How to Choose Window Treatments for Apartments

Add interest to your rental home's windows with a creative, portable "water wall."

Don't let your rental home or apartment dictate your style, especially when it comes to your bare windows. Here's how to get creative when choosing non-permanent window treatments that will leave you--and your landlord--happy.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Contact paper and scissors
• Adhesive window film
• Tension rod and sheer drapes
• Glass bottles, water and decorative rocks
• Folding screen

Instructions

1. Draw a mock-up of your windows, including measurements. Measure your windows' length by width, taking into account any surrounding moldings, window sills or even radiators. Make a note of how far the ceiling is from the window and any existing blinds and their placement. What's around your window and its size will determine how creative you can get.

2. Check your lease or call your landlord to find out your options. Some apartments will let you hang window treatment hardware as long as you patch the wall before you leave. Other landlords won't let you remove their vertical blinds, no matter how ugly they are. To avoid losing your deposit, it's best to know what you can and can't do before you start drilling or hammering into walls.

3. Decide on a style. Are you traditional and prefer flowing drapes, or do you like to keep things modern with window film? The key here is to take your ideal style and think about ways to make the window treatment easy to hang, non-intrusive (that means no heavy wall anchors!) and portable. Get inspiration online at blogs like ApartmentTherapy.com or get ideas with home design magazines at your local bookstore. "Domino" regularly features creative solutions for small spaces.

4. Camouflage vertical blinds. For a quick do-it-yourself weekend project, buy several rolls of patterned contact paper and scissors (craft scissors with scalloped or zigzagged edges add an extra quirk). Measure and cut the contact paper lengthwise until you have several pieces to cover one vertical blind. Peel and stick as necessary, covering the side of the blind that faces indoors when closed. Choose to cover them all, or alternate in order to create bands of vertical stripes. When you move, simply peel the contact paper off--no damage!

5. Peel and stick. Semi-transparent window decals or window film are a cheap and quick solution for apartment windows. Decorative window film comes in a variety of colors and patterns, from contemporary window film by 2Jane Co. to stained- or etched-glass lookalikes. Roll your blinds all the way up and give your window a thorough washing. Let it dry, then apply the window film according to the instructions. You may choose to only cover the lower half of the window for privacy, leaving the upper half clear.

6. Pick a tension curtain rod rather than a wall-mounted curtain rod. Avoid holes in walls altogether by hanging lightweight sheers on a tension rod. Tension rods can sometimes fit inside the window frame, making it an easier solution than running a rod all the way across a window wall. If you do decide to hang the tension rod from wall to wall, buy or sew enough sheers to run the length of your wall. Your window will appear much bigger; plus, it's a great way to introduce color into white-walled apartments.

7. Buy a folding room divider or screen to act as your window treatment at night. During the day, fold it up or display it in another area in your rental, and simply rearrange at night for instant privacy and a dash of style against a bare window.

8. Create a water window treatment by lining the sills of your window with tall, colorful glass containers. Fill them with water and decorative rocks (to keep them steady). Light and heat will filter through the window, keeping it cool during the day and warm during the night.

Resources

• Apartment Therapy
• Domino magazine