You need not despair though, sorting through your options can be fun and easy considering the many selections available. You only need to keep the following questions in mind when you marry your windows with fashion and function.

Decor
Will you be matching existing decor or creating a new look? You should look at every window in every room a little differently. What's right for your formal living room won't necessarily work in the nursery. As a new home buyer with a whole house full of bare windows you may want to look to a window covering professional before making any hasty decisions. A professional can provide advice and show you product samples so you'll have a better idea of the many options available.

Obviously, the feeling you hope to evoke with your decor will, to a certain degree, dictate the type of window coverings you choose. You may like the clean look of wood blinds-one of today's most popular choices-or you may prefer the custom appeal of elegant drapery in a designer fabric. Whatever your decorating style, you will find a variety of choices to showcase your windows and enhance your home's decor.

Energy Efficiency
Do you need to keep cool or warm air in? Or out? Beauty and practicality should live in harmony. Simply put, if you live in the foothills, a snazzy window shade that doesn't insulate is about as useful as a silk shirt in a blizzard.

Good choices for energy efficiency include honeycomb shades and shutters. If price is an issue, you may want to consider honeycomb shades which are relatively inexpensive and come in colors to match every decor. Honeycomb shades actually increase energy efficiency by trapping air between the layers of the shade. Their unique design will help keep your home evenly heated or cooled. Honeycomb shades can easily be raised or lowered and come in several layers to control light, heat, and noise.

If your budget permits, shutters are ideal for windows that require added protection from heat or cold. Always an elegant choice, wood or vinyl shutters offer timeless beauty and can be purchased in a variety of finishes and styles.

Light
How much light do you want to let in or keep out? The direction your windows face affects the amount of light that illuminates your home. North windows have the coldest exposure. East windows offer warm bright light, especially in the morning. The west facing windows admit the most heat. South windows receive good light year-round, and cast a warm, golden glow on interiors.

There are many products currently on the market that can create interesting effects with light. Blinds allow you to adjust light flow with a quick twist of the wand or pull of the string. Roll-up shades, which are back in style, can be raised or lowered in seconds to control light. Shades are available in virtually any fabric as well as more exotic materials like rattan and bamboo.

One of the hottest products on the market is HunterDouglas' new Silhouette Window Shadings. Silhouettes feature a soft, sheer fabric front and back facing bonded to translucent fabric vanes. A single cord rotates the vanes to let in as much or as little light as you want. When closed, Silhouettes offer complete privacy, and when raised, the shading is completely concealed inside the headrail.

Noise
Fabric window fashions can cut down on echoes. Sound reverberates in vacant spaces, and becomes distorted. Your window coverings professional can suggest the right product to add that will absorb the sound.

The features that make a product energy efficient can also help minimize noise. That's why honeycomb shades and shutters are good options for windows that face busy streets, parks, or playgrounds. Another way to reduce noise in a room is with fabric window fashions. The heavier the fabric the better it will insulate, however, you will want to consider whether a heavy treatment allows enough light to filter in.

Privacy
Do you prefer to meet your new neighbors in your own time? Window coverings should make your home a safe haven where you feel comfortable enough to lounge around in your pajamas.

Nobody wants to live in a fishbowl, so where privacy is an issue, you'll want to choose a window covering that works as well at night as it does during the day. Shutters ensure privacy when closed properly, as do certain types of shades. Some shades allow shadows to be seen from outside, so you'll want to verify that the material you choose offers complete privacy.

Blinds offer adequate privacy for most people, however, the tiny holes that house the strings can offer a peep hole view inside. Adding decorative tapes to blinds-a popular retro look-can resolve the 'hole' problem.

Security
Do you have valuables that you do not want to advertise to all who might see in? It all comes down to you being in control. Control to choose a window covering product that offers 100% closure.

For security, shutters are optimal. They close securely and make entry through a window much more challenging. When closed, blinds, shades of all types, and fabric draperies can keep valuables safe from view, however, none of these products will impede entry.

Now that you have reviewed the basic starting questions, you will be better prepared to consult with your window covering specialist. In fulfilling your quest for a window covering consultant that's right for you, trust your instincts for a harmonious relationship. Choose someone who gives you choices of a wide range of products and is experienced, licensed, bonded and insured. Look for brand name products, such as HunterDouglas Window Fashions, to ensure quality and durability.

You know your home and lifestyle better than any one else. But what you may not know is how the right window treatment choices can make your habitat more beautiful and comfortable than you ever imagined. This is where your window covering professional comes in. Together, you can sort through many of the questions you are bound to have. Soon you will be picking out exciting new window treatments any window would love to wear.

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