Setting the Mood: A Guide to Window Treatments for you Business

IT is often said the windows of a building are like its eyes – and eyes, we are also often told, are windows on the soul. So, what do your windows say about your business? What message will prospective customers or clients take away from a quick glance at your business premises?

Mismatching the feel of your window dressings to the atmosphere you are trying to evoke will send a confused and contradictory message to your customers. Customers often make snap decisions on whether to work with you in just the same way we make nearly instantaneous first impressions on people we meet based on how they dress, style their hair, do their makeup or wear their jewelry.

In corporate speak, your choice of window dressings are as much part of your branding as your logo and slogans – look at any national chain of shops or restaurants and you will see they carefully make sure every one of their branches has a similar look and feel regardless of the building architecture they are trading from.

A professional designer will not only consider the actual physical dressings – curtains, drapes, blinds etc., but also the color schemes used, the accessories used and, most importantly, how they work with light. Windows serve both a practical function – letting in light and letting people inside see out – as well as a function of aesthetics – breaking up boring monolithic walls of brick or concrete or siding.

And where light is concerned, there is a big consequence on your workforce inside the building as well – natural light is much better for humans than artificial light, as it has essential health benefits missing from the electric light, such as creating Vitamin B in our bodies and helping mental health.

If your business is office based, window dressings tend to be uniform and functional – think neutral shades and Venetian blinds. The advantage is giving some control of light to the workers who can let more or less in as they need, removing bright dazzle in the summer, creating privacy when needed, or letting as much light in as possible during the long and grey Northeast Ohio winters to help boost mood and productivity. Workers who can control the physical features of their workspace tend to be more motivated. But just because it is an office does not mean it should be boring – a well designed window may bring a much needed splash of color or a streak of individualism into office suites, making the workplace more attractive to staff.

What if your business is retail? Now your window dressings are vital for the outside people looking in. Are they inviting, warm, and welcoming? Or stark and cold? Shop fronts tend to feature lots of plate glass to maximize the ability of people to look in and see the wares on offer – clean and minimalist dressings work well.

Restaurants and eateries may want to promote intimacy and luxury and individuality – a great opportunity to feature drapes and curtains and enjoy patterns and accessories to provoke intrigue and interest.

Hotels should offer comfort and privacy in their rooms – blinds may be useful in addition to curtains but just will not work by themselves as they can create a sterile atmosphere in a place of repose.

Depending on your business, you may want to take full advantage and have different dressings in different windows according to the function of the room – the board room may well warrant a different feel from the cubicle area and again from the foyer and main entrance welcoming visitors in.

A change of window dressings can bring a whole new look and feel to your business at a fraction of the cost of a whole design makeover. To find out more and have a complimentary consultation at your place of business call Carmen’s Custom Window Treatments today – our designers will be delighted to show you what we can do for you.