BEST WINDOW TREATMENTS FOR NURSERY

One of the challenges that many parents face is getting their toddlers to sleep on time. After an entire day of exploring, playing, and learning, sometimes it is hard to get them out of the excitement and frolicking and transition into sleep mode. One way to calm them down is to keep your light settings moody by nightfall and to darken their nursery for naps during the day so there’s nothing to stimulate their mind. That’s why window treatments for a nursery need much forethought.

Besides being sleep-friendly, they need to check other boxes too. If you’re researching various options for window treatments for your little one’s nursery before shopping, we hope this blog will serve as a handy reference.

Order custom window treatments from Spiffy Spools online in any size to decorate your nursery. Pick from a wide variety of 3000+ fabrics and patterns!

Nursery Window Treatments: Goals & Priorities

Window treatments are generally meant to provide privacy and light control. But in nurseries, there are many more demands laid on them, such as:

ROOM-DARKENING

No matter whether it’s night or day, little ones need to sleep well. The dawn must not break into the nursery so crudely that the deep slumber suddenly breaks. Not only does that leave the baby crying until comforted, but the entire routine of the day might also get displaced because of the early rising. Say nothing about how cranky the tiny tot may get due to sleep deprivation. Therefore, window treatments must effectively curb incoming light in the nursery, giving a cozy ambiance with nothing to rest the eyes on, thereby calming their senses and getting them to focus on sleep.

NOISE CONTROL

If you darken the room but the loud music from a party in the neighborhood does not leave your baby at peace, it will be understandably hard to catch a wink. Together with cutting light, your window treatments must also do enough to block external noise from entering the nursery. Of course, they are not to be left alone in this task – the rug, nursery wallpaper, and upholstery are a few other elements that share the burden.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

Whether it’s summer or winter, a change in room temperature can leave the baby stirring in the crib for want of warmth or cooling. Insulative blackout window treatments can keep your home warm in winter and cool during summer. Almost thirty percent of the thermal energy in the room is lost through the windows. It’s not wise to invest in a top-class heater/cooler without ensuring the windows are insulated enough to save what is generated. Hence, make sure that the window treatments insulate the nursery as best as possible so your baby can sleep through the night, and catch the precious naps unhindered.

SAFETY CONCERNS

Kids love tchotchkes and we are tempted to offer them what they like. With window treatments, however, avoid embellishments and trimmings that can get detached easily from the base layer. The little one might try to swallow them, causing a risk of asphyxiation among other things. 

Also, window treatments with long trails increase the risk of tripping and strangulation hazards, especially for toddlers who run on all fours. If you have long windows in the nursery, you can’t help the length. But you can ensure that the window treatments are child-proofed with sturdy materials, hardware, and a steady structure. Or, put a piece of furniture in front to cut the accessibility.

EASY MAINTENANCE

Cleanliness and hygiene are of utmost importance in a nursery. The window treatments must be easy to use, clean, and maintain. If the task is complicated or needs professional assistance, it may get delayed to the point of being a whole assembly of dirt and dust. Look out for window treatments that can be easily maintained at home without taking up much time or effort.

READ MORE: HOW TO WASH CURTAINS & DRAPES

AESTHETIC VALUE

The nursery is the first classroom for the infant to learn through observation and assimilation. The decor of this room involves colors, themes and motifs, not just to fulfill an aesthetic goal but also to educate the young growing mind. And window treatments are a great opportunity because they occupy vertical space and effortlessly capture attention thereby. Kids are easily drawn to saturated colors and simple shapes as these are easier for their young developing eyes to grasp. Without ignoring functionality, window treatments must aim to satisfy the aesthetic requirements of the nursery as far as possible.

READ MORE: TOP SEVEN MISTAKES TO AVOID IN NURSERIES AND KIDS’ ROOM DECOR

Our Top Recommendations for Nursery Window Treatments

Every doting parent loves decorating the nursery with bright colors and adorable patterns that make their kid happy. When selecting window treatments for the nursery, however, one must be cautious to strike a perfect balance between function and style. The functional requirements which we have described sufficiently above should not be compromised in the least.

