When you’re looking to revamp your interiors, you should consider your walls and window coverings to be the foundation upon which you’ll build the rest of your decor style. Walls can be pretty flexible. You can either splash on a new coat of paint, add some wallpaper, or get creative with the kids and make some wall art. But window coverings? Not only do you have a myriad of options, but it can also be tricky figuring out how to integrate any specific style of window covering into an interior design plan. Be sure to read on if you’re looking for a little direction when it comes to pairing your blinds with a few select decor styles.
1. Modern country
There have been a few interpretations of country style interiors over the past few decades, but Australia’s take on modern country is perhaps one of the more largely adopted interior design styles across the globe. We’re the nation that revolutionised outdoor living, and bought stylish yet practical elements like louvres and Ziptrak blinds into the world of interior design. Modern country living is all about connecting your interiors to your exteriors. Think of this design scheme like a physical yin-yang, where natural tones and elements are used to highlight interior spaces, and polished furniture and decor are used to the same effect in your exterior spaces, ultimately giving the sense that both zones are in a perfect and complementary balance. The finished result is usually a home environment that encourages you and your family to embrace the natural world wherever possible, culminating in a greater appreciation for the world around you.
2. Contemporary minimalist
Unlike country, minimalism is all about cohesion through containment. The aim is to create distinct interiors, or spaces that serve very defined functions. Living spaces are defined by their lounge furniture, dining areas by their chairs and tabletop, and so on. There can be no clutter and no confusion in order to facilitate the myriad of physical and emotional benefits that can be reaped when you adopt a minimalist lifestyle.
Alongside this, it’s worth mentioning that when it comes to minimalism, the space between your defined spaces is just as important as the defined spaces themselves, which is the reason why simple, monochromatic venetian blinds perform so well in a contemporary minimalist designscape. Imagine a silent, summer day where daylight filters in through your light venetian blinds, casting straight and segmented shadows on to light timber floorboards. The gentle staticity of this imagery aligns fantastically with the atmosphere that contemporary minimalism aims to create.
3. Bohemian
If you’re a lover of the arts and believe self-expression to be one of life’s most infinite and changeable sources of joy, you might just be a bohemian in the making! Bohemian interior design as a style has quite a lot in common with European Renaissance era design principles, with the only real difference being the fact that bohemian designscapes have an even larger range of cultural influences. We’re not just talking about Mediterranean or central European elements, but also Eastern, African, South-Asian, Native-American and a number of other cultural elements like mandalas and tapestries, textured cushions, table coverings, rugs, vases and an array of potted plants. Bohemian interiors are all about vivacity and living boldly, and so when it comes to selecting window coverings to complement a bohemian designscape, you’re going to want to go thick, textured, and colourful. Think tasseled Roman blinds or perhaps even some darker toned sheer curtains to act as a modest backdrop for your colourful decor.
4. Coastal Hamptons
Finally, it’s time to go back to basics with the up-and-coming coastal or Hamptons style of interior design. This light and breezy style has taken Australia’s urban centres by storm, with a growing number of homes in around the Sydney and Melbourne CBDs being based on the signature bright whites and picture-perfect traditionalist architecture of the Hamptons region of New York City. These Long Island homes look out upon sparkling sands, and are best imagined with their windows flung open, soft sheer curtains playing in a delicate, summer breeze. But we all know an Australian climate is much more conducive of this image than a Northern American climate, hence the style’s wide adoption across Victoria and New South Wales.
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Hopefully this guide has given you a stronger understanding of what you’d like to do with your window coverings! Happy home designing!