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Choosing Hard or Soft Window Treatments

Window treatments are essential for every room in your home. They offer light control, privacy, and an enhanced aesthetic. Every room has its purpose, and you should choose its window coverings accordingly. You can choose hard or soft window treatments or use them together for a lovely layered look.

Hunter Douglas Parkland® Wood Blinds, wooden window blinds near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (SC)

What Are Hard Window Treatments?

Hard window treatments are made using solid, durable materials like wood, faux wood, or vinyl. They’re a popular choice because they are user-friendly and offer many functions. You can count on hard window treatments to provide a crisp, clean look.

Shutters

Shutters can be mounted inside the window frame for a snug fit that increases insulation and privacy. The hinged design allows you to swing them open for an unhindered view or keep them closed and adjust the louvers for optimal amounts of light and privacy. Heritance® Hardwood Shutters and NewStyle® Hybrid Shutters are made using Truemill® dovetail construction that interlocks components to increase the durability and longevity of your shutters. Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters are a fantastic choice for humid spaces, such as bathrooms, or homes in hot climates. They are impervious to moisture and heat and are guaranteed never to crack, chip, peel, or warp. Shutters are also low maintenance and have a sophisticated style that looks great in any decor.

Blinds

Window blinds are incredibly versatile and easy to use. Tilt the slats in either direction or raise the blinds fully for a full view of the outdoors. Parkland® Wood Blinds are lightweight and provide superior insulation to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Hardwood offers character and warmth that’s unmatched by other materials. For a sleek, polished look, consider Modern Precious Metals® Aluminum Blinds. Aluminum blinds can easily stand up to high-traffic areas and the busiest of households. Select from a wide variety of finishes, including marble, matte, and metallic, to create a look uniquely your own.

Hard & Soft Treatments

Shades

Shades have fabric components but have a rigid interior structure. The myriad of styles available make shades an excellent solution for any home.

  • Cellular- Duette® Honeycomb Shades feature a cellular-style construction that traps air to provide exceptional insulation. They’re available in several opacities to meet the needs of any room. Cellular shades also absorb up to 70% of outside noise, to give you a more peaceful space inside.
  • Roller- Designer Roller Shades deliver a clean, minimalist style that looks fabulous in contemporary settings. Precision engineering guarantees smooth, silent operation every time, and over 400 fabric options mean there’s no interior design that these roller shades can’t match.
  • Sheer Shades- Sheer shades gently diffuse incoming light into a pleasant glow. The fabric allows you to maintain a view of the outside while also enjoying privacy. Silhouette® Window Shadings have adjustable fabric vanes suspended between dual sheer panels to give you the most view-through and privacy. Sheer shades also offer excellent protection from damaging UV rays.
When functionality is a top priority, start with a hard treatment. Whether you’re looking to control light, increase privacy, or maintain a constant temperature, hard window treatments won’t disappoint.

What About Soft Treatments?

Soft window treatments are made using only soft textiles and offer variety that makes them a more practical choice for interior design purposes. While hard treatments are bound by the materials that create them, soft treatments, like drapery, allow you to select the color, texture, and pattern to create an exquisite aesthetic at any window.

Design Studio™ Side Panels & Drapery are an integral component of the exclusive Design Studio™ suite of products. The line's hallmark are the chic fabric designs from top designers, including Rebecca Atwood, Marcie Bronkar, and Seema Krish, created solely for Hunter Douglas.

Combining hard and soft window treatments is a fashionable choice that increases light control and privacy. Drapes look fantastic when layered with most hard window treatments, including sheer shades, blinds, and shutters. Our friendly, knowledgeable team can help you choose the perfect combination for your home and personal style.

Contact Us

We have been serving the community for more than 15 year, and love sharing what we do best: high-end window treatments. Give us a call today at (843) 881-8858 to schedule your consultation or contact us online. We’re right in Mount Pleasant, SC. We are proud to serve Mount Pleasant, Charleston, Isle of Palms, Kiawah Island, Sullivan’s Island, Seabrook, John's Island, James Island, Daniel Island, West Ashley, Awendaw, McClellanville, and Summerville, SC.