When it comes to dressing your windows, there are so many colours, textures and fabrics that you could accessorise with. Dressing your windows can be a difficult choice that requires careful consideration. Will the dressings match the style of your home? Will they interfere with your window openers? These are important questions you need to ask.
In this guide, we explore four of the most important considerations when it comes to dressing your windows.
Choosing a Style
If your home is modern with clean lines, you should aim for simple, geometric-shaped curtains or shades. To compliment your home, you could go for fabrics like linen, cotton blends, or silk in solid colours or subtle patterns. You could do motorized metal blinds as well.
For traditional style homes, elegant, gathered curtains in fabrics like velvet, damask, or toile would work well. Curtains that puddle on the floor create a formal look and wood blinds (faux or real) also complement traditional decors.
If your rooms are large and you want to create cosiness, you should dress the windows with floor to ceiling curtains and choose fuller textured fabrics like chenille or wool blends to “cocoon” the space. An extra tip would be to layer ruffled sheer panels behind them for added warmth.
Selecting the Right Fabrics
Lightweight sheers are flowy, lightweight sheer fabrics like voile, organdy, and gauze that allow light in while still providing some privacy. They come in beautiful prints and colours. Sheers work well on their own for a soft, effortless look or can be layered under heavier drapes. Great for living rooms, bedrooms, and entryways.
Cotton and linen are natural fibre fabrics that have texture and thickness that lend a casual, cosy feel. Cotton blends and linens drape beautifully. They’re durable, easy to care for, and come in solids as well as colourful patterns.
Velvet curtains create an ultra-elegant, formal look perfect for dining rooms, master suites, and fancy spaces. Other opulent fabrics like silk, brocade, damask, and faux silk suit formal living rooms or bedrooms.
Measure Properly
Measuring windows correctly is crucial for well-fitted, attractive window dressings. You should decide if you’ll hang curtains inside the window frame or extend beyond it. Hanging them wider will make your curtains appear larger. You should use a tape measure for accuracy.
Measure the height from the top of the window frame to the ceiling or to where you want the curtains to stop. For a puddle effect, stop 1/2 to 1 inch above the floor. Also make notes on exact measurements, including inches between the ceiling and the top of the frame.
Layer and Use Accents
You can hang lightweight, semi-sheer curtains near the window frame, then top them with opaque drapes in a complementary fabric and colour as this filters light while allowing privacy.
Tie back one or both curtain panels with decorative tassel, cord, or cloth tie backs as this showcases the window while keeping curtains handy to close. Place faux shutters alongside window frames as beautiful accent pieces and include functioning shutters for extra charm.