Finding Window Treatments in New York for a Contemporary Room

When your home’s style is contemporary, you need your window treatments to reflect that style too. So we talked to Room Resolutions’ principal designer, Jane Cunningham, to better understand how customers should choose the right window treatments for contemporary rooms in New York.

Contemporary design includes a range of styles inspired by the second half of the 20th century. Its main features are its softer, cleaner lines. Jane has found that contemporary means something different to everyone. Usually, homeowners want to open up the room. She’s heard her clients say things like, “I don’t have to have 15 items on the counter of my house.” Or “I don’t need an ottoman by every chair.”

Contemporary homes “give you the freedom to move.” Even if you live in a small condo, you can bring nature insideby expanding your view of the sun, the sky, and the rain in New York.

Begin by uncluttering your windows. Your grandparents’ house had windows with a lot of layers. There were shades on top of shutters, valances, and sheers. It’s often claustrophobic. Get rid of the layers. By going for window treatments that offer clean lines, you can have the contemporary look you want.

Your Contemporary Window Treatment Options In New York:

Shutters For Contemporary Homes

Plantation shutters are perfect for contemporary homes in New York. The 4.5” louvers reflect a contemporary style. And when you add a rear mount tilt rod to their wide louvers, your shutters create crisp lines across the window.

Shutters give you light control. The panels can be swung open to the side so that you’ll have an open view of your entire window. Another option is to have divided shutters. These shutters have the light streaming in through the top.

It’s easy to clean shutters, which is handy if the windows are usually dusty. Contemporary décor shines best when everything is tidy and polished.

Cunningham recommends Polywood shutters to customers who are looking for window treatments for contemporary rooms. They’re her preference because they don’t get dingy and they won’t warp over time.

She also notes that more contemporary spaces have reclaimed wood shutters. They offer a little bit of nostalgia. They highlight the restorative use of hardware. They complement hardwood flooring to bring together the entire décor of the room. Reclaimed wood shutters allow you to take something from the past, revisit and reuse it. And the new application of reclaimed wood as shutters plays into the contemporary style.

Modern Barn Doors

Barn doors are a full scale piece of art on the wall. Pick as bright of a color as you like. You can go with the restorative look. Or have it look exactly like a traditional barn door. And you can give it a contemporary look like the hotel you recently visited.

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

Barn doors as window coverings look amazing on large windows with sufficient wall space. Shaker doors exhibit an openness that lends itself to a more contemporary style. The hardware you decide on makes a difference. Choose stainless steel for a more contemporary look. Or choose paint in a bold color. If you had a room that was decorated primarily in varying shades of white, a red barn door stands out on the wall and contributes to the space.

“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 experience that our homes are part of who we are as well as an experience we’re sharing with our guests. And a barn door is part of that experience. Your guests will definitely be talking about them.

Roller Shades

Roller shades are a wonderful option for contemporary rooms which have big windows and doors which fold into themselves. They’re discretely tucked away and let you bring in the outside view.

If you enjoy sleeping with complete room darkness so you can have a full night’s sleep, roller shades can include room darkening liners. And if you need acoustical help to block out sounds, pair them with draperies that can be hidden by tying on the sides of the windows.

Window Film

Most contemporary rooms we’ve seen in the New York area contain large windows that are 25-30 feet tall. And when they face towards the west, the sun takes a toll on the furnishings and carpet.

Jane recommends window film to anyone with large windows. It gives you a wide view of the outdoors, which is exactly what you want for a contemporary room.

The film blocks the sun’s UV rays. This means your furniture and carpeting retain their color longer. And it helps your home save energy.

Purchase Contemporary Window Treatments For Your New York Home

Call us at 631-246-3930 to arrange your free in-home design consultation. Our professionals come to your home and show you samples of the contemporary window treatment options you’re interested in. So you can buy the window treatment that fits your home!

To read more about Jane Cunningham and Room Resolutions, visit RoomResolutions.com today.