Window Dressing Ideas to Insulate Your Home
Posted on 10th January 2025 at 09:29
Everyone wants a warm and welcoming home. We all want to feel that warm glow when we step through the door after a long day. However, in the current climate, energy efficiency is becoming a priority for many of us.
If you’re looking for ways to enhance the efficiency of your home over the long term, without compromising on style, your window dressing is a great place to start. Whether you’re thinking of curtains, blinds or shutters, it’s wise to take insulation into account. After all, why can’t your window dressing be both beautiful AND functional?
Why is Insulation Important to Window Dressing?
With a huge 18% of domestic heat energy being lost through windows, it’s easy to see why insulating your windows can help keep your house warm. And once you’ve invested in high-quality and durable curtains, blinds or shutters, your home should be more sustainable, efficient and cheaper to run. English Heritage looked into this for a research project back in 2018. They found that curtains, shutters and blinds reduce heat loss through glazing by 41%, 38% and 58% respectively - impressive stuff.
Cheaper, ill-fitting or mass-produced window dressings can offer a quick fix or an inexpensive option. But for those looking for a long-lasting impact, made-to-measure curtains and blinds, and bespoke shutters, are the right choice.
Energy prices are set to rise further in 2025, leaving many of us looking into ways to reduce our gas and electricity use. Finding solutions, such as window dressings, that cut out draughts and act as a barrier, shoring up windows and doors, can bring down bills for decades to come.
Window Dressing Ideas For a Warmer Home
1. Layered Window Furnishing
Using both blinds and curtains to furnish your windows is a great way to boost insulation. Snug-fitting blinds, that are fitted professionally, will reduce the amount of cold air that can escape into your room. Then, adding curtains - particularly in heavier fabric - will further protect your room in the colder winter months
2. Curtain Fabric That Keeps the Cold Out
When customers come into our shop, we’re always on hand to talk them through different fabrics and their properties. If you’re looking for heavy drapes and effective winter insulation, thicker, richer and more sumptuous fabrics are a good choice. That’s not to say that lighter fabrics can’t contribute to insulation; cotton and linen are both useful in keeping out drafts while giving a more airy feel to a room.
The best way to choose window dressings that will keep out the cold is to view, touch and feel the fabrics yourself before making your choice. Never rely on an online description, instead, you’ll want to feel the weave and heft of the fabric between your fingers to appreciate its function, as well as its beauty.
3. Curtains That Fit Like a Glove
As well as choosing a thicker curtain fabric for your window dressings, the fit is fundamental to insulation. Jess from BestHeating, told Ideal Home magazine: “For best results, ensure the curtains fit snugly and extend below the windowsill to prevent drafts. This easy step can keep your home warmer and cut down on heating costs.”
At Ball & Co we come and personally measure up your windows after you’ve chosen your curtain fabric to ensure the perfect fit every time. Our in-house installation team are experts in curtain fitting so they fall just right, evening after evening, throughout the year.
4. Quality Means Durability
If you’re looking for curtains that will last a lifetime, getting your curtains made to measure makes perfect sense. Bespoke curtains are made with superior craftsmanship and are constructed with precision and care. They’ll feature high-quality linings, meticulously sewn hems, and bespoke headings (think pinch pleats, eyelets, or wave styles). These details not only enhance their appearance but also increase durability.
Ready-made curtains are mass-produced and their quality is likely to diminish, along with their appeal, long before you’re ready to invest in new window dressings.
5. Professionally Installed Shutters and Blinds
If you’re looking for serious insulation from your window shutters or blinds, it’s all about the fitting. Professionally fitted and installed blinds and shutters will perform much better than poorly fitted window dressings when it comes to keeping your home cosy.
Ideally, your windows will be professionally measured, and - once your blinds and shutters are made - they should be installed by an expert. At Ball & Co we provide all these services in-house, never relying on contractors or third parties. This way, we can ensure quality from start to finish.
6. Roman Blinds Offer a Timeless Look and Warmer Rooms
Roman blinds bring a tailored, refined look to any room while offering excellent insulation. Adding a thermal or blackout lining enhances their ability to retain heat, especially when fitted snugly to the window frame.
7. Pelmets and Valances for Ultimate Draught Exclusion
Often overlooked, pelmets and valances add a touch of grandeur while improving thermal efficiency. Positioned at the top of windows, they trap warm air that might otherwise escape through the gap between the curtain rod and the ceiling.
Insulating Window Dressing Boosts Your Home’s Efficiency
Window dressings are more than decorative features, they combine form and function and can work really hard within your interior space. Whether you’re drawn to the timeless elegance of curtains, the tailored precision of Roman blinds, or the bespoke charm of shutters, window dressings can insulate your home while elevating its aesthetic appeal.
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