With that said, it’s time to glance through the various types of window treatments. Based on the prerequisites for nursery window treatments that we elaborated on above, we have some favorites. We’ll tell you exactly why we find them to be the top three prize winners among nursery window treatments from a wide gamut of products available in the market today.

Golden Glory for Roman Shades

Romans have historically been rulers. Let’s roll with that pun and introduce you to fabric roman shades that continue to hold on to the golden trophy for nursery window treatments.

Roman shades bring both style and functionality to create a regal nursery fit for little kings and queens. As the most practical window solution and our top favorite for this space that ought to ooze coziness, fabric roman shades are chic, stylish, minimalist, and truly bespoke. And again, with regard to the function, they are royally spot on. 

The most prominent reason for roman shades to be on the top of our list is that they run only up to the sill. With child safety anchors in place or cord-free operation settings, you don’t ever have to worry about your kid ever getting to mess with them or endanger themselves. And their sweet besmeared hands that have just gotten out of their favorite snack mug cannot ever land on the roman shades simply because they are inaccessible. 

But any industrial shade or blind should be able to satisfy you up to this point, right? Our experts say, not really. 

Why we love roman shades more is because of their fabric-making and the endless creative potential they bestow. Just the fact that they are made of fabric pushes the potential to introduce color, pattern and texture beyond the horizon. You can get as creative as you possibly can with all your design choices because the base material allows you that freedom, unlike the factory-made shades and blinds. 

Besides, fabric softens the space like no other. And, is that not the kind of serenity, style and comfy vibes that parents would like to offer their growing kid rather than industrial sterile-looking blinds? 

Further, since the shade is sill-length, you can be a little more adventurous with the trimmings. Whether it’s playful pompoms or stylish tassels that you want to layer your shades with, worry not as long as your curious tot can’t get hold of them. 

Further, you can add a blackout lining or design the shade from a blackout fabric for energy efficiency. This keeps your window highly insulated, preventing thermal energy loss to a great extent, muffling sounds, and darkening the room for a sleep-friendly ambiance. 

Roman shades tick all the boxes for an ideal nursery window treatment. They are the perfect balance of function and style for a room that highly benefits from sill-length treatments. If we’ve convinced you on the merits of this choice, here are a few tips to keep in mind when designing your nursery roman shades:

• When inside-mounted, roman shades are most inaccessible and thereby safer besides giving off a custom-made look effortlessly. But, you may expect mild light leaks at the seams. Make sure that your shade makes seamless contact with the wall by specifying the measurements with surgical precision.
• When outside-mounted, extend the shades by a few inches on all sides to minimize the light flow at the seams. 
• Follow these tips and tricks to make the most of a blackout fabric/lining.

READ MORE: KID COUTURE: THE BEST ROMAN SHADES FOR NURSERY

Shimmering Silver for Cellular Shades

We did not need to think long to make our choice for second place. Just as we place B after A, following the lead of roman shades, we have the second best candidate on our list – the neutral pared-back modern window treatment that has a promising insulative capacity: cellular shades. 

Constructed with multi-layered fabric with open pockets that look like honeycomb cells from the side view, cellular shades trap air within the cells, forming an insulative barrier between the external and internal environment. Thus, these shades help maintain the room’s temperature, block incoming light, and absorb sound more effectively than the slatted blinds and single-layered shades. 

Being cordless, cellular shades are one of the safest choices for a nursery.  They can also be motorized for centralized operation and ease of handling. 

Cellular shades are also known for their distinctive top-down/bottom-up feature. While other top-mounted shades can only be lifted up, cellular shades can be pushed down from the top as well. Thus, the shades can start and end at any given point of the window, making it extremely versatile with light control and privacy requirements. 

Like, when you are nursing your baby in the rocking chair, needing privacy over light control, you can leave the shade to cover the middle portion of the window. Or, when you want to control the afternoon light from disrupting your kiddo’s playtime, you can fix the shade to cover the bottom portion, letting in light from the top but curtailing its prickly glare.

