Your Windows Are Due a Spring Refresh – 5 Designer-Approved Treatments That Instantly Elevate Your Space
From romantic balloon blinds to dainty café curtains, get inspired this spring by these five window treatments from the pages of Homes & Gardens
Arabella Youens
While some might switch out their bed linen for spring for a lighter alternative or grace their kitchen table with a seasonal floral arrangement, making the most of the sunshine by enhancing your windows is the best way to welcome light-filled mornings and the dawn of brighter evenings.
Whether you're switching your current heavy drapes for a more delicate style or hanging a light-filtering lace café curtain on your kitchen window, switching out your window treatments is the perfect spring project that can be achieved in a mere weekend.
Article continues below1. Embrace The Revival of Romantic Austrian Blinds
An airy bathroom designed by Penrose Tilbury features a silk Austrian blind that graces the large window, providing a sense of romance and whimsy that complements the antique accents.
A romantic window blind sits delicately atop a window in a grand bathroom designed by Penrose Tilbury. While the lace café curtain allows light to gently trickle through while providing a sense of privacy, the ruched silk blind blends historic charm with some all-important drama.
'Regarding the window treatment, the design is based on an Austrian blind,' explains Rose Hanson and Charlotte Tilbury, founders of Penrose Tilbury. 'We have wanted to create this style for a long time and found this project to be the perfect setting. We used a blue moiré from Zoffany, which drapes beautifully while maintaining its volume and shape. Paired with a café curtain in fabric from Imogen Heath, it adds a sense of drama and luxury to this classic bathroom.'
2. Filter in Light with a Dainty Café Curtain
A dainty lace café curtain designed by Tori Murphy adorns the door that leads to a farmhouse kitchen.
A delicate lace café curtain adorns the door of this country kitchen. A seasonal choice that encourages spring light to enter gently, a café curtain is an easy DIY project to undertake on a sunny weekend.
'Café curtains offer just the right balance of privacy and daylight,' explains textile designer Tori Murphy. 'This style of curtain brings a cozy, intimate charm perfect for kitchens or open-storage areas like a pantry, where you want light streaming in but privacy below. Beyond practicality, the curtain adds a layer of softness and comfort, bringing a sense of coziness to the space.'
'A lace café curtain on a kitchen door can add a lovely touch of elegance and vintage charm', adds Tori. 'For our Market Lace Fabric, I recommend using a simple and elegant brass rod for your café curtains to complement its delicate pattern. If you’d prefer something more classic, patterns such as stripes, small-scale geometrics, and checks that add character without overwhelming the space are perennial favorites.'
3. Add Pattern with an Upholstered Shutter
A bespoke shutter crowns the window of this characterful study designed by Sims Hilditch, upholstered in block-printed fabric that matches the blue and white color scheme.
While pale pink paint and vintage furniture inject personality into this charming home office, the bespoke shutter is what transforms the work-from-home set-up into a true design moment.
Scarlett Jones, Studio Lead at Sims Hilditch, explains, 'Being a loft bedroom, it has quite a small dormer window, so we opted for upholstered shutters to add softness through the use of fabric while also providing a practical solution. The bi-fold design maximizes daylight while offering an effective blackout option when required. As there is a desk below, the shutters can easily fold back to allow ample workspace.'
'For the fabric, we chose Soane’s Osmunda Frond for both the headboards and shutters,' continues Scarlett. 'As it is a small twin guest bedroom, we wanted to create a greater impact by using the fabric on the two main upholstered elements. The delicate foliage design works perfectly with the bi-fold shutters, adding visual interest to the window.'
4. Layer Floral Drapes With a Rattan Blind
Floral curtains adorn the many windows in this eclectic dining room designed by Vanrenen Hanbury, while a rattan blind brings textural contrast and sense of privacy without restricting the light.
A layered window treatment allows you to achieve a lighter look without compromising the pieces you already have. While swapping your bespoke curtains for the spring season might not be an option, adding a linen or rattan blind brings a fresher feel to balance out heavier drapes.
'In this project in South West London, the dining room leads out into the garden and is almost completely glazed at one end, so there ended up being a lot of curtain' explains Laura Hanbury of Vanrenen Hanbury. 'In order to frame, rather than detract from the views into the garden beyond the curtains, they are very tailored, almost architectural.'
'We chose our Indigo Block fabric because it brings color, pattern, and warmth, but can also read as a stripe, which works well with these long drops and high ceilings. We layered the side windows with bamboo chik blinds, which helps to diffuse the light while also adding depth, texture, and interest.'
5. Create Drama with Pelmet Curtains
A striped blind and mauve pelmet curtains bring warmth, richness and enduring sophistication to this characterful reading nook designed by Nicola Harding.
Pelmet curtains are seeing a renaissance in 2026, bringing a characterful feel to even the newest of homes.
Typically on the heavier side, but this design works perfectly layered with something softer. Try the double-dressed window trend by adding a contemporary blind alongside the traditional curtain, which will bring a more relaxed feel, not to mention allow plenty of spring sunshine to trickle into your space.
Interior designer Nicola Harding mastered the balance of two contrasting styles, creating a warm, yet seasonally appropriate window treatment that can be altered for spring. She explains, 'The drawing room has a mix of textures expressed through textiles, and we have continued this layering by choosing fabrics for the window. The curtains are pink corduroy with a linen velvet trim, with a linen and oatmeal striped blind. The curtains are beautiful, cozy, and give warmth. The blinds are both decorative and practical; they can be adjusted for natural light throughout the day.'
Shop Spring Window Treatments
Whether you're opting for a floral drape to inject your living room with a seasonal feel or adding a rattan blind to balance out your heavy drapes, make the most out of the sunshine this spring with a light and bright window treatment.
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