Curtains are not just a practical purchase for your home, they’re a powerful design tool that can completely transform the look and feel of a room, and act as the finishing layer that makes it complete. If your living room has multiple windows or a window that’s a focal point of the room, choosing the right type of curtains can be overwhelming and you may be wondering, how long do the curtains need to be? How high should they be hung? What materials and styles are best? What kind of hardware is needed? These are all important questions to ask yourself to make choosing the right curtains for your living room.
Here we have gathered a list of tips from experts for you, that cover how to choose curtains for living room.
What are the Types of Curtains
There are four types of curtains depending on the length:
- Tier Curtains: Curtains that only cover the frame of the window
- Apron Curtains: Curtains that hang below the window frame
- Floor-to-Ceiling Curtains: Curtains that are hung up high near the ceilings and reach down to the floor
- Puddle Curtains: Curtains that touch the floor with some remaining puddling on the floor. You should generally hang them up high near the ceiling – a great option for classical and glam-styled spaces.
What Type Of Curtain Is Best For A Living Room?
This is hard to follow rules for how to choose curtains for living room when its comes on febric. When choosing fabric for a living room curtain, it’s really down to what overarching style you want to create in the space. For more traditional rooms, make a traditional choice: heavy velvet will channel a luxurious feel in large, high-ceilinged living rooms, but for a more contemporary feel, choose lightweight alternatives.
For a timeless window dressing solution that feels stylish and considered, designers recommend opting for a lightweight, natural material such as a cotton/linen blend. We find this gives a relaxed and versatile look to the room that will stand the test of time.
What Is New In Living Room Curtains?
About curtains, it’s not so much a case of what’s new, but more of what’s coming back. Sheer curtains are no longer made of chintzy netting but are now part of a bright and breezy layering aesthetic. Think a double layer of curtains, with a sheer layer closer to the window, chosen in pale neutrals and complemented with decor filled with natural materials.
More traditional headings are making a comeback too. Pair a pelmet top with contemporary patterns and bright colours to freshen up this throwback structure – just remember to allow for as much light to get into the room as possible.
1. Determine the Size
Curtain length is the number one factor that needs to be determined. The overall length of curtains depends upon the interior design style, whether you incline towards the modern and minimalist or the traditional and transitional. The second important aspect is the overall height of your room and the window dimensions.
Here is a Pro Tip: Choose Floor-to-Ceiling length curtains to create an illusion of higher ceilings and a modern touch. Generally, ensure to hang the curtains at a height of at least 6 inches above the window or if you further want to add an elegant and sophisticated touch – hang them even higher. Another pro tip that you might want to consider is to choose curtains with greater width and extended folds to create an illusion of a wider room and a dramatic touch!
2. Choose the Right Fabric
A wide variety of fabrics for curtains are available, from lush velvet to relaxed linen. When choosing the fabric, consider two important factors: the look that you are trying to achieve and the practical purpose that the curtains need to serve. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Room Darkening Curtains : If you are looking for curtains that will keep morning light out and help regulate room temperature, heavier opaque fabrics such as velvet or suede are excellent choices. Using blackout curtains not only helps to reduce the light but also noise and offers insulation properties while keeping your room cool or warm, as desired.
Light Filtering Curtains :
For curtains that let in plenty of natural light, choose thinner, lighter fabrics such as cotton or sheers that are made of polyester. For smaller windows, lace curtains are a good example of light-filtering window treatments. If you don’t want to block out all light but also don’t want bright rays to stream in, linen curtains are a great choice. They have enough thickness to block out some light but have a textured weave that does allow some light in.
Another pro tip is to pick lighter fabrics for a smaller sized room while preferring bold and heavier fabrics for larger-sized rooms
3. Align with the Style
Choose the style of the curtain according to your Living room Interior design style. So, in case you have a minimalist or contemporary style opt for clean and crisp curtains that are bound to be bolder in hues with the least embroideries or patterns. On the other hand, for Traditional, Art Deco, Shabby Chic, and Transitional interior design styles choose curtains with patterns, textures, and flamboyant shapes and prints.
Ask yourself another question – how do you want your curtains to play in a room? Should they serve as a focal point? Or simply play a neutral backdrop? I guess, you now know how to choose curtains for living room. Don’t you?
If you want your curtains to be the focal point of your room, ensure that it is bold and not aligning hues with the base paint of the room. And on the other hand, for a neutral backdrop, just simply use pastel or an off-white or neutral shade!
4. Merge Into The Walls With Soft Neutrals
For a look that’s stylish and quietly confident, choose an almost identical colour for both walls and curtains. The drapes will merge into the overall room, creating a feeling of being hardly there but also adding a gentle softness, making the room brighter and as big as possible. According to John Smigielski, marketing director at Linwood, Curtains are an investment, so opting for a neutral palette will give your chosen design a longer life. For a neutral backdrop, just simply use pastel or an off-white or neutral shade.
Furthermore, you can always add valances and pull-backs to play with the overall character of your curtains!
5. Pair your heading with your overall style
It’s not just the curtain itself you need to think about, but how to hang it too. There are myriad heading styles to choose from, so think about which one suits your room best. This mostly comes down to personal taste and preference but there are options to consider. Modern in appearance, eyelet or wave headers are best for contemporary style living rooms, they also fold back effortlessly making them ideal for smaller spaces with compact windows. For traditional schemes or period properties, pencil pleats and double pleat headings will complement your windows and hang nicely with a neat finish.
6. Double up with sheer Layer
Twitching the net curtains has never been so cool – that is to say, using a sheer curtain under your main drapes is a living room trend of 2023. Interior designers are increasingly using this layered technique in their client’s homes. Sheer fabrics work well underneath a much thicker curtain, adding texture and interest to the space. This style of window dressing works best in cosier spaces such as the living room or bedroom.
Conclusion
You see, choosing curtains isn’t even that difficult, right? Just some basic analysis and practical ideas and you are good enough to pick the best curtains for your home.
Remember, curtains have the potential to make or break your space – and that is why you need to be very careful about using them correctly and proportionately. However, another important aspect to consider is maintenance.
FAQ
1, How do I choose a curtain colour for my living room?
When selecting a curtain colour, think about whether you want your window curtains to blend in with the decor or be a focal point for the living room. If you elect to have them play a more muted role, select curtains that are similar to the wall colour or trim colour of the space
2, What should curtains match in the living room?
Choose a shade similar to your walls. This option is the least visually intrusive so it works well when you absolutely love your wall paint colour when you have a lot of other competing visual elements in your room that you don’t want to upstage, or if you just want a serene, monochromatic look in your decor.
3, Should curtains be darker or lighter than walls?
Dark-coloured curtains work best against light walls (eg. warm white, cream, grey, light tan and even smoky blue walls). Dark walls plus dark curtains is too oppressive. ‘Dark’ doesn’t mean black, brown or grey; dark curtains can also come in modern colours such as blue or even certain shades of red or purple.
Now you know how to choose curtains for living room.
