Want to Sound Like a Design-Savvy Homeowner?
Aug 11, 2025
Start with These Window Treatment Terms
Why Window Treatment Terminology Matters
If you’ve invested time and energy into creating a beautifully designed home, don’t let the final detail, your window treatments, trip you up.
Knowing the correct terminology doesn’t just help you sound more informed.
It helps you make better design decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and communicate clearly with designers, workrooms, and installers.
Case in point:
One of the interior designers I trained told me about a client who insisted on having purple shutters. The designer paused, trying to picture where and how that would work. Then, I asked a few clarifying questions.
As it turned out, the client meant purple drapery. She just didn’t know the difference.
That conversation could have gone in the wrong direction fast, but it’s a great reminder: when you know the language of window design, you avoid costly miscommunications and end up with results you’ll love.
The Most Common Window Treatment Terms to Know
|
Term |
Definition |
|
Window Treatments |
Any covering placed over or around a window |
|
Hard Treatments |
Made of wood, metal, or vinyl (e.g., blinds, shutters) |
|
Soft Treatments |
Made of fabric (e.g., drapery, Roman shades, valances) |
|
Inside Mount |
Installed within the window frame |
|
Outside Mount |
Installed above or around the frame for full coverage |
|
Drapery Panels |
Fabric panels that are meant to be open or closed |
|
Roman Shades |
Flat Fabric shade that folds up from the bottom accordion-style |
|
Roller Shades |
Clean-lined shades that are attached to a tube with an operable mechanism that raises and lowers the shade |
|
Woven Wood Shades |
Natural materials like bamboo and wood, woven together with yarn |
|
Pleats |
The top fold style of drapery (pinch, goblet, ripplefold) |
|
Finials |
Decorative rod ends that add detail to drapery hardware |
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