How to Select Curtains

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How to Select Curtains
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• Curtains can set the tone for a room, so give
  thought to their selection, rather than allowing
  them to be an afterthought. Your decorating
  budget is obviously an important factor in
  choosing window coverings. But you should also
  take into account how the curtains help meet your
  needs in any particular room and how much care is
  required to keep the curtains looking their best.
  Your familys lifestyle is also a consideration.
  If you have young children, avoid any draperies
  that have cords that could become a choking
  hazard.

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Privacy Needs

• The amount of privacy required in a room is of
  particular importance when choosing curtains. For
  a room that is primarily used during the day,
  choose a sheer curtain made of a lightweight
  fabric. For bathrooms or bedrooms, or for any
  room where you desire a cozy feeling at night,
  choose curtains that can be drawn closed. Where
  you want lots of light during the day but privacy
  at night, install a simple valance supplemented
  by a window shade or blind.

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Fabric Care

• Take into account the kind of fabric from which
  the curtain is made. Heavy or ornate draperies
  made of luxurious fabrics, like silk or damask,
  may be beautiful, but they often require
  dry-cleaning, though these may be preferred for
  formal rooms or low-traffic areas. For easy-care
  curtains, select cotton or cotton-blend fabrics
  that are easy to launder at home. Sheer drapes
  made of nylon or other man-made fabrics look
  dressy while being relatively simple to care for.

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Window Exposure

• A windows exposure, or the direction it faces,
  affects a rooms mood and temperature, and should
  be taken into account when choosing curtains. A
  room with a north-facing window tends to be dark,
  so you may prefer curtains or a valance that
  leaves much of the window open to allow in
  maximum light. Windows that face south and west
  get the most sunlight, so consider mounting
  curtains that can be drawn during the hottest
  part of the day. Using lined and insulated
  curtains to keep out both cold and heat can help
  save on energy costs.

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Style

• Determine the style of decor or tone for a room
  and choose curtains that are in keeping with that
  mood. Cafe curtains are casual and are especially
  attractive in kitchens or breakfast nooks.
  Ruffles tend to give a room soft, feminine appeal
  and work well with country-style furniture.
  Simple panels, especially those hung with ring
  clips, impart a more contemporary feeling and
  work with practically any decorating style. Lace
  or linen panels softly filter light while adding
  elegance to a room.

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Color and Pattern

• Consider how the curtain fabrics color and
  pattern relate to other fabrics and colors that
  already exist in the room. When you shop for
  curtains or curtain fabric, you may wish to take
  along paint chips, carpet swatches or small
  cushions as you compare fabric choices. Remember,
  too, that the curtain color may look different
  when placed in a window. While pale colors tend
  to diffuse light, dark colors block it. Hold up
  the curtain in direct sunlight to see if provides
  the desired effect.

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Different Types Of drapes and sheers

• Sash
• Sash curtains are the most commonly used ones and
  can be typically found in every household.
  Designed only to filter light, sash curtains are
  usually unlined and have the ability to enhance
  the look of your room and give it a refined new
  look.

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• Café
• Offering an informal feel, café curtains
  exemplify the light and cover only a certain
  portion of the window. They not only give you
  your personal space but also allow a lot of light
  to come in.
• Sheer
• Translucent in nature, sheer curtains offer
  little privacy, filter light and can be clubbed
  with heavier ones as well. They have the tendency
  of blocking the view from the outside without
  obstructing it from inside. If you require a
  curtain that blocks light, these ones would not
  work for you.

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• Lace
• Very similar in appearance to sheer curtains,
  lace curtains are made from lace fabric and are
  mostly used strictly for decoration purpose. They
  lend a traditional look to any room and when
  paired with another curtain they also help in
  controlling light and offer different looks to
  your room.
• Gathered
• Gathered curtains let you change the look of your
  room whenever you wish to. When privacy is not
  needed, you can simply pull them back roughly
  half way up and tie back. How to pleat the
  curtain is your choice, you can even play with
  the overall length and lend a new look to your
  room every 5-10 days.