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Trends come and go – especially in the interiors world – but we can’t help fixating on the latest home ‘must-haves.’ In the world of shades, blinds and fabrics it appears that heavily textured woven fabrics are a big hit this side of 2014 while for later on in the year (ie autumn and winter), the odds are that mis-matched blinds is going to be a big style trend. We don’t mean contrasting in terms of textures, but rather colors eg a black blind on one wall and a red version on the other.

Woven fabrics add character

But, back to those woven fabrics. What are we talking about here? Vertical fabric blinds or drapes with thick, heavily woven textured fabric can add elegance to a room, as well as a design element and a feeling of warmth. And the best thing about this trend is that it fits with contemporary and traditional design.

Radiant Orchid emerges as Pantone’s Color 2014

Other trends for 2014 indulge color and pattern. With regard to the former as you’ll no doubt have heard by now, Pantone have announced Radiant Orchid their Colour of the Year. This vibrant and bright pink is pretty bold and is a great color for a feature wall or as an accent color.

We’re actually quite pleased about this here at Royal Window Treatments since it’s a personal favorite of ours and it certainly brightens up any room. Radiant Orchid is also easier to match with furniture and other fabrics than last year’s Emerald Green. Having said that, keep an eye out for indigo blue as well; which we’re convinced you are definitely going to be seeing a lot more of this year.

Neutrals that are more than nice

You’ll find neutrals – such as beige and white – still enjoy a very high profile in shades, blind and drapery design. It may seem a tad impractical because of their tendency to get grubbier quicker than a darker shade, but having non-descript blinds/drapes means you can splash out on colors on other items in your room such as a sofa or carpet (both of which will get far more foot traffic than shades anyhow).

A flourish of florals – shades NYC

Actually it’s not just in NYC that floral shades are bursting out all over, but in the rest of America as a whole. However, we did start to notice it here in NYC first. And not that we’re complaining. It’s been a while since our interiors were allowed the bright, fun and frolicking patterns that floral patterns undoubtedly introduce.

Scandinavian design has been popular for a while but it’s recently been enjoying resurgence thanks to the emergence of hit Scandinavian TV shows such as Borgen and The Killing in Europe, as well as the plethora of new books hitting our bookshelves from some high-profile Swedish and Norwegian crime authors. We’re glad since it’s a fun and clean look which is particularly good for children’s rooms or those which are vintage, minimalist or eco-inspired.

Multi-layered windows

And why not? Ok, this may prove a bit more expensive than buying one item for your windows, but the layering effect can look so dramatic and luxurious that it’s definitely worth it. And anyhow, buying a thin organza curtain isn’t too expensive if that’s the particular window treatment you go for..

We prefer window treatments where the colors are blended rather than contrasting ie the shades and curtains being as close as possible in color, making the whole window space seem larger and more of an exhibit or focal point for the room.

What’s your favorite shade and blind trend for 2014? Do share with us here at Royal Window Treatments.

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