Curtains must be chosen with particular care as they play a crucial and practical role in a home interior. They hold a predominant place in matter of home decor, but they must be adaptive to specific windows or doors that they dress, and to the style of the room that surrounds them.
Curtains can have one or several of the following functions:
- Protect privacy, this function is even more evident in a bedroom or a bathroom to protect the user from unwanted looks from the outside.
- Insulate from cold, by stopping the flow of cold air that can infiltrate, they also insulate from noise if the curtains are thick enough.
- Regulate light, that is essential in a bedroom. Dark color curtains or curtains lined with light blocking properties will help you sleep better.
- Modulate space, they can be used to separate two rooms or break a room easily and inexpensively.
- Hide what you rather not display for all to see, like a not so esthetic storage area without a door.
To avoid mistakes in choosing curtains there some pertinent questions that might help in the decision process: size and type of windows? Do the windows let in too much light or not, is there a view or something unsightly on the other side?
What curtains to choose from a decoration point of view?
Voile: it is back in style due to a re-nouveau of natural curtain fabric like linen, organdy, silk and cotton. Voile curtains will filter light softly and give you a gentle intimacy.
Lined curtains: imposing they can give a room a lot of character. There are many today that are ready made and not as expensive as they used to be, they none the less represent a serious investment, so it is better to be really sure of what you want before you buy them. You probably will select this type of curtain / drapes for living rooms and bedrooms. To modernize your curtains you might consider using eyelets that slide on the rod.
Should you buy curtains ready to hang or should you special order them? Today’s market is very different than it was only a decade ago. It is so easy today to find, in stores or online, curtains that you bring home and after a little steaming to remove wrinkles, they are ready to hang on your windows. Regardless what style, color, materials, dimensions, I am confident you can find what you need without spending the high price of specially made curtains. The important is to take your time, look at many ideas before deciding what you want, then ordering the right model. This said there are time when only custom made curtains will do. Even if the cost is higher, if you have windows that are larger than average, or if you want to personalize your curtains by using an exclusive designer pattern, then you must have your curtains custom made.
You should not neglect curtain accessories. Curtain rods are very decorative and can enhance your window treatment with cachet and flair, if chosen appropriately.
The classic traverse rod is usually pretty invisible, hidden behind the higher part of the curtain, but it is also less popular today, with many people opting for a round rod in many materials, wood, wrought iron… They are often fitted with decorative end pieces which determine the style of the rod.
Tie backs allow you to tie the curtain on the side of windows when not in use. They help add movement to your curtain when it is pulled back and to lighten the weight on the rod that hanging curtains can inflict. They are more often used in classic home styles.
Blinds are a good solution for many windows in particular for kitchens and bathrooms as they can tolerate heat, humidity and even some water without any damage. In addition they clean very easily. You can read the article I have written about how to choose blinds if you want to know more about that subject.
Lastly a bit of advice, as I said at the beginning of this article choosing the right window treatment is not to be done quickly or lightly. If you need a temporary solution while you take all the time you need to choose what will be your best solution, I recommend that you use temporary paper blinds, as they are inexpensive, look good and provide privacy, even give you the opportunity to use temporary blackout blinds, while giving you all the time you need to decide.
