer tip: It makes sense to vary the styles. If you use a tailored shade, as was done here, complement it with a valance.
Designer tip: It makes sense to vary the styles. If you use a tailored shade, as was done here, complement it with a valance.
12. Dining room delight. When the cooking’s done and the guests glide into the dining room, it’s nice to have an intimate tone enhanced by window fabric. One of the greatest virtues, and indeed the very essence of home, is the feeling of protection against the elements. This can be achieved through the architecture, but also through the decor. Thanks to the shades, draperies and architectural soffit headlining them, these substantially outfitted windows have a strong presence and reassure occupants of their protection from the cold outside.
More Art of the Window: 11 Shades That Add Style to a Room | 12 Ways to Cover Glass Doors | Drapery Solutions for Difficult Types and Shapes | 10 Ways to Elevate Your Bathroom | A Valance for Every Look
More Art of the Window: 11 Shades That Add Style to a Room | 12 Ways to Cover Glass Doors | Drapery Solutions for Difficult Types and Shapes | 10 Ways to Elevate Your Bathroom | A Valance for Every Look