When winter arrives, it usually comes with cooler temperatures, strong winds, and shorter days with less sun. However, you can stay comfortable and secure when you choose appropriate window treatments. Besides ensuring your home already has durable, energy-efficient windows, blinds or shades provide another layer of insulation and style. Even when winters are mild, it doesn’t hurt to upgrade windows and save on energy by using window coverings for the winter. Read on as we discuss delightful winter window treatments to enhance your home.
6 Fantastic Window Treatments For The Winter Season
The windows of your home provide natural lighting and fresh air from outside and add aesthetic value. No matter the type of decor you currently have in each room, specific winter-ready blinds or shades will complement your spaces beautifully. If you desire a window treatment for cold weather, your blinds or shades need to accomplish the following:
- Optimal range of light filtering
- Thick, static-free material to lock in warmth
- Easy to operate with little to no interference
- Allow for layering
- Improve energy efficiency
We think the following are some of the best window treatments for cold weather and winter. Each of the window coverings we review offers a stellar level of performance, aesthetic value, and a layer of insulation.
1. Plantation Shutters
Give your home’s windows the best of both worlds for winter cold and summer heat. Choose traditional plantation shutters to optimize the temperature inside and prevent energy loss from passing through windows or cold air leaks. Depending on the width of the louvers, you can control privacy and light filtering and allow for a bit of ventilation if needed. Otherwise, this style of window covering is insulating, stylish, and has a timeless look.
2. Wood Blinds
Add a touch of warmth, color, and texture with wood or faux wood blinds. Instead of vinyl or aluminum slats, wood is nice and heavy and durable. Choose wooden blinds with a dark or light stain to complement the decor. When wooden blinds are closed, they are excellent at keeping the heat in and blocking out cold air. Be careful that wood blinds are usually heavier than other options.
3. Fabric Vertical Blinds
Go beyond horizontal lines and lock in warmth with vertical blinds. Choose from thick fabric panels or even PVC for privacy and reducing heat loss. Window treatments like this option are great for sliding glass doors leading to a porch or to cover extra-large windows. Be careful with how you have the blinds oriented when open or closed. If the curved side is facing outward or inward, this impacts how air flows through your home.
4. Honeycomb Shades
Check out honeycomb shades if you want remarkable winter window shades with a visually exciting look. They are made from a continuous panel that either stacks or rolls up. The unique design of this window covering consists of individual honeycomb-shaped cells that trap air for optimal insulation. Block out cold drafts, dampen sound, and block out light, depending on the opacity of the shade. Also, this is a good window covering for odd windows that need a custom fit that isn’t standard.
5. Vignette Roman Shades
Strike a balance between modern decor and traditional old-world charm with Hunter Douglas Vignette Roman Shades. With this elegant choice, you’ll never believe how beautiful window coverings could be. The pleated fabric panels provide a layer of warmth and texture, blocking off cold air and winds. You get a unique look depending on how you raise or lower the shades. Choose from shades that roll or stack in varying opacity.
6. Motorized Shades
Imagine the convenience of using motorized shades at the touch of a button via a smartphone app or using voice control. Motorized shades or blinds are an excellent window treatment for winter. You can set the window coverings to open or close at set times during the day or based on the readings of an integrated smart thermostat. There are no cords; you can fully block out light for complete privacy or allow a modicum of light to filter through.
What Are The Key Benefits Of Winter-Ready Windows?
How will your choice of winter window coverings enhance your life in the winter? Remember that you want your blinds or shades to fit your standard or custom window perfectly. The best window covering should lock in warmth, block out cold and wind, and help keep an even indoor temperature.
You save energy when you install winter treatments that softly diffuse light in the morning and reduce cold air and heat loss at night. During winter, many homeowners want to increase natural lighting and maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Think carefully about whether fabric or non-fabric window treatments will provide your desired level of insulation and light filtering and match your decor.
Don’t forget that you can layer window coverings. Also, you may be interested in installing a solar screen or choosing a window treatment with wooden slats instead of fabric or vinyl panels. Different window coverings offer a varying degree of R-value, similar to your window panes. Your winter window treatment should optimize form and function and have the versatility to suit your style and needs.
A Helpful Tip For Winter
Have a technician from a window company check out your windows and make sure they are in good shape to handle winter weather. Don’t wait until temperatures plunge to do so. Make certain gaps are filled in with caulk or weather stripping. Also, don’t forget that you can layer different winter window coverings to maximize the insulating properties of your windows and keep your home nice and toasty inside.
Great Windows Ensure A Cozy And Stylish Home
Your home’s windows deserve a winter window treatment that looks good, adds a layer of insulating warmth, and appropriately filters light. There are so many chic blinds and shades available that are suitable for colder weather. It might be difficult choosing only one. However, different window coverings work best depending on the directions your windows face and what you wish to achieve. Discover a curated roster of elegant, high-quality blinds, shades, and more online All About Blinds.
