Take time to add a little window drama

You enjoy interior design, and from the moment guests walk into your home, your passion for it shows. Every room in your home looks complete and flows into the next with ease.

You're proud of what you have done with your home, except for one little area-the windows.

When it comes to dressing up the windows in your home, you always go the simple route and throw up some blinds and a valance of some sort. Window panels just don't figure into your design. That isn't to say, though, that you wouldn't like to learn how to use them to dress up your windows and enhance your home's overall design. Here are some pointers.

When it comes to selecting window panels, the first issue you must contend with is style.

There are many styles of window panels available, and some are more complex than others.

The most common styles include tab-top panels with loops at the top that slide onto the rod, pole-pocket panels with a pocket at the top that slides onto the rod, and panels with clip rings that slide onto the rod. Of the three, those with clip rings are the easiest to open and close.

The style you choose should complement the décor of the room. If your room is formal, for example, tab-top panels may not be the best option, unless they are made of high-quality material.

Along with style, you must select the appropriate length of panels. This will hinge more on the décor of the room than the size of the windows. For a casual look, panels that fall an inch onto the floor are best. For a formal look, panels that fall flush with the floor or one inch above are best. For a romantic look, panels that puddle onto the floor are best. Should you find some panels that you like but don't come in the right length, you can cut and hem them to fit or add material to the bottom to make them longer.

Once you have purchased the right style and length of panels for the windows in your home, you need to install them. Before you make any holes in the wall, you should first study the dimensions of your windows. Are they fairly small? If so, then you may want to make your windows appear larger by hanging the panels one to 20 inches above the window molding and 12 inches on each side. The extra height and width will not only make your windows look larger than they are but maximize the light coming into them. When the panels are opened, the entire window will be revealed for the fullest light. If your windows are fairly large, you may not need to make any adjustments when installing them and may place them four inches above the window molding and one to three inches to the side.

In order to install your panels, you will need to gather the appropriate supplies: a measuring tape, pencil, curtain rod and hardware, drill, iron and stepladder. Then you can install your panels, following these directions:

With a measuring tape and pencil, mark the placement of the brackets for the curtain rod, being careful that all marks fall outside of the window molding.

Mount one of the brackets for the rod, following the installation instructions provided.

Hold up the curtain rod and make certain that the marks for the remaining bracket appear to be accurate. Windows and ceilings are not always level.

Install the second bracket.

Iron the panels and insert them onto the curtain rod.

That's all there is to purchasing and installing window panels.

The process is far less complicated than you thought, right? As you become more adept at dressing up your windows, you can try more complex combinations, like sheers, window panels and a valance.