Whimsical Window Treatments

Custom-made curtains can be expensive and time-consuming, if you make them yourself. But it's easy to dress up bargain white panels with bold craft-store trim. You can glue it on, or machine-stitch if you're handy with a sewing machine. Photo courtesy of Project Nursery

This built-in window seat is a charming spot to read and opens up for extra storage. A striped Roman shade adds a layer of masculinity in this boy's bedroom. Designer Lina Khatib

Budget-friendly roller shades get a quick and easy update with pretty polka dots. Paint them on, or use peel-and-stick wall decals. The striped and gathered valance softens the window and will look appropriate after the polka-dot motif has been outgrown. Design by Barbara Tabak of Decorating Den Interiors

An angled awning is an elegant, unexpected touch in this sophisticated girl's room. Its scalloped edge is a feminine counterpoint to the tailored plantation shutters, and its structure offers a cozy sense of shelter above the window seat. Design by Nancy Barrett of Decorating Den Interiors; Photography by Anne Matheis