Shady operations limit light, privacy as do shutters, blinds

"Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous." Confucius (551 B.C. - 479 B.C.), Chinese thinker and social philosopher, Analects (6th century B.C.)

You've heard the expression "window to the world." The phrase emphasizes the importance of a window -- it opens up the world. And, that they do.

When you are building, buying, renovating or decorating a house, windows play a huge role in the design. They are not only decorative, but must be functional. They must look good and they must let in the amount of light we want in a room.

There are literally hundreds of types of windows, each manufactured for a specific room or purpose. Your job as a homeowner, renovator or decorator is to select the correct one. Given the large range available, it is not always an easy job.

We all crave light in our homes and want to let as much natural light in as possible. And when that's not possible, there are cures for that ill as well. Skylights provide light in dark rooms and solar tubes provide light in tight, dark spaces without the extent of construction necessary for skylights.

If you feel the need to renovate to get the desired amount of natural light coming into your home, you're looking at considerable cost. So if you are lucky enough to build your own home, put in lots of windows. You will never say, "Gee, I wish I didn't have all of these windows!"

However, getting all of those windows is just the beginning. The next big decision for most of us is, now what? Do I cover them, and with what?

If privacy is not an issue, it's great to leave windows uncovered. That is a very modern, contemporary look, but can also work well in other design styles.

Conversely, fabric warms up a room, so even if you want the openness afforded by the window, but would like a touch of fabric, a valance or window topper is one option. Roman shades that go all the way to the ceiling is another. The shades are actually covering the wall space above the window and not blocking much of the window opening.

Curtain panels also can be used in the same way. Extend the rods past the windows far enough to accommodate the width of the panels. When the curtains are open, they are not actually covering the window at all, just the walls around them.

If you are having heartburn about colors for fabric window treatments, I would suggest that you match your wall colors or choose a neutral color so you don't have to worry about matching upholstery, etc.

Most of us require window treatments to provide privacy and light control. Treatments such as shutters and blinds work well for both purposes. They can be adjusted to let in just enough light and can be closed off to provide privacy when needed.

A window treatment that goes back decades is the shade. There are now numerous types of shades, some opening from the top and some from the bottom. Shade materials and colors are endless.

A covering on your windows will also provide some insulation from heat and cold. We're not extremely susceptible to cold weather here in our valley, but in the summer, some kind of protection is needed from the sun.

One of the hippest, new trends in window treatments is the use of remotes to open and close them. Remotes can control draperies, shades and sliding panels. Any "movement" of a treatment that is tied to a rod or track can be outfitted with a remote. Talk about luxury! Imagine laying in bed and opening your curtains without getting out of bed. Just keep in mind that anything with moving parts is more apt to give you problems along the way.

Prices to dress windows are all over the lot. A simple topper can cost a little as $10, and remote-controlled shades or panels can cost thousands. Whatever your budget or whatever your style, there are window treatments to satisfy your needs.

After you establish your budget, the only requirement is the window!

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home & Garden section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.