Curtains and blinds can add color and style to any room.
They help in defining the theme of a space and add a finishing touch to your overall décor. Additionally, they offer functional benefits.
Benefits of window curtains and blinds
Regardless of your home décor, window coverings provides numerous benefits including;
- Stop direct sunlight from entering your home thus protecting furniture and reducing glare
- Provides privacy from snooping neighbours
- Act as thermal insulation, saving on hefty cooling and heating bills
- Acts as noise insulation; reducing outside noise entering your home
- They add additional value and enhance your home decor
With all the benefits in mind, how do we choose the right curtains or blinds for our homes?
How to buy Blinds and Curtains
With so many colours and styles of curtains and blinds available, it can be difficult to choose the right curtains that reflect your taste, budget, and bring out the best in your space. Here are a few useful tips and ideas to help you out.
1. Fabric
It is vital to choose the right fabric that suits your needs and space.
Consider the windows’ location. Do your windows need thick fabric to reduce light or a lightweight material that provides privacy while allowing enough light in?
Curtain fabric comes in many options like wool, cotton, linen and silk. Many people prefer silk due to its luxurious look, but when exposed to direct sunlight for long periods, it easily fades.
Thicker curtain fabric is great for controlling temperature and preventing direct sunlight from entering your room. In comparison, the lighter material works best in keeping the airflow circulating and adding a touch of dreamy and soft look.
Think about the space when choosing the fabric; some rooms look better with specific fabric options. For example, sheer curtains materials add a touch of lushness, diffusing light in the living spaces while heavier curtains work great in bedrooms filtering out light.
A linen curtain adds charm to casual spaces while a velvet or silk curtains look good in a formal dining room.
Would blinds work better in your space?
Blinds come in different sizes and shapes from generic blinds like slats or shutters made of wood or aluminum, fancy, roman blinds, and modern roller blinds. Figure out what would best suit your space. For example, if your home is a minimalist, modern space, consider roller blinds.
2. Color
The color of your window coverings should complement your décor. Choosing the wrong color easily ruins the look in a room.
Look at your room’s wall color palette, consider the patterns on your furniture fabric and wallpaper, then choose a color that works well.
Alternatively, become more creative by choosing a color curtain that doesn’t match with your current room color scheme but complements the look.
For a plain room, energize it with printed or patterned curtains to add a touch of texture and color. Choose patterns that contrast the walls and furniture colours to create a fascinating chic look.
Additionally, create height in your low-ceilinged room by using curtains with vertical stripes. For formal home interiors, use heavy printed curtains to create a unique and dramatic effect but go for delicate and thinner printed coloured drapes for a casual look.
Light colours provide any room with elegance and soft look while making a small space appear larger. Additionally, you can turn a light-coloured material into a classic and timeless look, but they quickly get stained.
On the other hand, dark-coloured curtains add a touch of sophistication and contract to any space. They don’t show dust or stain, but they make a room appear smaller.
Additionally, dark-coloured curtains fade faster when exposed to direct sunlight. However, adding protective lining to your curtains or window tint prevents your curtains from fading and losing their chic colour palette, thus extending their life.
3. Measurement
Choosing the right measurements is essential to the overall look. Use curtain and blinds panels that are broader and longer than your windows and hang your them 6-12 inches above your window frame.
Curtains with a length that falls flush and touches the floor create a modern and contemporary vibe and suits any décor.
For a traditional room, your curtains measurements should extend a few inches beyond the floor.
4. Style
Choose window covers that reflect your personality and the overall look of your home.
There are many styles available from plain, embroidered and frills, all suitable for different looks. Consider using a rod pocket if unsure of the style you want since it compliments any room.
Choose a top treatment drapery header to add aesthetic charm and give a final ambience to any space. However, it’s vital to go with headers that tie to your room style from grommet tops that accent a modern place to back-tab ripple fold for contemporary rooms and pinch pleats to complement your traditional décor.
Smocked headers add an elegant and dramatic look while goblet pleats accents the elegance of a formal room.
For the blinds, opt for unique vertical sheer with rotating glass materials for effortless chic style.
5. Ease of use
Consider the function and size of the room to get the right curtain and blinds.
For example, your kitchen curtains should be easy to clean as they may be exposed to food splatters, not too long or easily blown by the wind, so they are not a fire hazard, and easy to remove for regular cleaning.
6. Energy Efficiency
Your blinds and curtains should help control your home temperature, thus reducing your energy bill.
Buy blinds and curtains that keep your home warm during colder seasons and circulate air well during the summer season.
Bottom Line
Curtains and blinds, when done right, can be an exquisite addition to your home. Hence, the need to choose wisely. You may opt for DIY or hire an interior designer for a more sophisticated look. Regardless of your choice, do not rush into buying blinds and curtains. Take the time to figure out exactly what will be best for each room with our above tips.
Author: Rita Purity
