As the name suggests, the living room is where we live our lives. And when you're choosing living room window treatments, it helps to think about your lifestyle. Is the living room where you go to read? Watch TV? How much do you like to entertain? Do you host formal dinner parties or casual game nights with friends? Is light control or energy efficiency a concern? Whatever your particular need, you'll find many living room blinds and shades that are as fashionable as they are functional.

Cellular Shades: Superior Energy Efficiency and Style

_{Duette^® Honeycomb Shades   Fabric: Architella^® Classic   Color: London Sky}

_{Vignette^® Roman Shades   Fabric: Pampa   Color: Chia}

_{Designer Screen Shades   Fabric: New Orleans   Color: Wrought Iron}

Even on cloudy days, UV rays can fade and damage your artwork, fabrics and carpet. They can also dry out and bleach your hardwood floors and wood furniture, breaking down the paint or stain finishes and joint sealants. To protect your living room furnishings, solar shades, such as Designer Screen Shades, offer excellent UV protection and come in hundreds of gorgeous fabrics as well as opacities ranging from sheer to opaque and from 14% to 0% openness.

You don't have to stick to solar shades for UV protection though. Virtually all Hunter Douglas shades, blinds and shutters filter at least 75% of the sun's rays when installed over double-glazed glass picture windows.

Modern Window Coverings for Large Windows

_{Luminette^® Privacy Sheers   Fabric: Stria   Color: Spun Sugar}

_{Palm Beach^™ Polysatin^™ Shutters   Color: Bright White}

Like premium furniture for your family room, shutters offer the timeless beauty of rich hardwood. Plus, they look just as gorgeous from the outside of your home as they do from the inside. They're also very durable and provide great sound absorption.

You can find options ranging from real wood and hybrid shutters to shutters like Palm Beach^™ Polysatin^™ Shutters that have the look of finely painted shutters but are guaranteed never to warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolor, even when exposed to extreme heat or humidity. Something to think about if you live in a hot climate.

Other Living Room Shade Ideas

Top treatments, such as cornices, are hard-working decorative elements. Wooden or fabric covered, they can add a finished accent to your living room shades or blinds while concealing window treatment hardware. They also help block unwanted light around the top of your window treatment and draw the eye upward, making your room seem more spacious.