The average cost of window treatments in the US is $231 per window.
What’s the deal with curtains?
Besides adding elegance and dimension to your spaces, the right window treatments can actually help insulate your home and reduce heating costs.
Well-chosen colors, fabric, and height of curtains make a room look welcoming, stylish, and tastefully appointed. The wrong ones make owners and guests feel as though they are in a dull, uninspiring space.
What should you look for when shopping for custom curtains? Let’s take a look.
1. Fabric
The right fabric will depend upon the type of room you are decorating.
Silk, linen, and velvet are the fabrics that will hang best. When you are visiting the showroom, pleat your fabric back like an accordion. The way it falls is the way that it will drape in your living space.
In a sunny room where privacy is not a priority, such as the living room or kitchen, linen and silk are great choices because they let the light through. Faux silk does not fade or deteriorate as quickly as real silk.
Some fabrics are made to help keep heat from escaping through the window. Hotels and other public lodging spaces use suede, tapestry, velvet, or tweed to help block the sunlight.
Before purchasing, you should check out whether or not your curtains can be machine-washed. This is usually only possible with cotton curtains. If you wash dry-clean only curtains in a washing machine, you can ruin them.
2. Lining
An interliner, made from a thick, felt material, can be used to help add insulation to any fabric. It is slipped between the curtain fabric and the liner and can help make fabric last longer, particularly if it is silk.
Liners and interliners are what give curtains their fullness and volume.
3. Color
No matter which fabric you choose, sunlight will fade it over time. If you are hanging curtains in a generously sunny room, bright colors may not be wise since they tend to fade the fastest.
Choose a color that will bring out the patterns in your room without being too matchy. Look for something that is in the family of your wall-color, but in a slightly lighter or darker shade.
Neutral colors will be the least likely to fade into others. If needed, add interest with a contrasting band of fabric that matches your furniture, wall, or flooring. Tie-backs and holdbacks will vary in shapes and styles.
4. Size
Hanging your curtains higher on your wall will make your window appear bigger. Aim to go at least six inches above your window frame.
On the sides, it is a good idea to add four-to-eight inches to your window width, so that more of your glass will show when the curtain is open.
For a draped look, your curtain should be twice as wide as your window. For something more tailored, curtain panels can be only two inches wider than the window.
5. Length
Consider how long you want your curtains to fall. For shorter curtains, the hem should just touch the windowsill. Floor-length curtains just reach the ground.
Lately, other curtain lengths have become popular. Your window treatment is “breaking the floor” when it falls an inch or two above it. It is “pooling the floor” when it falls an inch or two above.
6. Pleating
You will want to consider how you will want the top of your curtain pleated if you are a person who loves detail.
Pinch-pleated curtains, for example, have a classic, tailored look. The top hem is gathered and pinched in a single, double, or triple-fold.
Goblet-pleated hems are more elegant and formal and are best suited to a living room or dining room. The pleats are formed in rounded, goblet shapes. They are then stuffed to appear fuller and maintain their shapes.
Other types of pleating include grommet-top, which has lined openings throughout the top of the drape and a formal curtain rod. Ripplefold pleats are easy to push back.
7. Cornices
A cornice is used to disguise window hardware and add a complete, decorative touch to your window outfit. They are hard-top treatments, with no loose fabric. Cornices can be created arched or straight in shape.
8. Valances
Valances function in similar ways to cornices by covering only the top of your window. Yet they differ because they are made of loosely flowing fabric. They can also stand without curtains as window treatments because of their delicate designs.
Valances can be designed in scalloped, cascading, or dipping shapes.
9. Customization
Custom-curtains come in a variety of design options. They are tailored to fit your window size and shape, as well as the color of your room.
Patterns are available in a number of different design options, and curtains can be stitched to match. Custom curtains are a little more expensive but may end up saving you money on replacing them early on.
10. Home Consultations
You may choose to take measurements, visit showrooms, and purchase curtains yourself. This process is lengthy, but it can save you money.
Home-consultations are hassle-free because a professional will visit your home, select colors and fabrics, and choose appropriate curtain hardware. This route is more expensive but can guarantee that you will select window treatments that both you and your guests will be impressed with.
The Perfect Curtains
The perfect curtains for your home may be short, long, pleated, or scalloped. Your time and money will be well-spent if your room looks sophisticated and elegant after your purchase.
For more information, contact us today.