Fabric shades blend best of blinds, sheers

DEAR DEBBIE: Our spacious living room has high ceilings (12 feet) and two walls of glass. We want to cover windows to be able to block out the hot sun, but love the light. How would you decorate these glass walls? Thanks. — Mona.

DEAR MONA: Decorating a room with so much glass can be a special challenge. While the light is glorious and often the view spectacular, you are missing the traditional solid-wall structure that has been the norm for centuries.

Building materials and techniques have evolved so that glass walls are a welcome option in both cool and warm climates. However, there is still a need for protection from damaging sun rays, which will fade furniture and floors. I suggest you treat the windows in a uniform manner that will enhance the living room’s airy ambiance.

Soft fabric shades, such as the Hunter Douglas Silhouette series featured here, are designed to capture the best features of a traditional blind and a sheer. Pliable fabric slats are suspended between sheer fabric facings. You can tilt the vanes to direct the light up or down and close them for full privacy. The sheer fabric facing is treated to filter out light’s damaging effect, but you still have the benefit of daylight.

Depending on the style of your room, you can simply install blinds as a neat, minimal approach, or hang drapery panels at each window break.

DEAR DEBBIE: My house is about 75 years old. It has plastered walls, which are not in the best of shape. I thought of drywall, but the added thickness would not line up with the door or floor trim. Do you have any suggestions for covering up the imperfections on the walls? — Mildred.

DEAR MILDRED: To my mind, plaster walls are a real treat. They are smooth and cool, and a delight to decorate.

Rather than covering the plaster up with drywall, I suggest you repair the cracks and even apply a skim coat of plaster over the walls. In an older house, slight imperfections don’t necessarily matter and can add to the character of the home.

You may choose to cover your walls with embossed wallpaper, which will hide small bumps and cracks.

DEAR DEBBIE: I live in an old, small house. The long L-shape living room has lots of wide windows and three doorways. I’m very tired of the blah dull colors. The ceiling and all the walls are white and furniture is upholstered in muted Southwest colors of blues, clay and beige. I’d like to punch up the room with accent walls and would like to know if I can accent both short end walls, and what colors to use. — Your avid reader, Judi.

DEAR JUDI: Southwest style combines earthy desert shades with rich, vibrant accents. You are halfway there.

Rather than leaving the walls white, I would paint the end walls in a pale gray with just a hint of clay pink in it. Then choose the central section of wall as your focal wall and go several tones darker. To heighten the effect, choose either glossy paint or apply a pearlescent paint over the darker section. This will add depth and texture to your color.

Inject lots of blue and some black into your décor with oversized accessories and wrought iron. You’ll feel the heat.

Debbie Travis is a columnist for King Features Syndicate. E-mail questions to her at house2home@debbietravis.com.