As our families put the finishing touches on their homes it's not too late to consider a design element which is often overlooked by the renovator but always noticed by the buyer - window treatments.   

Choosing the right window treatments for your space can give the room an instant punch of luxury, warmth, colour and interest or can leave it feeling incomplete, cold and exposed. 

"Window treatments have a huge impact on people. If you walk into a house and there are none, I think your chances of selling have dropped a little bit" says Nikki Morris, colour consultant at Resene. "It's a big cost to replace all of your window treatments and it is something a buyer will be mindful of."

If you look after them curtains generally have a ten to twenty year life span so you are much more likely to change your paint or accessories before your curtains so think carefully when choosing. 

Nikki says if you're renovating and working with a blank slate start with your window treatments and work the room around those. Work out if you want them to be the feature or whether you want them to sit in the background. 

If you do opt for neutral tones it doesn't mean you can't add a bit of luxury, texture or interest to your curtains. Silver or gold flecks through a neutral fabric or a suede finish can have a big impact.

"It's all personal taste but when you go to sell you want to keep it all quite simple and beautiful so that the majority of people can visualise their favourite things in there" she says,  "you can always add pops of colour through less permanent fixtures such as your cushions, wallpaper and accessories."

If you do go for a patterned curtain (there are some amazing options out there) then Nikki recommends you keep your walls quite plain, however she believes we will start to see patterns on top of patterns coming through in trends very soon. 

Remember to keep the flow in your home by ensuring the tone and style of your window treatments compliment the paint colour and furnishings.

Dressing for warmth: The majority of warmth in your home is lost through windows so one of the major benefits of updated window dressings is keeping that warm air inside. New curtains will not only make the room look warmer but can also cover cold drafty windows which are common in older homes and help you save on your power bill.

Applying sunblock: Often when we renovate we look at creating more light and opening up spaces but if you have a room which is a sun trap then being able to keep the room cool in summer and get the kids to sleep at night is really important. 

Keeping it private: In built up areas it's not uncommon to be able to wave at your neighbours through your window so having the option to screen your windows but still let in light is important. Sheer curtains, bi-folds, venetians or plantation shutters are just a few options to keep your home private while still keeping things stylish. 

All Resene curtains are custom made. For more inspiration visit Resene.