Draw Attention to Taller Ceilings
In dining areas with high ceilings, short, frumpy curtains can do a disservice to the room, making it feel cramped. One way of doing this is by installing window treatments higher than the window or door they're hanging over.
Add Two Types of Window Treatments
There's no rule saying you're beholden to just one window treatment. Dining rooms that receive ample natural light might need a little more than one set of curtains to do the trick. Diffuse rays of sunlight or annoying streetlights with a shade and curtain combo.
Create Maximal Contrast with Window Treatments
Never be afraid to go bold. Even with a vibrant, patterned wallpaper, a checkered print curtain or shades in a complementary color can do so much to elevate the look. It's also an opportunity to add more color aside from paint, chairs, and decor.
Pick an Elegant Pattern
Patterns can feel busy in some rooms, but a subtle floral print or a sheer curtain can be an elegant upgrade. While it might be tempting to look at plain neutral colors for a dining room, expanding your parameters can result in a little more dimension and texture.
Install Half-Window Treatments
Nothing hits the spot quite like curling up with a coffee or a tasty meal in a dining area soaked with natural light. To keep the room illuminated but diffuse any direct rays, treatments that only cover half the window are a great option. It protects the eyes but doesn't make a room feel dark.
Go for Sheer and Minimal
Sheer curtains are super unobtrusive. They offer the perfect happy medium, giving a little coverage without being overbearing. Light white or cream versions keep color palettes feeling bright and breezy. This is useful in rooms that may be generally darker or smaller or look overcrowded with the addition of thick, velvety drapes.
Swap Window Treatments for Paint
Perhaps you're leaning towards the idea of no window treatments but are unsettled by completely bare windows. One out-of-the-box idea that gives this area attention is painting the sills and frames. Your dining room windows will look well-styled without a single thread of fabric.
Match the Overall Aesthetic
Standard white blinds work well in nearly every room, but they don't contribute much to the overall appearance. If you're dedicated to getting a cohesive theme in your dining space, don't forget to match the window treatment to your design aesthetic, too.
Block Out Overwhelming Light
Some dining rooms are perfectly positioned, but for lunches or brunches that leave some folks at the table sweltering and shading their eyes, a thick set of drapes will do the trick.
Encompass a Room
Rather than hanging up a shade or curtain over every set of window panes, a cool alternative is installing a rail around the perimeter of a room. It's a unique look that feels a touch regal and makes it easy to block out unwanted light in an instant.
Add Curtains That Match the Walls
Curtains and drapes can feel heavy and easily suffocate a room (especially small dining rooms). To keep the space feeling open and light, choose curtains that closely match the colors of the walls. This way, when they're opened and pulled back, they blend right in and aren't as jarring as a dark set.
Hang Up a Roman Shade
Roman shades are easy to use and perfect for windows that are shorter or designs that don't take up an entire wall. They're great for informal dining rooms, breakfast bars, and other eating areas that may not be laid out in the same way as a true dining room.
Opt for a Bright and Airy Look
Gauzy chiffon curtains aren't the only way to get a breezy look. Roman shades and blinds can contribute to the same airy and open aesthetic. When deciding, look out for materials that are lightweight visually and physically.
Use Window Treatments to Make the Room Pop
The color or pattern of a window treatment is almost as important as the type. Functionality is key, but so is style. Depending on the environment and the design style you're trying to emulate, a bright red set of drapes or a pale white chiffon curtain can both make or break a space.
Add Short Window Valances
Count on valances to add character and keep light pouring through. With shorter versions, they can frame a room and add color. They're ideal for dwellers after bright rooms sans bare windows.
Use Reed Curtains for Some Coastal Flair
If a beach house is on your moodboard (no matter how far you actually are from the sea), you can bring a little coastal appeal to your dining room with the right materials. A reed-based set of blinds or Roman shades is earthy and has seaside written all over it.
Choose Two Different Patterns
In the same vein as choosing two different window treatments, you can also select options that vary in shade, print, or color. This offers a little visual contrast between the two while remaining cohesive. It could be a plain curtain and patterned shade, vice versa, or a mix of prints.
Add a Solo Treatment to Each Window
To have maximum control over the lighting in a room, separate blinds or shades for each window in a dining room is the best type of treatment. This way, diners can pull them down in areas that are lit too harshly or provide a little light during certain times of day.
Add Wispy Linen Curtains
Linen equates to laidback and breezy. Curtains made of this organic and earthy (but sheer) material help promote this kind of aesthetic in a dining room. A little extra fabric pooling at the bottom feels dreamy and less perfectly cut and structured.
Choose a Roller Curtain Over Roller Blinds
If you have a window in your dining room that's well suited to blinds but you aren't a fan of the look, opt for a curtain or shade in the same configuration. It possesses a little more style than the common metal, crinkling blinds.