Finding the Right Curtains for You
Keep these 4 tips in mind when you’re choosing curtains for your home.
20/07/2020
Finding the right curtains for your room can be the final touch that brings together a newly redecorated space or a new touch that can refresh your entire style. Because they’re such an important part of the overall look of your room, you should keep these tips in mind when you’re choosing curtains for your home.
Consider Your Budget
The cost of drapery can add up fast, especially if you have a room with a lot of windows or you want to use finer materials. If you have a more limited budget, you should consider ready-to-hang or other cheaper options for your curtains. You should also be aware that finer fabrics, while they look good initially, can become expensive to maintain if they require special handling when being cleaned. The limitation of cheaper ready-to-hang options, of course, is restricted sizes and shapes, so if you have unique window shapes you may have to count on spending a little more on curtains for your space.
Explore Unique Colors and Patterns
Going outside the usual limitations of curtain colors and patterns can be rewarding, resulting in a unique space that reveals your sense of style and personality. Finding examples of other unique spaces on Pinterest or other sites can lead to inspiration of your own. Finding examples can also help to narrow down your options before you dive into the professional world of window hangings, which can easily be overwhelming if you don’t have an idea of what you want.
Consider Curtain Thickness
There are four types of thickness to consider when curtain shopping: sheer, opaque, lined, and blackout. It is best to consider the needs of the room itself when you’re considering what curtain thickness you want. Sheer and opaque curtains are the best options for spaces that you want to open up, such as living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens. Lined and blackout curtains, on the other hand, block more light than their thinner counterparts and are ideal for spaces such as bedrooms, where you may want more privacy and to block out light for sleeping. The most common type of ready-to-hang curtains available on the market are opaque, and they are generally thick enough to block enough light and vision for privacy but aren’t as heavy as lined or blackout curtains, allowing for natural light to filter in even when closed. When in doubt, opaque curtains will generally do the job you want, but they are far from the only option.
Don’t Be Afraid to DIY
In an age when almost anything can be bought ready-made and home economics are falling by the wayside, doing DIY window treatments can seem like a counterintuitive, time-consuming, and overall useless option. But what if you find the perfect fabric or pattern, but it isn’t available as a ready-to-hang curtain option? What if you want to combine different patterns to create a unique piece for your room? Learning some very basic sewing skills can allow you to do the same job as a professional draper at a fraction of the cost, and you’ll be learning a new and valuable skill as well. Curtains are almost absurdly easy to make yourself, requiring a bare minimum of measuring, cutting, and hemming with only a very few technical skills. This makes curtains an ideal first DIY sewing project. Not to mention that, when your friends ask where you got those new curtains, you will be able to say with pride that you made them yourself.
The first step of any redecorating project is always the hardest, and choosing the right curtains is no different. Fortunately, with these simple tips you will be able to consider your options and find the right curtains for the newest redecorated or refreshed room in your home.