One of the smartest things you can do to improve the look of your home and make it more energy efficient is to change up your window coverings. The right window coverings can do much more than maintain your privacy – they can also sharply reduce your heating and cooling costs all year long, saving you hundreds of dollars season after season.

If you are thinking about upgrading your existing window coverings and choosing new window treatments for your home, it is important to follow the right design process. The design process can make a world of difference and give every room in your home a whole new look and feel.

One of the first things you will want to do as part of the design process is to carefully measure every window in your home. Even if you do not think you want to upgrade the window coverings in that room, take a few minutes to take the measuring and record them. Once you know how many windows you need to upgrade and their sizes it will be a lot easier to choose the appropriate blinds, shades and sheers.

Assessing the amount of natural light each room receives is another important part of the design process. A room that is blessed with natural light for much of the day may benefit from fully retractable shades or blinds – when the sun shines you can simply open up the blinds or shades and enjoy the natural warmth. For darker rooms, you might want to go with stylish curtains or sheer window treatments. These will create an air of understated elegance and give your rooms a whole new level of charm and character.

Knowing how much natural light each room gets will also make it easier to choose the window treatments that will have the greatest impact on your energy bills going forward. Adding blackout blinds to a naturally sunny room can keep the space cooler and reduce your air conditioning costs, while choosing heavy curtains for the bedroom can reduce your winter heating costs.

Whether you are upgrading the window treatments in one room or the entire house, following the right design process can make everything that follows a lot easier. Installing new blinds, curtains and window shades is not difficult, but it does require careful and deliberate planning. The sooner you start the planning process, the easier it will be to choose the right window treatments and select the right installer.