One important step to take when deciding on a window treatment is to know whether or not the window treatments should be bought from a store or custom made. Some people prefer store bought window treatments and will visit a variety of stores in order to find the color and texture of their window treatment. This approach can work out fine for many people who can locate the window treatment of their dreams in a retail establishment. 

However, there are pitfalls with this approach and there are many instances when it is best to not purchase general window treatments from a retail establishment. One instance is if your windows are not standard size. Windows with a unique size or shape will cause much difficultly for the person seeking window treatments. This is because many retail establishments make window treatments for the general population. Therefore, if the windows are extremely long or extremely narrow, it is possible that the person will strike out in the retail world. The window treatments that are available for windows with a unique size are often limited in selection and supply.

A second important step to take is to go to a location that provides expert opinions. Many custom window treatment providers have specialists on staff that can help assist with any questions regarding window treatments. Many people make the mistake of picking out a window treatment because they enjoy the fabric and can picture themselves wearing the fabric. This is not the approach to take when shopping for window treatments because certain fabrics, such as satin, look horrible as a window treatment. The super shiny material almost never turns out well as a window treatment and can often be an eyesore for any household. Well lined linen is recommended and it is important for the shopper to ask questions before purchasing a particular fabric for a window treatments.

A final step to take is to make sure to measure the window properly. A huge pitfall for shoppers who are purchasing window treatments is that they do not measure the window properly which will result in an ill fitting window treatment. Window treatments that do not properly fit a window can appear tacky and will be easily noticed by anyone looking. There have been cases of window treatments coming out too narrow for the window which means that there is a huge gap between the end of the fabric and the window frame.