If insulation is the top priority for your climatic situations, cellular shades can clearly outdo all other factory-made shades and blinds. Where industrial blinds lose precious thermal energy through the slats and single-panel roller shades provide lower insulation, cellular shades offer an intermediary solution with their rippled contour and high thermal resistance. 

For best results in energy savings, we suggest the double or triple cell blackout cellular shades with side tracks for a nursery. While the multiple layers provide more pockets to lock air and the blackout fabric works hard to block light and sound, the side tracks seal the gap between the shade and the window from all sides.

From an aesthetic point of view, cellular shades contribute a neutral-hued textured surface where the play of light and shadow are central. If designed in the same hue as the walls, they will tend to sink into the architecture, calling no attention to themselves. They blend into the space offering a calming space instead of a stimulative one so that the baby can fall asleep easily. 

Bronze Brilliance for Curtains

If not for their potential to serve as handy wipes and joyful swings for little toddlers, we would have kept drapes a little higher on the list. But with all their pros and cons being considered, these free-falling beauties have nevertheless graced the third place on our list.

Curtains are that one timeless element that always finds its place among top choices in the window treatment list for every room. So, if it is the elegance of soft fabrics with lazy ripples that defines your idea of an adorable nursery, think no further than curtains. Soft and sumptuous, these beauties are yet another insulative and energy-efficient window treatment. 

While long drapes are the most desirable, we would advise short curtains for nurseries. They stay out of the kid’s reach, making it easier to keep them spotless. Where long drapes often double up as swings for a cheeky kid and props for a crawling baby, inviting danger in the process, short curtains save them from getting caught between the pleats or tripping on the trails. Besides, they are just as adorable as your little one and fulfill all the required functions. Design them with soft pastels, kid-specific motifs, and lovely ribbons – and you’ll have a window decor that deserves a chef’s kiss.

But if your nursery needs a good level of insulation and you can restrict your child’s access to the curtains, long drapes are the best option. No window treatment can beat their elegance, however, do avoid puddling them and trimming them with loosely dangling embellishments such as pompoms and tassels to cut down the risks to the minimum.  Also, choose sturdy drapery rods that can withstand tugs from a child; rickety ones will come down along with the drapes and injure the child.

Long or short, never make a mistake when selecting the fabric. Blackout is the way to go if you are seeking to create a quiet, dark, temperature-controlled space for your little one to sleep easily. You can either order a blackout lining for the curtains or get blackout fabric itself for the face fabric.  However, you also need to consider other elements to support the cause. 

The drapery rod, for example, must be so installed that it extends a minimum of 6 inches beyond all sides of the window frame. This helps to contain light leaks from the gaps. To achieve this, use rods that are longer than the width of the window. Similarly, we advise choosing heading styles that don’t feature any gaps or holes through which light can penetrate such as pinch pleats, back tabs, or rod pockets. 

If your heart is set on curtains, here are a few tips from our stylists to design your nursery curtains:

• Avoid tension rods as they may lose their grip when a child pulls at the curtains with force, and that can potentially cause injury. 
• Add tie-backs to control fluttering when it’s windy. This ensures both safety as well as good sleep.
• Follow our expert tips to make the most of blackout drapery to meet the specific needs of a nursery. Click here to read our blog on ‘Best Blackout Curtains for Nursery’.

READ MORE: TOP TIPS & IDEAS FOR NURSERY CURTAINS

Awesome Accolades for Roller Shades

While the shining medals are all given away, the best runner-up also deserves an honorary mention. Though not the star of the day, roller shades are celebrities in their own right. Available in various types of materials, colors, and patterns, this window treatment is our final recommendation for your nursery.

Capable of bringing a wide gamut of materials to your nursery – from natural fabrics and wood to synthetic polyester and vinyl – roller shades can be styled in numerous ways. Whether it’s animated pictures or a prismatic color palette that you want to use to pique your baby’s interest, roller shades will likely never disappoint you.

No matter what material or palette you choose, don’t miss out on the blackout ones. If you’re looking for waterproof quality, vinyl shades can do you the favor. But if high-end looks are your goal, fabric shades with rich texture are the go-to. And if you opt for the woven wood shades to tap in on their nature-rich beauty, ensure beforehand that they come lined with blackout fabric.

