The Ultimate (No-Nonsense) Guide to Window Coverings

For most people, the initial motive for putting up window coverings is privacy.

And that’s fair enough. What you do in your own home is entirely your affair – right up to the point where it isn’t. If your reluctant partner’s idea of relaxation is tango dancing from room to room elegantly outfitted in snug chain mail lingerie, a Marilyn Monroe wig and neon green  lipstick, deftly counterpointed by spangly tights, stratospherically high heels and a tasteful tutu – that’s your privilege. As are the obvious risks of dehydration and chronic chafing.

However, tolerance being what it is, the view may not suit your neighbours. Those without window coverings of their own, anyway. Once the inevitable court cases and ritual public humiliation dies down – if it ever does – your mind should, as a matter of some urgency, turn to the window coverings you should have installed in the first place, as I’m sure your partner, assuming he or she is still with you, will snidely and repeatedly point out.

At this juncture, the decision-making process generally bogs down in mutual recrimination around design coherence, colour, material and texture, assuming, of course, that the court cases leave any room for manoeuvre in this respect. 

And in focusing on these issues, you’ll be missing an important point. How will you afford the legal representation you need if your house is bleeding energy costs through its windows?

Because that’s what windows can do – irrespective of whether you have single, double or secondary glazing. For anyone not living in a fridge, that’s just one of the many annoying aspects of building physics.

When the urge to tango becomes irresistible, your choice of window coverings can be a practical as well as an aesthetic decision. They can make your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer, quieter and drier.

EcoMaster is not a window coverings showroom or retailer. We don’t sell curtains, blinds or shutters, but we do care deeply about comfort and the impact window coverings have upon it. 

This guide is here to help you become fully informed, minus the showroom spin.  So, welcome to the only guide that doesn’t waffle. Looks matter, but physics wins. If your coverings don’t stop light leaks, draughts and radiant heat, they’re just outfits for glass. Let’s make your windows work – beautifully.

Before we get going, a final note on how physics works in a building environment. It does so holistically. Every facet of an energy efficient home – from insulation in walls, ceilings and floors to the choice of window design to humble draught proofing – works not only on its own but also to reinforce other measures. 

From our present perspective, you might want to consider supplementary work which will underscore the improved performance offered by the window coverings, namely:

1. Seal the frame (kill air paths)
2. Add a layer of still air to insulate the window

Most common types of internal window covering

These are the most common types of internal window covering we’ll be investigating and rating:

• Curtains & Drapes
  • Sheers
  • Drapes (lined) on tracks 
  • Drapes on rods
    
• Pelmet & Top Treatments
  • Pelmets (Boxed / Invisible Pelmet)
  • Valances, swags & tails
    
• Blinds (Interior)
  • Roller blinds (block-out, translucent, sunscreen, double day/night)
  • Roman blinds (soft fabric, often lined)
  • Venetian blinds (aluminium, timber/wood, faux wood/PVC)
  • Vertical blinds
  • Pleated blinds
  • Cellular/Honeycomb blinds (single, double cell; light-filtering or block-out)
    
• Shutters (Interior)
  • Plantation shutters (timber, PVC, composite)

HOW WE RATE THINGS (so you don’t buy twice)

 We score each option from ★ to ★★★★★ and explain why:
• Thermal – steadier temps; less winter heat loss, less summer heat gain
• Light – proper darkness plus glare control
• Condensation – less wet glass and mould
• Noise – softer street chatter, wind hiss, rain ping

CURTAINS & DRAPES

Sheers

Scores: Thermal ★☆☆☆☆ | Light ★☆☆☆☆ | Noise ★☆☆☆☆Floaty and pretty by day; does nothing at night. Use as a day layer, not the main event.
Make it work: Add block-out drapes and an Invisible Pelmet for actual warmth and avoiding light spill.
Fit notes: Sheer close to glass; night layer nearer the room with a pelmet above both.
Common mistake: Expecting sheers to insulate or black out.

Add the night layer → Lined Drapes. Stop the top leak → Invisible Pelmet Kit.

Block-out (lined) Drapes on Tracks

Scores: Thermal ★★★☆☆ (★★★★☆ with pelmet) | Light ★★★★☆ (★★★★★ with pelmet) | Noise ★★★☆☆
Dense cloth slows air movement; a pelmet kills top light spill and creates a still air layer. Your baseline for real comfort.
Fit tips: length kiss the floor, snug to wall.
Pair with: appropriate window seals; add ecoGlaze if glass is icy or wet.

Stop light leaks → Invisible Pelmet Kit. Seal the edges → Window Seals. Fix cold glass → Get ecoGlaze quote.

Block-out (lined) Drapes on Rods

Scores: Thermal ★★☆☆☆ | Light ★★★☆☆ | Noise ★★★☆☆
Dense cloth slows air movement; it is unusual to have a pelmet with a rod and this reduces the likelihood of creating a still air layer.
Fit tips: length kiss the floor, snug to wall.
Pair with: appropriate window seals; add ecoGlaze if glass is icy or wet.

Stop light leaks → Invisible Pelmet Kit. Seal the edges → Window Seals. Fix cold glass → Get ecoGlaze quote.

PELMETS & TOP TREATMENTS

Pelmets (boxed or Invisible Pelmet)

Scores bump: +1 to +2 stars to Thermal and Light on most windows.
A top “lid” that blocks the gap above tracks. Stops the convection loop (warm air up, chills on glass, falls as a cold draught).  Box pelmets will prevent top light spill.  Invisible pelmets can be painted if you wish to control the light spill.
Looks: Traditional boxed pelmet or clean Invisible Pelmet.
Fit notes: mount snug to wall to actually cap the heading.

