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Brown shades in contemporary room

Choosing Window Treatments in Baltimore for a Contemporary Room

May 02, 2016

When you’re decorating a room in contemporary style, you need your window treatments to be that same style as well. We spoke with Jane Cunningham, principal designer at Room Resolutions, to better understand the process of selecting window treatments for contemporary rooms in Baltimore.

Contemporary design includes a range of styles which are inspired by the second half of the 20th century. It features softer, cleaner lines. Jane has found that how people define contemporary differs from person to person. Usually, people are looking to open up the room. She’s heard her clients say things like, “I don’t need an ottoman by every chair.” Or “I don’t have to have 15 items on the counter of my house.”

Contemporary rooms “give you the freedom to move.” Even if you live in a small condo, you can bring the outside inby widening your view of the sky, the rain, and the sun in Baltimore.

Begin by uncluttering the windows. The windows in your grandparents’ house had multiple layers: shades on top of draperies, shutters, valances, and sheers. It feels claustrophobic. Get rid of the layers. Go with window treatments that use clean lines. And get the contemporary look you’ve always wanted.

Contemporary Window Treatment Options In Baltimore:

Shutters For Contemporary Rooms

 Contemporary room with white plantation shutters

Plantation shutters work well with contemporary homes in Baltimore. Their wide 4.5” louvers go with a contemporary style. When you add a rear mount tilt rod to these wide louvers, your shutters create crisp lines across the window.

Shutters give you light control. You can open the panels to the side and see through your entire window. And you can choose to have divided shutters where you can have light coming in from the top.

They’re easy to clean, which is especially helpful if the space gets dusty easily. Contemporary décor shines best when all the items are clean and polished.

Cunningham recommends Polywood shutters to customers who are looking for window treatments for contemporary rooms. They’re her preferred shutter because don’t warp over time and they don’t fade.

A trend that Cunningham has noticed is that more contemporary rooms feature reclaimed wood shutters. They give a little bit of nostalgia. They bring back the industrial look of hardware. They go well with hardwood flooring to pull in all the décor in the room. With reclaimed wood shutters, you can find a new way to incorporate an element from the past. The idea of using reclaimed wood as shutters plays into the contemporary style.

Modern Barn Doors

[White modern barn door|Modern barn door in bedroom|Bedroom with white modern barn door]466]

Barn doors are a full scale piece of artwork on the wall. Go with as funky of a color as you like. You can get the restorative look. Or have it look exactly like a traditional barn door. And you can give it a contemporary feel that matches the hotel you just went to.

Modern barn doors can be used as room separators in places that traditionally don’t have full doors. This is particularly the case when you want to block off your kitchen part of the time.

Barn doors as window coverings look amazing on large windows with enough wall space. Shaker doors display an openness that goes along with a more contemporary style. The hardware you decide on makes a difference. Pick stainless steel for a more contemporary look. Or choose a bold color of paint. If you had a room that was decorated primarily in varying shades of white, a red barn door pops against the wall and enhances the room.

“Barn doors add a conversation piece. The next gathering you have, I guarantee someone is going to have a comment. That’s because people aren’t expecting a barn door on a window.” - Jane Cunningham

Cunningham knows from years of experience that our homes are part of who we are. They’re also an experience we’re sharing with our guests. And a barn door is part of that experience - and something your guests will be talking about.

Roller Shades

Patterned roller shades in a contemporary room 

Roller shades are a great solution for contemporary rooms with big windows and doors that can fold into themselves. They’re neatly tucked away, yet help you bring in the outside view.

If you like to sleep in total darkness so you can have a restful night’s sleep, roller shades can come with room darkening options. And if you want to reduce unwanted noise, pair them with draperies which you can hide from sight by tying on the window’s sides.

Window Film

 Contemporary room with window film

Most contemporary rooms that are in the Baltimore area have large windows that can be 25-30 feet in height. And when they face west, the sun can take a toll on the room’s items.

Jane suggests window film to anyone with homes that have large windows. It gives you a wide view of your outside surroundings, which is just what you want for a contemporary room.

In addition, the film blocks UV rays, which helps your furniture and carpeting hold true to their color longer. It also contributes to the energy efficiency of your home.

Purchase Contemporary Window Treatments For Your Baltimore Home

Contact us at 301-321-7998 to set up your free in-home design consultation. Our experts bring you samples of the contemporary window treatment options we carry and that you’re looking for. Now you can order the window treatment that fits your rooms!

To find out more about Jane Cunningham and Room Resolutions, browse through RoomResolutions.com.