Curtains make an excellent style statement in any room, but they need to be chosen correctly. The right curtains bring colour, texture and brightness to a room, the wrong ones can make a room look small, dark and miserable.
Follow our tips below to help you choose the ideal curtains for any and every room in your home.
Measure Up
Before you begin to think about the curtains or blinds you want to use – you need to measure the space they’ll be used in. Window dressings that are too small will let light creep in and too big could swamp your window frame and your room.
Some interior designers recommend buying curtains that are a few inches too long in order to hang them higher on the wall, bringing a sense of height to the room, and increasing the drama in the fall of the fabric.
Measure from your starting point to the floor – and the width of the window too. For more tips on how to measure for curtains, we have a handy guide on our blog. When deciding the fall of your curtains, think of your décor style- modern looks best suit curtains that fall exactly to the floor, where more traditional styles are better suited with 2.3 inches of puddling at the bottom of the curtain, to create a cosy feel.
Read the Room
Different rooms make different demands on their window treatments, so bear this in mind when selecting curtains.
In bedrooms, for example, selecting a heavier curtain fabric, and opting for a blackout lining, creates a private peaceful space, away from the eyes of passers-by or the light and sound of the street outside.
For rooms like the lounge or kitchen, natural light may be more of a priority, so more sheer curtains that allow the light in may be a smarter choice.
Pick your Pleats!
Pencil Pleats are achieved by gathering folds closely together, side-by-side to create the look of a neat row of pencils. This smarts style looks great when paired with relaxed patterns and heavy fabrics.
Double & Triple pinch pleat curtains have sewn in pleats for a tailored look. This luxurious style looks great when paired with a rich fabric in a bold colour.
Eyelet curtains are the most versatile curtain types, with eyelets sewn into the material for slotting along a curtain pole to create soft, wide folds in the material. This flexible style is well suited to most fabrics, but looks at it’s finest when complimented by a bold colour or print.
Choose a Colour
We’ve written before about the symbolism of colour, but it bears repeating – the colour you for a room can impact the mood of the people who use it.
Choose calming blues and pink hues for tranquil spaces, and bold reds and oranges to create energy and excitement. Cheerful yellows can boost positivity, while greens can bring the outside in, creating a sense of freedom.
Your curtains can either blend with the colour scheme in your room or create a pop of colour like an exclamation point. For blending, select a tone of colour already present in the room (but not the dominant) or opt for a colour a shade or two darker than the dominant colour in the room. For making a statement, simply select something bright or bold – and add a few small splashes of that shade throughout the room to tie it all together.
If you’re paring up curtains and blinds – to filter out light or insulate draughty windows, choose complementary colours and patterns that are linked by a colour or style theme.
Finally, in rooms with bright sunlight, remember that brighter colours will fade faster, so muted tones will last the longest.
Get Hands-on!
It’s worth testing out fabrics and styles before you make a decision – that’s why we encourage customers to visit our Cardiff and Bridgend Showrooms before they purchase, and offer free at-home consultations.
Test fabrics by holding them up to a window to see how they block out the light, and how they fall. Your chosen patterns and colours can look different in real life than on a computer screen, so even if you’re sure of what you want – it’s worth looking at the style in person if you can.
Go Hands-Free!
Motorised curtains can be controlled via an app or voice assistant, for seamless operation at zero inconvenience. Our automated curtains use Somfy Glydea motors to ensure a quiet, effortless motion and elegant effect.
Ideal for large windows, smart systems can sense if the curtains have been pulled or tugged on and will open or close accordingly to minimise damage.
To learn more about our curtain range click here or to book an appointment with our interior experts in our Cardiff showroom– click here.