The Dos and Don’ts of Window Treatments: What 35 Years in LA Homes Has Taught Us

Window treatments are one of those things that look simple until you get them wrong — and when you get them wrong, you notice it every single day. After 35 years of designing and installing custom window treatments in Los Angeles homes, the team at F&R Interiors has seen every mistake in the book. And the same ones come up over and over. 

Here’s what we wish every client knew before they started. 

Drapery and Curtain Dos and Don’ts

DO: Hang your rod higher than you think you should

This is the single most impactful thing you can do for any room with drapery — and the most commonly ignored. Mounting your curtain rod just above the window frame makes the ceiling feel lower, the window feel smaller, and the room feel boxed in. 

The rule we follow: mount the rod at least 8 to 12 inches above the window frame, or better yet, all the way to the ceiling. Ceiling-height drapery makes rooms feel taller, more luxurious, and more intentional — regardless of what fabric you choose. It costs nothing extra and makes an enormous difference. 

DON’T: Let your drapes hover above the floor

Drapes that stop an inch or two above the floor look unfinished. The two approaches that actually work: drapes that just kiss the floor (a clean, tailored look), or drapes with a slight

puddle (a more luxurious, relaxed feel). Which one depends on the room and your style — but either beats the awkward floating hem that reads as an afterthought. 

DO: Make your rod wider than your window

Extend your curtain rod 6 to 12 inches beyond the window frame on each side. When the drapes are open, they stack on the wall rather than blocking the glass — meaning you get the full window of light and view, with the treatment framing it rather than covering it. 

DON’T: Choose fabric without considering the light

A fabric that looks perfect in the showroom can read completely differently in your home depending on which direction your windows face and how much direct sun they get. South and west-facing rooms in Los Angeles get intense afternoon light that washes out lighter fabrics and accelerates fading. Always look at samples in your actual space before committing — which is exactly why we bring them to you during a consultation. 

Whole-Home Window Treatment Dos and Don’ts

DO: Choose the right treatment for each room individually

The temptation when treating a whole home is to pick one look and apply it everywhere for consistency. We understand the instinct — but it usually backfires. A bedroom needs blackout. A living room with a view needs light-filtering or solar shades. A bathroom needs privacy and moisture resistance. A kitchen needs something easy to clean. 

Consistency comes from a cohesive design approach — similar tones, complementary materials, a shared hardware finish — not from using identical treatments in every room. Hunter Douglas’s Whole Home Solution makes this easier by offering coordinating fabrics across different product lines so rooms feel connected without being identical. 

DON’T: Forget about the windows you look at from outside

Most people think about window treatments from the inside. But the exterior view matters too — especially in homes where street-facing windows are visible from the front. Hunter Douglas Duette® Honeycomb Shades, for example, always present a white face to the exterior regardless of the interior fabric color, keeping the outside of the home looking clean and consistent. 

DO: Think about privacy at night

A window that looks private during the day can become completely transparent at night when your interior lights are on. Light-filtering shades that work beautifully in daylight offer almost no privacy after dark. If privacy matters — in a bedroom, a ground-floor living room, a bathroom — make sure your treatment handles both conditions. Your consultant should be walking you through this. 

Blinds and Shutters Dos and Don’ts

DO: Consider the inside mount vs. outside mount carefully

Inside mount means the blind or shade sits within the window frame — clean, architectural, minimal. Outside mount means it extends beyond the frame — better for covering gaps, making windows appear larger, and blocking more light. Neither is universally right. It depends on your window depth, the amount of light you want to block, and the overall aesthetic. This is one of the decisions we walk through during every consultation because getting it wrong is one of the most common installation mistakes we see. 

DON’T: Buy off-the-shelf plastic blinds for rooms you actually use

We’ve said this before and we’ll keep saying it: cheap plastic blinds break, warp, and look cheap — often within a year or two in a sun-exposed LA home. For utility spaces or rentals, fine. For rooms you live in every day, the long-term cost almost always exceeds what you’d have spent on a quality custom treatment from the start. 

DO: Take shutters seriously as a long-term investment

Well-installed plantation shutters — particularly in hardwood or high-quality composite — can last the life of the home. They add genuine resale value, they’re one of the few window treatments that actively improve a home’s architectural character, and they require almost no maintenance. The upfront cost is higher than most treatments. The long-term math usually works out in their favor. 

