Beautiful window treatments add subtle elegance to your home as if they’re part of the architecture. However, the wrong treatment—whether it’s a faded jacquard valance above the kitchen sink or mismatched, pleated drapes—can make your space feel cluttered or outdated.

Whether you’re starting small with a fresh fabric or rethinking the entire look of a room, knowing which styles to retire is the first step toward a more natural, contemporary space. Here, we turned to interior designers for their take on the treatments that date a room and what to use instead.

Heavy Drapery

Few elements can date a room faster than heavy, ornate drapery paired with oversized valances.

“[It] overwhelms a room and blocks the natural light that so many homeowners are craving,” says Jasmin Reese, principal designer of Jasmin Reese Interiors. “The key is execution. Using the same fabric for both cornice and drapery, playing with multiple tassels, or experimenting with a sculptural cornice silhouette can transform the look from old-fashioned to an artful statement.”

Matching Roman Shades

For most spaces, however, Reese recommends a lighter hand. “I use a lot of colorful, sheer panels in my projects—just make sure they go from the floor to the ceiling no matter the height of the window,” she says. “This elongates the space.”

Roman shades that perfectly match upholstery, bedding, or other fabrics may have once been the hallmark of a coordinated room, but designers now see them as outdated.

“That kind of overly staged look feels flat and predictable,” says Jeanine Bogart, principal designer at Epic Interiors. “Today’s clients want a mix that feels curated rather than cookie-cutter.”

For a cleaner, more contemporary approach, Bogart recommends materials and colors that allow the window to shine. “Our design aesthetic tends to be more clean-lined, so we often recommend mesh roller shades in a contrasting neutral or white—something that’s modern and lets natural light in and maximizes the view,” she says.

Cheaply Made Fabric

Nothing dates a window quite like curtains that feel insubstantial or that look cheaply made.

“When the material reads as flimsy, it makes the interior seem less elevated,” says Brittny Button, founder of Button Atelier. “Don’t use anything that’s straight polyester without it being a blend.”

Button also highlights the importance of lining. “Always make sure they have a lining. This is a failsafe so that the curtains have a presence, and it protects them from the sun.”

Drapes That Are Too Short

The placement and length of your curtains have a bigger impact on a room’s feel than many homeowners realize. Drapes hung too low can make ceilings seem squat and rooms feel compressed, while curtains that end well above the floor look unfinished and careless.

“Curtains should reach the floor and ideally have a lining. This gives them presence and lets the panels drape properly,” says Button.

Button emphasizes that hanging drapery from ceiling height instantly changes the room’s proportions. “It lifts the feel of the room and draws your eye upward,” she explains. Panels that lightly skim or pool on the floor create a sense of drama and refinement, while also connecting visually with the space.

Curtains That Don’t Function

It’s surprising how often curtains are installed purely for decoration, leaving homeowners with “illusion drapes” that don’t actually block light or provide any privacy. While they may look pretty, panels that can’t fully close fail to serve the primary purpose of window coverings. In today’s interiors, functionality is just as important as style.

Button recommends a relaxed Roman shade as a practical and stylish option. “[It] fills the need without requiring a complete drapery overhaul,” she says. This approach perfectly balances aesthetics and usability.

Traditional Blinds

Traditional vertical and horizontal blinds were once the practical choice for just about every home. These days, though, they can make a room feel dated and a little too busy. “They often disrupt the flow of natural light and create harsh lines that don’t complement today’s softer, more architectural interiors,” says Bogart.

For something that feels both clean and functional, think beyond the traditional slats. “We often recommend upgrading to automated Lutron shades,” she says. “They offer a clean, modern look with the added benefit of convenience and smart-home integration.” The result is a more seamless, elevated window treatment that works with the room, rather than against it.

If your heart is set on something more traditional, especially in a historic home, then Bogart says blinds can still have their place. “They tend to darken a room, which is great if that’s the mood you’re going for,” she adds. “We love them for libraries, studies, or moody dens where that cozy, intimate feel makes sense.”

Since our bedroom is on the front of our house, with a door that goes right to the front yard and two windows that look out to the side yard and our neighbor’s house, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to privacy. Obviously, we need privacy in a bedroom. But I always run into the same problem when it comes to areas that need to be private. I love natural light, and I hate blocking out natural light. So how do you have privacy without blocking out natural light.

In some rooms of our house (living room, breakfast room) we have lined, top-down/bottom-up shades. (You can find the details of those here.) Since our breakfast room has been our temporary bedroom during while I’m working on our bedroom suite, those shades have been pretty amazing. I like to have the sun shine through the windows as the sun comes up in the morning, so having that top-down function is perfect. It allows the sunlight to stream into the room early in the morning while also giving us plenty of privacy with the lined portion remaining closed on the bottom.

But in other rooms (my studio, pantry, master bathroom, and bedroom), I have these shades (affiliate link). I love these shades so much. They’re a lot cheaper than the lined, top-down/bottom-up shades since they only open in one direction and they’re not lined. They do offer quite a bit of privacy, but sunlight also comes through them in the morning, so I know they don’t offer 100% privacy.

I loved those curtains so much. They do let light stream in, but they’re not quite like sheers. They’re thicker than sheer curtains while also kind of having that flowy, breezy, somewhat sheer look to them. When I took everything out of the home gym, they were too nice to get rid of, so I kept them, hoping I could find another use for them. And I just happen to have the right number of panels.

So I bought double curtain rods for the windows and the door. I can’t even remember the last time I used double rods (if ever), or the last time I did a layered look with curtains (if ever), so this is new ground for me.

And then on the windows, I think the combination of the shades plus the sheer curtains will be enough for privacy while still allowing some sunlight to come through in the morning. This room is the brightest room in the house in the early morning, so I’m really hoping this will work out.

I still didn’t get all of the trim done on Tuesday. UGH!!! I’m stuck in a never-ending loop of working on trim day after day after day. But I’m so close to being finished. I just keep reminding myself of that end goal to keep me focused. And I’m not only focused on the end goal, but on short term goals as well. As soon as all of the trim is painted, that means that all of the dusty and dirty projects are done. And as soon as that’s done, I plan to reward myself by bringing in the area rug and bedside tables. I don’t want to bring in too much because I still have to hang the grasscloth wallpaper, but if I can just see a couple of items in place, that will keep me motivated. So I’m keeping my eye on both that short-term goal, as well as that final reward of a beautiful, finished bedroom.