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Windows play an important place in a family's health and well-being. They are the eyes to the world. Windows let the sun's light in, warm and light the home, and expand the living space.

Window treatments are part of a room's decorating scheme, protect furniture and carpets from fading, trap heat in the winter, let the breeze enter the room in the summer, and frame the window.

However, most window treatments are expensive. A drab, basic window treatment for a small window can start at $200.00. It can easily cost $10 000 to buy suitable window coverings to fit into today's suburban home. An upscale home with arched and two-story windows can easily cost the homeowner in excess of $25 000.00.

This does not mean that the average homeowner needs to settle for second rate window treatments.

The first thing the home decorator needs to ask is what they need. Sales people can easily convince home decorators that they need lined and weighted curtains with Scotchguard and UV protectors on them. This is not true.

Not all windows need lined curtains. Rooms that face the sun in the winter, and are not used often, can get away with a temporary lining under the curtains. However, this lining doesn't need to have a UV screen. In fact, it can be a simple sheet of flannel that is clipped to the curtain rod and removed when people use the room.

People never think of using many inexpensive decorative things for window coverings such as louvered doors, screens, and even certain papers. These items can easily be used as window coverings.

In fact, using reclaimed kitchen cabinet doors to cover basement windows in the winter will not only keep the cold out, they can be painted to add an artistic flair to the room. When done right, visitors may not even realize that the framed pictures are covering windows.

One often overlooked window treatment is to just leave it alone. A beautiful trim, framing a window that overlooks a garden, can be far more beautiful than a $2 000 professionally made curtain.

Another decoration is stained glass. There are several artisan shops where you can purchase custom-made stained glass covers for windows. This may be the perfect choice for a bathroom or master bedroom where you want to let in maximum light, but have 100% privacy.

While a stained glass window from a professional is not 'inexpensive' there are many reclaimed stores with old church windows that an artisan can easily cut down to fit your windows.

Another twist is the glass blocks that have been used to divide rooms and separate living areas. Stacking these glass blocks in the window will still allow light to enter while keeping the heat in, and maintaining privacy.

Construction reclaimed stores, and shopping online, are the places to find the best deals. One often overlooked deal is the bedding sets sold online. For the price of a comforter bedding set in a local department store, you can buy a complete 11 piece bedroom set, including curtains, if you shop online.

A little ingenuity and care and you can save thousands of dollars dressing your home's windows, and even outdo the homes where more than $25 000 was spent on the window treatments.