What Living Room Window Treatments Work Best?

As the name suggests, the living room is where we live our lives. And when you're choosing living room window treatments, it helps to think about your lifestyle. Is the living room where you go to read? Watch TV? How much do you like to entertain? Do you host formal dinner parties or casual game nights with friends? Is light control or energy efficiency a concern? Whatever your particular need, you'll find many living room blinds and shades that are as fashionable as they are functional.

Cellular Shades: Superior Energy Efficiency and Style

Duette® Honeycomb Shades   Fabric: Architella® Classic   Color: London Sky

If energy efficiency is a top priority, cellular shades, like

The great thing about Duette shades is that they come in so many pleat sizes, colors, patterns, textures and opacities that they'll work with any living room décor. You can even combine two fabrics on the same shade for more light control.

A Modern Twist on a Classic Roman Shade

Vignette® Roman Shades   Fabric: Pampa   Color: Chia

For a soft, elegant look in your living room, Roman shades

Want more light control from your living room shades? Try choosing a product that pairs a light-filtering shade with a room-darkening back panel. And since fabrics are available by the yard, you can create decorative matching pillows or other accents for upholstered furniture. An added bonus—Vignette shades have no exposed rear cords for enhanced child safety and a clean look from the outside.

Designer Screen Shades and UV Protection

Designer Screen Shades   Fabric: New Orleans   Color: Wrought Iron

Even on cloudy days, UV rays can fade and damage your artwork, fabrics and carpet. They can also dry out and bleach your hardwood floors and wood furniture, breaking down the paint or stain finishes and joint sealants. To protect your living room furnishings, solar shades, such as Designer Screen Shades, offer excellent UV protection and come in hundreds of gorgeous fabrics as well as opacities ranging from sheer to opaque and from 14% to 0% openness.

You don't have to stick to solar shades for UV protection though. Virtually all Hunter Douglas shades, blinds and shutters filter at least 75% of the sun's rays when installed over double-glazed glass picture windows.

Modern Window Coverings for Large Windows

Luminette® Privacy Sheers   Fabric: Stria   Color: Spun Sugar

Do you have huge windows to cover? If so, some of the best window treatments for large living room windows have a vertical design, lending a more contemporary feel to the treatment and to your room. large windows

Looking for something sleeker? Designed for an expansive set of windows, the clean lines of  definitely make a statement. Choose from an extensive collection of fashion-forward colors, patterns and textures.

Shutters: Durable and Timeless

Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters   Color: Bright White

Like premium furniture for your family room, shutters offer the timeless beauty of rich hardwood. Plus, they look just as gorgeous from the outside of your home as they do from the inside. They're also very durable and provide great sound absorption.

You can find options ranging from real wood and hybrid shutters to shutters like that have the look of finely painted shutters but are guaranteed never to warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolor, even when exposed to extreme heat or humidity. Something to think about if you live in a hot climate.

Other Living Room Shade Ideas

Top treatments, such as cornices, are hard-working decorative elements. Wooden or fabric covered, they can add a finished accent to your living room shades or blinds while concealing window treatment hardware. They also help block unwanted light around the top of your window treatment and draw the eye upward, making your room seem more spacious.