How to choose curtains for your home

Not all windows are created equal. Some lend themselves to floor to ceiling curtains while others may be small, narrow, or in an awkward place where a blind might be more suitable. Consider the type of window you are working with and allow it to dictate the choice between curtains or blinds.

Read more: Hard window treatments - what to consider

Formal or informal? The style of your home will help inform this decision. A traditional home with a very high stud and ornamental features may suit voluminous velvet curtains that puddle on the floor, while a simplistic style of curtain just touching the floor may better suit a contemporary home. The header you choose will also create a certain aesthetic and it pays to research the headers available. Either way, your home will feel cohesive if you keep the style of your curtains consistent from room to room.

Read more: Choosing the right curtain header

What is the role of the curtain in the space? Is it a bedroom that requires blackout curtains for sleeping? Is it a TV room where sunlight needs to be filtered? Or is it a lounge room that you like to keep warm? Each room in your home will have different requirements depending on who and what the room is being used for. Consider children and pets and the role they play in the house, taking into account durability and easy clean properties in the fabric choice.

Read more: Choosing the right lining

Depending where you are located in the world, the harsh sun can cause damage to curtains and interior furnishings. Sun damage to the curtain edges facing the window can cause the fabric to disintegrate, but choosing a fabric that has a good UV protection rating will help reduce this problem as well as ensuring you stack back your curtains as much as possible, so they sit off the window. Alternatively, you might like to use a sheer fabric that lets light through and filters the rays at the same time.

Read more: Increasing the lifespan of your textiles

Read more: How to apply SPF to your interior

Did you know that professionally fitted, lined drapery can reduce window heat loss by 40-60% when closed. Working all year round, lined drapery is an important tool in creating a thermal insulation barrier. It’s a no-brainer to have a quality lining behind your curtain fabric, with a variety of options including blockout, triple weave, silicone, and interlining there is something for every situation.

Read more: When a lining is not a lining, but so much more...

The investment we are prepared to make in our home furnishings is an individual one. Taking into consideration the factors above you should be able to provide quality information to your fabric consultant or curtain maker in order to find a suitable fabric and style of window treatment.

We always recommend you have a professional measure your windows before purchasing fabric.