You head out for the day. What about the windows? It is a silly question. Or is it. The pros can’t even agree on a simple answer. It gets complicated. Fast.
Rachel Blindauer, an interior design founder, refuses to give you a yes-or-no. Why should she. Life isn’t that easy. She looks at beauty, security, and what it feels like when you walk back in. One size doesn’t fit all.
“The answer hinges on a balance.”
So, who is right? Let’s look at the chaos.
Chase The Heat
Winter comes. You leave the house. Leave those curtains open. Amber Kamat says so. Let the sun roast the rooms. It heats up the space while you’re at work. It is smart physics.
But watch the furniture. The sun fades fabric. It ages wood. Kamat suggests UV-filtering drapes. You get the heat without killing the rugs. It is a small trade-off.
Hide From The World
Then there is Jennifer Jones. She says keep it dark. Specifically for the rooms facing the street. Why? Because thieves like to look inside. Less info equals less risk.
“The less information a potential thief has, the better.”
Does your bedroom face a tree line? Maybe doesn’t matter. But the street-facing wall needs privacy. It’s about security, really. Kamat agrees with her friend Jennifer, kind of. She loves sheer curtains. They blur the view. You get some light but no clear shots of your expensive sofa. It is the middle ground.
Show Off
Wait. Go the other way. Blindauer thinks you should display the house. Open wide. Let people see the architecture.
“Curtains shouldn’t always be in the business of hiding.”
Think of the window like a picture frame. The view outside is the art. Don’t cover it up. If you bought nice drapes, let them do their job. Framing the sky looks good. Hiding the sky feels like a bunker. Which one is it? Your home. Not a vault.
Stop The Fade
Sun is harsh. It kills everything. Floors, carpets, that leather chair you love. Jones says keep them closed in bright rooms. Blindauer nods in agreement. Close the blinds at peak noon hours. The sun is a predator. Your upholstery is the prey.
Preserve the look. Close the curtain. It saves money in the long run. Replacing floors costs more than closing a shade.
The Illusion of Presence
Drive past a house at dusk. Black windows. No light. What do you think? Empty. Vacant. Maybe abandoned for months. It feels cold. Unlived in.
Keep them open. It signals life. People are inside. Or will be. It tricks the mind. Blindauer calls it a security tactic of sorts. Open curtains look occupied. Closed ones look dead.
Which would you pick. Warmth. Privacy. Aesthetic. It depends. Really. Nobody told you.
