Have you ever walked into a professionally designed room and find yourselves looking at the curtains? Notice how much more luxurious and expensive they seem as compared to those found in an ordinary home. This is because curtains provide an extra layer of style and elegance into an otherwise bland room. And believe it or not, choosing curtains in a store is more than just picking a fabric you love and hoping it looks good in your room. There are so many other factors that come into play in the selection of drapes for your personal space.
How To Choose The Right Curtains
Purpose and Fabric
When choosing a curtain fabric for your home, one of the initial things to think about is the purpose you’ll need for them. Some choices include having a blackout curtain to keep light out of the bedroom, or thin curtains to let natural light go through, or thick ones to provide privacy from neighbors and outsiders. These are general choices you need to figure out first before getting into the details of what curtain to choose.
The type of fabric the curtain is made of would usually dictate how much light would go through it. Most linens and cotton curtains come in varying degrees of opacity ranging from sheer to opaque. Sheer curtains could give your space a feeling of breeziness and warmth, letting the natural light permeate through to your floor and walls. On the other hand, choosing opaque ones such as velvet would provide a natural blackout setting, making sure you’re shielded away from the noise and light from the outdoors.
Hanging Styles
Curtains come in different hanging styles ranging from modern grommets and tab tops to red-pockets, rings, and even pleated looks. All these different styles work together to create different backdrops and settings for your space. For example, rings are ideal for adding a few inches of height to your curtains, and this has the effect of showcasing your hardware more. On the other hand, rod-pockets, grommets, and tab tops are more modern and have cost-savings in mind as they don’t require any extra fittings such as rings to work well. If you prefer a more traditional look though, pleated styles are the best for you.
Hanging Styles
Curtain Dimensions
Curtains don’t always come in standard sizes, and the different heights and widths they could have is an issue many people struggle with. The natural instinct most would have is to hang curtains right above the window frame. Instead of this though, you could just hang them below the ceiling, and this would make your windows appear taller. In a similar way, if you hang the rod a few inches wider than the window, it will allow your open curtains to sit outside of the window frame. This still has the effect of not blocking any natural light and would also make your windows appear larger.
Colors and Patterns
The classic choice for curtains would be neutral solid colors in a linen or velvet texture. Besides these though, you should know that there are still possible ways to introduce color and patterns if you do it well. An example would be to use a soft two-tone striped or floral pattern, as this would add visual interest and even a romantic vibe to normally sheer curtains. Another option would be to use a bold pattern on them but do note that this would make your curtains the focus of the room.
With all the possible ways you can mix and match curtain colors, dimensions, fabric types, and textures, you shouldn’t just limit your options to the basic ones. Go out and explore and let your imagination run wild in choosing the best type of curtains for your own space.
