Much more than just a way to cover your windows, curtains offer you the chance to transform the look and feel of your rooms. If you’re planning to invest in new window treatments, this buying guide could help you to choose the perfect designs.
Find the Right Fabric
Firstly, you’ll need to decide on a fabric for these furnishings. When you’re choosing from the array of materials on offer, think carefully about your practical needs. Given the challenges posed by the Australian climate, it’s no surprise that so many people opt for block out fabrics. If you are looking for curtains in Perth, Western Australia, for example, it’s important to be able to regulate temperatures easily. With more sunny days per year than any other Australian city, homes in Perth can get uncomfortable if residents do not make an effort to control the heat. As well as giving you total control over the light levels in your rooms, block out products can help you to regulate temperatures in your property. During the summer, they help to keep the searing heat out, while in the cooler months, they trap warmth. These products can be especially useful in bedrooms, nurseries and media rooms, although they’re great elsewhere around the home too.
Alternatively, if you’re after a solution that will give you added privacy without cutting off your views of the outside world, sheer fabrics may suit you better. Exuding elegance and simplicity, they can help to create an open, airy look and feel in rooms.
Of course, you don’t have to choose between thick, block out fabrics and lighter, translucent materials. For complete flexibility, you can use these two different products together. For example, you could use both block out roller blinds and sheer curtains in your windows. This layering gives a luxurious look, and it’s highly practical too.
Make a Style Statement with Colour
Colour is another key consideration. Even the most beautiful curtains can look unappealing if they don’t complement the decor of a room. Lots of style-conscious homeowners select neutral hues that blend into the background. As well as giving a chic, sophisticated finish, pale curtains have the added advantage that they tend to be less susceptible to noticeable fading caused by UV rays.
However, if you want to make a style statement, you may be better off opting for a bold hue. This works particularly well if the rest of your room is fairly neutral in tone. To achieve a coordinated overall look, make sure your curtain colour is echoed in the other furnishings around your room, like your cushions, rugs or seating.
If you can’t decide on a colour or design, you can get curtain suppliers to come to your house with samples. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for seeing fabrics in your own home to help you make your mind up. You also have the option of visiting stores to view the selection of fabrics on offer, and you can order samples online.
Select the Right Heading
When it comes to headings, the two most popular options are pleats and eyelets. Pleats come in various forms, and they attach to curtain tracks to give a traditional look. On the other hand, eyelets attach to curtain poles and typically have a more contemporary appearance. Bear in mind that eyelets aren’t usually suitable for bay windows or valances.
Measure up
Be sure to measure carefully before you place an order too. If you’re lucky, you might find you can buy ready-made models that fit your windows. However, to achieve the perfect fit, you may need to order made-to-measure products. Before you get your tape measure out, you’ll need to decide how high above your window you want your curtains to hang. Attaching them a noticeable distance from the window can create an added sense of height in rooms (around six inches above the window frame will achieve this effect). Meanwhile, if you want your curtains to drape slightly on the floor to create an opulent look, add another two to three inches onto the length. Alternatively, for a modern finish, make sure they sit flush on the floor.
Bear in mind that you’ll need to decide whether you want centre or side opening curtains when you are taking your measurements.
The Finishing Touches
Once you’ve decided on the fabric, colour, heading and size, all that’s left is to make those all-important finishing touches. For example, do you want tie backs for added detail, and would you prefer your curtains to be hand drawn or cord drawn?
As long as you consider all these issues carefully before committing to a particular product, you can rest assured you’ll be pleased with your purchase.
Featured image: CurtainWorld