DON’T: Ignore slat size

On shutters and wood blinds, slat size has a significant visual impact. Larger louvers (3½” to 4½”) feel more contemporary and let in more light when open. Smaller louvers (2½”) have a more traditional look. In larger windows, small louvers can look busy and dated. It’s a detail people overlook until they see it installed — and then they notice it every day. 

Natural Light Dos and Don’ts

DO: Use light-filtering treatments to diffuse rather than block

Los Angeles light is one of the great gifts of living here — and most window treatments are designed to fight it rather than work with it. Sheer and light-filtering fabrics like Hunter Douglas Silhouette® Shades and Pirouette® Shadings diffuse direct sunlight into a soft, even glow without eliminating it. The result is a room that feels warm and lit from within rather than harsh or dim. 

DON’T: Leave windows completely untreated in the name of light

Untreated windows in a Los Angeles home create two problems people underestimate. First, UV exposure — unfiltered sun will fade furniture, flooring, artwork, and fabrics significantly faster than you’d expect. Second, privacy: at night with your lights on, an untreated window is completely transparent from the outside. Even a sheer solar shade addresses both issues without sacrificing your view or your light. 

DO: Layer treatments for maximum flexibility

The most versatile window treatment setup is a layered one — a functional shade or blind close to the glass for light control and privacy, with a drapery panel beyond it for softness, insulation, and style. This gives you full control: sheer shade during the day for diffused light, blackout roller at night for complete privacy, drapery panels framing the whole thing. It’s how most well-designed LA interiors handle windows, and it’s something our design team can spec for any room and any budget. 

DON’T: Forget about glare

Direct glare on screens — TVs, monitors, tablets — is one of the most complained-about problems we hear from clients after they’ve moved in. West-facing living rooms and home offices in Los Angeles get afternoon sun at exactly the angle that hits screens. Solar shades with the right openness factor cut glare dramatically while preserving the view. It’s a specific, solvable problem and one worth thinking about before you choose your treatment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How high should curtain rods be hung?

As a general rule, 8 to 12 inches above the window frame at minimum — or all the way to the ceiling for the most dramatic effect. The higher the rod, the taller the room feels. Ceiling-height mounting is one of the most impactful and underused design moves in residential interiors. 

Should curtains touch the floor?

Yes, in almost every case. Drapes that hover above the floor look unfinished. The two standard approaches are floor-grazing (½ inch clearance, clean and tailored) or a slight puddle (1 to 3 inches of extra length, more relaxed and luxurious). Which is right depends on the room, the fabric, and your preference — both look intentional and finished. 

Is inside or outside mount better for blinds?

It depends on the window and the goal. Inside mount looks cleaner and more architectural but requires adequate window depth and doesn’t block as much light at the edges. Outside mount covers the frame, makes the window appear larger, and offers better light blockage. We assess every window individually during a consultation — there’s no universal right answer. 

What’s the most common window treatment mistake?

Hanging the rod too low and too narrow. It’s the mistake that makes an otherwise well-designed room look unfinished. The fix costs nothing — it’s just knowing where to mount before you drill the first hole. 

Do I need different treatments for different rooms?

Yes. Each room has different requirements for light control, privacy, moisture resistance, and aesthetics. A unified design approach doesn’t mean identical treatments — it means treatments that are right for each space while feeling cohesive across the home. This is one of the core things our design consultants help with. 

Get It Right the First Time

The mistakes we see most often aren’t about taste — they’re about information. The wrong mounting height, the wrong fabric for a sun-facing room, the wrong opacity for a room that needs privacy at night. These are all avoidable with the right guidance from the start. 

F&R Interiors has been helping Los Angeles homeowners get it right since 1990. Our free in-home consultations are exactly that — free, in your home, with no obligation. We’ll look at every window, talk through what you need from each space, and make sure you leave with a plan you feel confident about. 

Visit our showroom at 1605 S Robertson Blvd near Beverly Hills, or call us at (310) 659-8183 to book your consultation.

Window Treatment Dos and Don’ts in the Brentwood & Sherman Oaks CA Area

At F&R Interiors, we’ve been serving the Greater Los Angeles since 1990, with a showroom at 1529 S. Robertson Blvd. We offer the full line of Hunter Douglas window treatments including beautiful custom curtains, top treatments, pillows, and more. Our personalized service, quality products, and professional installation services ensures you’ll find the perfect window treatment solution for your home or business.

We service the Greater Los Angeles area including Brentwood, Sherman Oaks, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Hancock Park, Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills, and San Fernando Valley, CA and surrounding areas. Contact us for more details.