Deciding on Window Treatments in Austin for a Contemporary Room

When you’re decorating a room in contemporary style, your window treatments should mirror that style as well. So we talked to Jane Cunningham, principal designer at Room Resolutions, to help our customers understand how to choose window treatments for contemporary rooms in Austin.

Contemporary design can include a range of styles influenced by the later portion of the 20th century. Its main features are its softer, cleaner lines. According to Jane, contemporary doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. Most of the time, homeowners are trying to open up the space. She’s heard statements like, “I don’t have to have 15 items on the counter of my house.” Or “I don’t need an ottoman by every chair.”

Contemporary spaces “give you the freedom to move.” Even in a small condo situation, you can bring the outside inby widening your view of the sky, the rain, and the sun in Austin.

The first step is to unclutter your windows. The windows in your grandparents’ house had multiple layers. There were shades on top of shutters, valances, and sheers. It can be claustrophobic. Remove the layers. Choose window treatments that use clean lines. And get the contemporary look you want.

Your Options For Contemporary Window Treatments In Austin:

Shutters For Contemporary Rooms

Plantation shutters work well with contemporary rooms in Austin. They have wide 4.5” louvers which reflect a contemporary style. When you add a rear mount tilt rod to their wide louvers, your shutters create clean lines across the window.

Shutters give you light control. You can open the panels to the side and have access to your entire window. You can also choose to have divided shutters where you can have light coming in from the top.

It’s easy to clean them, which is especially helpful if the windows are often dusty. Contemporary décor looks its best when all the items are clean and polished.

Cunningham recommends Polywood shutters to customers interested in window treatments for contemporary rooms. She prefers them because don’t warp over the years and their colors stay true.

A trend that Cunningham has noticed is that more contemporary rooms feature reclaimed wood shutters. They provide a bit of nostalgia. They bring back the industrial look of hardware. They complement hardwood flooring to bring together all the elements of the space. With reclaimed wood shutters, you can revisit and reuse something from the past. The idea of using reclaimed wood as shutters is the epitome of the contemporary style.

Modern Barn Doors

Barn doors are a full scale piece of artwork on the wall. Pick as funky of a color as you want. You can have the restorative look. Or design it to look exactly like a traditional barn door. And you can give it a contemporary feel similar to the hotel you just stayed at.

Modern barn doors become room separators where you that often don’t have full doors. This is particularly the case when you want to close off your kitchen but not all the time.

Barn doors as window treatments work well on large windows with big enough wall space. Shaker doors have an open feel that goes along with a more contemporary style. The hardware makes a large difference. Choose stainless steel to get that contemporary look you want. Or paint a barn door a bold color. For example, if the entire room is differing shades of white, a bright red barn door pops against the wall and adds to the space.

“Barn doors add a conversation piece. The next gathering you have, I guarantee someone is going to have a comment. That’s because people aren’t expecting a barn door on a window.” - Jane Cunningham

Cunningham knows from experience that our homes are part of who we are. They’re also an experience we can share with our guests. And a barn door is part of that experience - and something your guests will be talking about.

Roller Shades

Roller shades are the perfect window treatment for contemporary rooms with large windows and doors that can be folded into themselves. They’re tucked away and let you bring in the outside view.

If you prefer sleeping with complete room darkness so you can get a restful night’s sleep, roller shades can come with room darkening add-ons. If you need to reduce unwanted noise, pair them with draperies which you can hide on the sides of the windows.

Window Film

Many contemporary rooms that are in the Austin area have large windows that are 25-30 feet tall. And if they’re west-facing windows, the sun wear down the furnishings and carpet.

Jane recommends window film to her clients with rooms that have large windows. It gives you a wide view of outside, which is just what you want for a contemporary room.

The film blocks UV rays. This means your furnishings and carpet retain their color longer. And it helps your home save energy.

Find Contemporary Window Treatments For Your Austin Home

Call us at 512-549-6077 to arrange your free in-home design consultation. Our window treatment professionals will show you samples of the contemporary window treatment options we carry and that you’re looking for. Then you’re ready to decide on the window treatment that’s perfect for your home!

To find out more about Jane Cunningham and Room Resolutions, visit RoomResolutions.com today.