Stop the convection current between your curtains and windows → Invisible Pelmet Kit.

Valances, Swags & Tails

Scores impact: Thermal ★☆☆☆☆ | Light ★☆☆☆☆
Pretty, but unless they seal the top gap, they’re décor, not performance.

BLINDS (INTERIOR)

Roller Blinds (block-out, translucent, sunscreen, double/day–night)

Scores (block-out): Thermal ★★☆☆☆ (★★★☆ with pelmet) | Light ★★☆☆☆ (★★★☆ with side-channels/pelmet) | Noise ★☆☆☆☆
Clean look and easy care. Inside-mount = side gaps and a top gap → light stripes and heat loss.
Make them work better: Outside-mount to cover wall/trim; side channels for bedrooms/media; seal the frame first.

Seal the edges → Window Seals

Roman Blinds (often lined)

Scores: Thermal ★★☆☆☆ (★★★☆ with pelmet) | Light ★★★☆☆ | Noise ★★☆☆☆
Cosier than rollers; still leaks at top/sides without a pelmet. Very happy layered with drapes.
Make them work better:   fit them within the window reveal for a great chance of creating a still air layer.  However, you do lose the top part of your window to house the roman blinds. 

Venetian Blinds (aluminium, timber, faux wood)

Scores: Thermal ★☆☆☆☆ | Light ★★☆☆☆ | Noise ★☆☆☆☆
Great light modulation; weak darkness/thermal (slats leak). Add drapes and a pelmet for nights.

Vertical Blinds

Scores: Thermal ★☆☆☆☆ | Light ★☆☆☆☆ | Noise ★☆☆☆☆
Gappy and rattly. Keep for day privacy if you must; add block-out drapes and a pelmet for comfort.  Please don’t do this! 🙁 

Pleated Blinds

Scores: Thermal ★★☆☆☆ | Light ★★☆☆☆ | Noise ★★☆☆☆
Neat, modest performance. Better with pelmet and side-channels.  Similar to a honeycomb blind, but is a single layer.  It can trap a layer of still air if it is fitted tightly within a reveal or sliding track system. 

Cellular / Honeycomb Blinds (single/double; light-filtering or block-out)

Scores (double-cell block-out): Thermal ★★★★☆ (★★★★★ with pelmet and channels) | Light ★★★★☆ | Noise ★★☆☆☆
Tiny doonas for your window. With side channels and a pelmet, they rival drapes for warmth and darkness.
Fit note: Channels must be measured precisely; or fit within the window reveal. 

SHUTTERS (INTERIOR)

Plantation Shutters (timber, PVC, composite)

Scores: Thermal ★★☆☆☆ | Light ★★☆☆☆ | Noise ★★☆☆☆
Stylish, durable, brilliant day privacy – but louvres mean edges and air leakage at night. Can trap moisture against cold glass, encouraging mould.
Make them cosy: Run your finger up the louvres to close them that extra little bit.  If glass sweats, add ecoGlaze.

Warm cold glass → Get ecoGlaze quote

GLAZING & CLEVER ADD-ONS (the secret sauce)

ecoGlaze secondary glazing

Scores impact: Thermal ★★★★☆ | Condensation ★★★★★ | Noise ★★★☆☆
A discreet inner acrylic panel creates an insulating air gap. Warmer inner surface means far less condensation, calmer temps, noticeable hush. Works under any window covering (as long as their in space in the window reveal).

Fix cold, wet glass → Get ecoGlaze quote

Renshade (seasonal reflective)

Scores impact: Thermal in summer ★★★★★ | Light (glare) ★★★★★
Removable reflective screen for brutal east/north/west sun. Smash glare and radiant heat in summer; peel off for winter sun. Renter-friendly.

Stop summer glare → Shop Renshade

Window Seals (the silent heroes)

Scores impact: Thermal ★★★★☆ | Noise ★★★☆☆
Purpose-made seals for each window type (Double-hung Draught Dodgers, Awning Window Seal, GCE for sashless/Shugg plus EMV window seal. Remove the air highway so coverings can actually work.

Seal the edges → Shop Window Seals

Gap Filler Kit (clear, flexible)

Scores impact: Thermal ★★☆☆☆ | Noise ★★☆☆☆
Hairline cracks at window architraves are sneaky air paths. Seal once, clean less.

Seal trim gaps → Gap Filler Kit

THE COMFORT COMBO

Gold Standard (any room)

Lined drapes + Invisible Pelmet + Window Draught Seals + ecoGlaze if condensation/noise.
Dark ★★★★★ | Thermal ★★★★★ | Noise ★★★★☆ | Condensation ★★★★☆ (with ecoGlaze)

ROOM-BY-ROOM QUICK PICKS (whole home)

Bedrooms and nursery: Gold Standard. If keeping rollers or shutters, add drapes and a pelmet.
Living and dining:  Thermal drapes + pelmet; Renshade if summer sun bites.
Home office: Renshade for glare; winter evenings add drapes + pelmet.
Kitchens: Reveal mount rollers (wipeable); seal window frames
Bathrooms and ensuites: ecoGlaze to warm the inner surface; simple blind;
Media room: Block-out drapes + pelmet or honeycomb + side channels.
Entryways: Renshade for summer afternoons.

FAQs (straight answers)

About ecoMaster: We’re not a blinds/curtains shop. We specialise in the comfort tech that makes any window covering work harder — pelmets, draught seals, secondary glazing (ecoGlaze), and seasonal glare control (Renshade). Choose the look you love; we’ll help you make it comfortable.