Color, Length and Style: A Guide to Choosing Your Curtains

There are many things that decide the feel of our home, from the largest furniture pieces to the smallest accents, like curtains. The curtains you choose can have an influence on what you are trying to accomplish, mood-wise, in any room. How do you choose when it seems there are so many options? The following are some tips to help you decide what curtains are right for you.

Patterns and Colors

When you are trying to decide which curtains to go with, you will need to decide on a color or pattern – or both. Think about the overall look of the room and what you are trying to accomplish. Is it more on the relaxed side or is it more formal? Consider whether you want your curtains to tie the room together or stand out. Solid colors ae a safer choice when you have an array of patterned objects in the room, while patterns are better suited when you already have an abundance of solid colors throughout the room and need to break things up visually.

Fabrics

Among your numerous options, there are multiple types of fabrics to pick from. Sheer fabrics allow light to flow into the room while maintaining some privacy. Thermal curtains, also called blackout curtains, are thicker and designed not only to limit light exposure but to also provide some aid with energy costs. Curtain fabrics are also available in thicknesses that fall between the two. You can even choose to combine different fabrics by layering to have ultimate control.

Lengths

The length of the curtains you choose will be based on your window size and desired look. Common lengths available include floor length, window-specific length, valance, and swag. Floor-length curtains often provide an elegant look. Window-specific lengths suit their purpose with minimal fabric length beyond the sill. Valances only cover the top part of a window, while swags actually combine the look of valances and window-specific lengths. Swags have sides that are the length of the window but the middle is the length of a valance.

Style Options

Once you get past the options for fabric, color, and length you are left with different styles. When looking at styles, you will find the term largely refers to the heading of the curtains, which is the part that hangs on the rod. Rod pocket curtains are very common and have a pocket that slides through to create a gathered look at the top. Pleated curtains have tight folds along the top. Tabbed varieties are made with wide tabs, or loops, at the top. A slight difference is the tie tab style. Eyelet curtains have holes with metal rings inside. The rod slides through these holes to create wide, soft folds.

Ultimately, the choice you make depends more on your personal taste, specific lighting needs, and the look you desire with your existing decor. That said, however, the wrong choice can be disastrous and look downright horrible. You do not want to overwhelm the room but instead create that special finishing touch.

Informational Credit to Five Star Windows Inc