While you are more than convinced about how blackout shades are a boon to any nursery, you may be also looking for light-filtering options to soften the daylight while the baby is awake. Here double roller shades are stars. Both the blackout shade and the light filtering shade are rolled into one cassette but operated separately. Leave the light-filtering shade open when you want privacy and pull down the blackout shade behind it at naptime. You meet two types of light control needs with one stroke.

Sharing all the right traits required for nursery window treatments with other shades and blinds, roller shades’ sill-length and cordless lifts make them kid-friendly. They are also highly cost-effective offering relief for those who are looking for budget-friendly options. 

Despite all these laurels, roller shades did not make it to the podium today because even at their best, they are not as insulative as the top three. Nor do they offer as vast a spectrum of design choices as fabric window treatments do. Their sleek flat frontage might interest minimalists but may fail to find peace in a maximalist setting, making them not the most favored for most design styles.

Here are a few tips to design your nursery roller shades:

• Inside-mount the shades and make sure that they make seamless contact with the walls so that light leaks from around the shade can be minimized.
• Look out for double roller shades that offer maximum versatility over privacy and light control requirements.

Double the Function – Double the Fun

If you’re looking for a very versatile window treatment that can offer various degrees of light control and privacy maintenance, we suggest layering your nursery window treatments. You can either combine two sill-length treatments or layer a sill-length treatment with a floor-length treatment. Layering does not just double the functionality but also becomes an opportunity to juxtapose solids and patterns for visual interest. 

We list below some of the best layered window treatment combinations for a nursery:

SOLAR SHADES & ROMAN SHADES

If your window frame is deep enough, you can inside-mount both shades in perfect-fit style; if not, outside-mount the roman shade. While solar shades protect the nursery from harmful UV rays, blackout roman shades offer style, light control, privacy, and foolproof insulation during the night. 

ROMAN SHADES & DRAPES

This classical combination of layering roman shades with drapes brings you the benefits of fabrics in double dose. Design one in sheers and the other in blackout for maximum functional versatility. Look at your window as a blank canvas waiting for your creativity to make a splash. The variety ranges from fabric to palette to pattern, giving you free rein over your imagination. 

VENETIAN BLINDS & BLACKOUT CURTAINS

If you have builder-grade slatted blinds, you can regulate incoming light based on its direction and intensity. But, you miss out on a cozy aesthetic, room-darkening and temperature control, unless you layer them with energy-efficient blackout drapes. The blackout curtains will also be your opportunity to bring a je nais se quois element to the window decor.

CELLULAR SHADES & DRAPES

While cellular shades are energy-efficient, they may not provide the aesthetic mileage that your decor style needs. The punch of color or the adorable pattern that you know your kid will drool over can make an entry with curtains. Design them in sheers or semi-sheers, but if you want to double up the insulation, go for blackout drapes.

WOVEN WOOD SHADES & BOARD-MOUNTED FABRIC VALANCES

If your decor style reads something like rustic-maximalist-organic-cozy or the like, you can dramatize your window decor with this combination. While the woven wood shade brings a piece of nature in its raw essence, the valance layers it with softness and color. Here, the valance is a decorative layer, hence, you need to give a blackout lining to the shades to make them energy-efficient. Alternatively, in a modern streamlined nursery, you can replace the woven shade with double roller shades or zebra shades that offer the dual function of light-filtering and light-blocking in one go.

SHOP NOW: CUSTOM WINDOW VALANCES & SWAGS FROM SPIFFY SPOOLS

It’s Action Time

We hope you found this blog enlightening enough to find the window treatment that best suits your nursery. The challenge is in drawing the right balance between function and aesthetics, neither coming in the way of the other. If your mind is settled on one of the fabric window treatments, do browse our blogs for more inspiration, and our collections for a range of choices. Spiffy Spools is committed to providing quality fabric window treatments at reasonable prices and is more than happy to partner with you in your nursery design project. Good luck!

READ MORE:BEST BLACKOUT CURTAINS FOR NURSERY