When it comes to formal entertaining, the dining room is the focal point. Last week, I spoke with a customer in Vermont, who wanted some design advice on blinds for her dining room. She told me that most Vermont homeowners favor having a formal dining room in addition to a large eat-in kitchen. Even though people rarely use their dining rooms, when they do, they want it to be just right and they want it to be a reflection of who they are and of their design style. Most formal gatherings are for holidays and celebrations, so it’s important that you get it right, from furnishings to window décor.
The dining room is one of the only rooms where privacy and light control are not major concerns when choosing blinds and shades. Also, most dining rooms do not have a lot of windows. As a result, many homeowners decide to have more fun with their dining room window treatments, choosing to splurge on designer fabrics or more premium shades like sheer shades. Sheer shades combine the beauty of a sheer drape with the light blocking ability of a blind, in sheer fabrics that make the dining room feel special.
Dining rooms are also one of the only rooms where Vermont homeowners prefer drapery for their windows. At Blindsgalore, we see more drapery being used in dining rooms than anything else, especially in the East and Midwest. With drapery, you can achieve unique layered looks using sheers and decorative fabric panels, top treatments, and cornice boards. Interesting style accents like fringe, trims, and cords are commonly used in dining rooms along with more expensive and unique drapery hardware.
The choices are nearly endless in drapery hardware, ranging in style from contemporary to very traditional. Material choices and finishes are also plentiful and a great way to introduce a new style element into the room. Picture a sleek gunmetal finish drapery rod with ornate glass finials or a wood rod with carved finials that complements other finishes in the room.