Spring is upon us, we have set our clocks ahead and suddenly you are awoken at an unearthly hour by sunlight streaming into your bedroom window.

The deep days of winter are behind us and we welcome the extended sunlight but for those days you need extra sleep, the rays in your bedroom can be annoying and frustrating. It is at this time of year that clients come out of the woodwork looking for window coverings and our design professionals are only too happy to oblige!

If you have lived in your home less than a complete year, you have no idea how the sun will peek into each window during different seasons. It came one spring at a home I owned in Lacombe where we were attempting to eat dinner surrounded by a blinding sunset coming in our dining room window, believe me I remedied that situation within days and had lovely curtains hanging in that window.

Window coverings offer a multitude of functions.

They create ambiance and filter light at any time of day and they offer much needed privacy from your neighbourhood when you don’t want the world to peek in your home.

They also create a secure and cozy feeling on windows without neighbours and give you the sense of being protected in your home.

Window coverings can offer room darkening for those cocooning days in your theatre room and they can reduce energy bills with air capturing cells. In short window coverings are a hard working multi-tasking product!

I find that many people are confused about window coverings and few know what to expect when they begin their search which doesn’t surprise me due to the endless options! It makes sense to break it down by square foot; a typical patio door is approximately 45-50 sq. ft. and most patio doors can be covered starting at $25/sq. ft. for a simple metal or faux wood blind.

The cost goes up with the choice of cellulars, vertical blinds and customization. If you want multi function for this area you may find that a simple blind overlaid with side panel draperies will fit the bill nicely.

The blinds offer privacy at a low cost while the drapery gives another option for room darkening and some R value for cold and heat retention. There are lovely pre-made panels on the market and custom panels are always an option for those hard to fit or large windows.

It makes sense to treat your windows with some flare and fashion as these are the only interior design decision you will make that will be visible to the neighbourhood.

For windows that are facing the same side of the home (and for windows contained in the same area of your home) it is important to keep the orientation running the same way, either vertical or horizontal blinds – not a combination of both.

Look at the outside of your home as a complete canvas and choose products that will enhance the exterior beauty of your home and give you the purpose you desire on the inside.

No interior design choice is as multi-talented as window coverings!

Give your home a well-deserved upgrade and enjoy the functionality of new blinds and draperies, you will be glad you did.

Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.