How to Choose the Right Curtains: Give Your Space Instant Personality

Transforming your home into the most dazzling place on Earth isn’t as daunting as you may think. The truth is that even with a few touch-ups here and there, you’ll be able to elevate its look easily and promptly. Whether you want to transform your living room, bedroom or entire home, there is one thing that you can add/change with which you can give your home a completely new look, and that thing is the curtains. These window dressing solutions can make a huge difference to the look of any room in your space. Said in simple words, they can add warmth, colour and texture without having to splurge on changing everything in your home.

Sheer vs. Blackout Curtains

Well, before making any choice, first you need to consider whether you need sheer or blackout options or even both. As the name implies, sheer curtains are a bit transparent and let natural light pass through them. But despite their transparency, they can still provide a certain level of privacy (mainly during the day). 

Blackout curtains, on the other hand, offer superior privacy as they aren’t transparent and don’t let any natural light pass through them. Given the fact that both of them are aesthetically pleasing, most people use them both where during the day, the blackout varieties are used as drapes on the sides. Convenient, right?!

How to Choose a Curtain Fabric?

Truth be told, the ‘rule’ one-size-fits-all doesn’t apply when it comes to choosing the right materials since the choice is huge. However, with a proper understanding of their usage, type and care, you’ll be able to find the most suitable curtain fabrics. You can choose from a large selection of them, so make sure you carefully consider all of them in order to make the right choice. Just make sure to choose ones that are durable and less prone to collecting dust. Either way, vacuuming them and washing them from time to time is recommended in order to remove dust, dirt and odours from them. 

What Are the Different Types of Curtain Fabric?

Cotton

Cotton is one of the oldest types of fabric available on the market, so it isn’t strange that it’s used for curtains as well. Even though it gives an airy and clean feel, cotton is mainly used for drapes since it’s a bit thicker in comparison to some other fabrics used for sheers. Said in simple words, cotton is great for filtering light since it provides solid coverage. As a cherry on top, this curtain material is quite easy to care for since it’s machine washable. An important thing to keep in mind is that the colour of this fabric may fade away if placed in direct sunlight.

Polyester

Polyester is another commonly used fabric for curtains because of many reasons. Aside from being lightweight and extremely appealing, it’s also an extremely versatile, affordable, low-maintenance and extremely durable option. This material is available in a large selection of colours and designs to match different home décor and purposes. It’s machine washable and non-prone to shrinking and stretching. The only downside is that it absorbs odour and is flammable which doesn’t make it the ideal option for kitchens.

Linen

Linen is a natural material quite similar to cotton. It’s highly durable, modern, UV-resistant and great for those who want light filtering. Even though linen can be machine washed, practice shows that it’s better for curtains to be dry cleaned. After that, they should be hanged immediately in order to avoid creasing.

Rayon

Rayon is a synthetic type of material that is designed to mimic natural fibre. That being said, rayon options can look and feel luxurious, quite similar to silk and linen. Being a synthetic material means that rayon is also affordable. It’s also durable, and versatile and it has the ability to offer light filtering. Unlike other materials, this one is better to be dry cleaned because the washing machine can cause permanent damage to it.

Velvet

Velvet is a material mainly used for blackout curtains because it offers no light filtering. It’s heavy, thick and extremely insulating which is something from which you can benefit especially in the cold days. Usually, this material is used for traditional living rooms and dining rooms and for master bedrooms. Velvet is a material that cannot be ironed and washed in a regular washing machine. Instead, it should be dry cleaned and vacuumed at home on a regular basis because it’s prone to collecting dust.

Considering all of these options will give you a clear picture of what should be your choice for your home. But aside from the type of curtain fabrics, make sure to take into account their design and colour. In the end, they should match the surrounding area, otherwise, you risk ruining the look of your home.