The type of treatment you use determines things like how much light enters a room, how much privacy there is, whether a room stays warm and cozy in winter and cool in summer. For instance, if you like complete darkness in your bedroom, consider blackout curtains or shades. If you want a kitchen or family room flooded with sunlight, blinds might be a good choice. If you’d like to filter the light coming into a room and want a bit of privacy, shades or curtains made of semi-sheer or translucent materials are an option.

Aside from light and privacy, also consider the dimension of your space. Do you have a large wall of window? Manual shades or curtains may be too heavy to open and close easily. In that case, consider motorized window treatments that adjust with the touch of a button. Regardless of size, you can get window treatments to your specific window dimensions.

Window treatments can play an important role in temperature control. Insulated shades and curtains will keep a room warmer in cold weather, helping to keep the heat in and cold drafts out. They’ll also keep air conditioning in on hot summer days. On the other hand, blinds and sheer open-weave fabrics let in cool breezes in summer.

f you have a large contemporary urban space, consider clean-lined, modern architectural window treatments, like metal or wooden blinds. On the other hand, maybe you want to soften a spare, angular room. In that case curtains can go a long way to adding visual softness. Lined and interlined custom acoustic curtains will even muffle sound, both inside and outside.

If your home has a more traditional or cottage-type feel, you have a lot of options, from wooden blinds to curtains or even shutters. Some treatments, like custom drapery give you enormous flexibility when choosing fabrics and curtain styles, like rod-pocket curtains or pinch-pleat drapes.

If you prefer a contemporary look that still has some texture and softness, honeycomb shades add dimension without taking up extra wall space. Roman shades give you tons of fabric options and have an uncluttered, tailored look.

Not much time to clean? Aluminum, wood and faux wood blinds are easy to maintain–just a quick dust and done. Are you the type that needs every edge aligned and everything exactly in its place? You can do that with motorized shades and curtains. Set them to a precise height at a precise time and never have to fuss with your window treatments again. Do you have young children? Consider shades and blinds with retractable cords. Few things are more appealing to a toddler than playing with free-hanging window shade cords.

Still not sure what will work for you? Look through home and interior design magazines for spaces and window treatments you like. Think about what you like about them: that it’s a shade or a curtain? The way it covers the window? The material? The way it lets in or blocks out light? Look around in other’s people’s homes, in stores and restaurants. Keeping function, design and lifestyle in mind, you may be surprised how quickly you start to really understand what you want in your own home.