Selecting the Best Curtains For Your Home

Curtains and drapery can change the entire look of a room. They also allow you to have privacy and control how much light comes into a room. When you think of curtains, you might want to look at the wide variety of colors and styles there are available and choose a set of draperies that suits your style, the decor of the room and how much light you want available in that room.

Why Install Curtains & Drapes

There are lots of reasons why you might want to have curtains in a room. Consider your sleeping patterns, for instance. If you are a light sleeper and are disturbed by the amount of light coming into the room at night, you might want to add curtains over a window in order to block out an annoying street light or outside lamp. Or you might be a day sleeper and need to block out sunlight during the day so that you can get enough restful sleep without being disturbed by sunlight coming through the windows. You can get blackout curtains that have a thick backing on them to control the amount of light that comes through your windows.

Another reason to install curtains is that they simply complete the look of a room. Often interior designers and decorators will spend a great deal of time and effort choosing the right type and fabric of curtains in order to complete the look of a room or an entire home.

Curtains can also provide a measure of privacy, especially if you live in a densely populated neighborhood or area. You may wan to protect your privacy by having curtains in your home so that you can close them at night, preventing people from looking in your windows to watch your activities. You may also just want curtains in a room so that even during the day, your privacy is protected and you can feel safer in your home.

Types of Curtain Fabrics

Curtain fabrics can determine the look and feel of a room and contribute to the overall style of decor in your home or rooms. For example, if you are looking for a formal room decor, you might try fabrics like velvet, damask or silk. These fabrics are often richly colored and heavier in weight than other types of fabrics and create a deeply formal elegant appearance.

Lightly colored fabrics that are light weight, create a more casual and relaxed appearance in a room. Examples of lightweight fabrics include organza, voile and eyelet. Sheer curtains can also make a room feel light and breezy, almost light you are inviting the outside into your home.

You can also layer drapery fabrics to create an multilayered look and feel to your room or home. For example, you can have a formal damask curtain on the top layer of your curtains and a sheer organza layer closer to the window. When you open the damask curtains, you allow sunlight to filter through into the room, making it appear brighter and more inviting.

Layering curtains also adds a dramatic feel to a room. You can create different styles simply by paying attention to the design of the curtains or draperies. You might install longer draperies that puddle on the floor for a dramatic impact. Or you might layer different contrasting colors for your curtains, which adds dimension to the windows and makes your windows look more striking.

Curtain and Drapery Styles

There are many different curtain and drapery styles to choose from and the type you install can make a difference in how well they function in a room and the overall appearance of a room.

Simple Drapery – Simple draperies can be hung over almost any window style or shape. They can be hung on their own or with a sheer curtain underneath them to allow for filtered light to enter a room. You can also hang draperies over shutters, blinds or shades.

Pleated – You find pleated draperies in many homes and apartments. They are installed by hanging them from small hooks that are inserted in the draperies themselves. These are attached to a rod which allows them to be open or closed with pull cords.

Pole or Rod Pocket – These drapery curtains are constructed with a top casing which easily slips onto a curtain rod. Pole curtains are easy to install and easy to use. Just pull the curtains to one side or the other in order to open them or close them.

Top Tab – Top tab curtains are constructed with loops along the top edge of the curtains. The curtain rod is slipped through these loops. Top tab curtains are opened by pulling the curtains to the left or right and do not need pull cords to use them. Top tab curtains can make a room look casual and inviting.

Tie Top – Tie top curtains are very similar to tab top curtains. The difference between the two styles is that tie top curtains have ties made of fabric on the top edge of the curtain. These ties can be connected to either rings or curtain rods. Similar to top tab curtains, they create a soft casual room appearance.

Ring Top – Ring top curtains are installed by hanging them from decorative rings which are attached to the top of the curtain, similar to shower curtains. One of the advantages of using ring top curtains is that they allow you to show off or highly a decorative curtain rod. Ring top curtains do not need additional hardware in order to use them and are opened and closed by simply pulling the curtains aside to the left or right.

Grommet – Grommet curtains are a newer style of curtain and are often found in contemporary room decor. There are large grommet rings along the top of the curtain, which makes the curtain look as if they have broad pleats in them. This style of curtain is very clean and modern in appearance.

Insulated Thermal – Insulated thermal curtains are often found in geographic regions that have extreme climate temperatures. They provide protection from the cold and heat during the winter or summer months. Because they have a heavy backing constructed into them, they can also be used as blackout curtains. Insulated thermal curtains have an insulating layer of protection constructed along the back side of the curtains, which saves on heating and cooling costs and look similar in appearance to other types of curtains.

Sheers – Sheer curtains are constructed of thin fabric which allows light to filter through them. They also provide a layer of privacy since they cover the windows completely when they are closed. You can create a dramatic look by installing more than one width of curtain over the windows.

Valances – Valances are installed along the top of the window and are shorter than standard curtains. They come in many different styles and usually fall approximately one-third down the length of the window from the top. They are often installed with other curtains in order to complete the appearance of curtains. Valances are also very commonly installed in kitchen windows.