The curtain conundrum: how to choose the right curtains and hang them
Selecting the right curtains can transform your space. The choice of proportions, materials, and hanging methods can significantly affect a room’s ambiance. Curtains can even become the key point of your interior design.
Tips for choosing curtains
Determine the purpose of your curtains
Consider whether you need privacy or to darken your room, or if the purpose of the curtains is creating ambiance. Light cotton, linen, and voile fabrics filter light and soften the look of the room. You can control the amount of light coming from the window by combining sheer and heavy curtains or installing a blackout roller blind.
For blackout curtains, opacity, fullness, and drape are crucial. If you’re particularly sensitive to light, it’s worthwhile to reinforce the fabric, but make sure that light can’t shine through the stitching.
Hang the blackout curtains as close to the window as possible and well beyond the window frames to make the room as dark as possible. If you want to adjust the amount of light, hang two curtains: a thick one at the back and a thin one in the front.
Slip curtain weights into the bottom hems for the perfect drape.
Don’t skimp on fabric
Be precise with proportions. A narrow curtain can look flimsy in a tall space. Tall spaces need wide curtains: either a double-width fabric or multiple curtains. Curtains that reach the floor create a balanced look for the room.
Straight curtains add height to a space, while valances make it seem lower. Be careful to install valances high enough. The valance itself should be at least 50 centimeters tall, depending on the window’s height.
Essential measurements for hanging curtains
- The ideal length for side curtains is a couple of centimeters from the floor. If you fancy extra-long curtains that you can beautifully arrange on the floor, get curtains that are 10–30 cm too long.
- If you use ceiling-mounted tracks, measure the length from the bottom of the track to where you want the curtain to fall above or on the floor.
- Make sure you have enough fabric for the curtains. A good rule of thumb is to get curtains that are 1.5 times wider than the area to be covered by the curtains. If you want more fullness in your pleated curtains, you need up to 2.5 times more fabric.
- The hems on the long sides of the curtain should be at least 2 cm wide and the bottom hem at least 10 cm wide.
- In addition to the window’s width, add 30–40 cm on both sides for the curtain rod or track, so that you can draw the curtains fully open and away from the window.
- Mount the curtain tracks as high as possible, on the ceiling or at the ceiling line. This makes the space feel as open and high as possible. The ideal mounting spot for a curtain rod is about 20–30 cm above the window frame.
Track or rod: how will you hang your curtains?
If the curtains are going to be moved daily, a track is more practical than a rod. Two tracks allow the curtains to overlap, which makes it easy to control the room’s lighting.
Pay attention to the placement and size of the curtain rod or track. There is often a radiator or a window sill below the window, and a rod or track mounted too close to the wall prevents the fabric from draping beautifully. Wave curtains, for example, need at least 10–15 cm of space around them.
Avoid installing the rod directly above the window frame. To create the illusion of a higher space, leave at least 20 cm between the frame and the rod. Another option is to install a rod that is significantly longer than the window or as wide as the entire room, and hang the curtains at the window’s edges. Ceiling-mounted sliding tracks also add height to the space, but in older buildings, it’s best to use traditional rods.
Don’t choose a curtain rod that’s too short—curtains should frame the window, not cover it.
How to choose the right curtain fabric
Natural fibers are a popular choice for curtains, but synthetic fibers are continuously improving, too. Synthetic fibers have many benefits: they are dust-free, hold their shape, and are often more affordable. Blended fabrics are also easier to handle and wash.
For echo-prone rooms, choose a thick, sound-absorbing fabric. Velvet is an example of a fabric that effectively dampens sound. An acoustic fabric is porous and weighs at least 300 grams per square meter. A felt-like wool fabric is sound-absorbing in itself.
Translucent materials add softness and to your decor and create a relaxed atmosphere. For a layered, festive look, combine sheer curtains with thick silk or velvet.
The safest choice is to pick curtain colors from your favorite palette or match them with your existing decor. The overall look appears thoughtful when the curtain pattern or color scheme is repeated in other textiles or the wallpaper. Subtle graphic patterns or designs mimicking outdoor views often work well, too.
Don’t have a sewing machine? Use iron-on tape to shorten curtains to your desired length.
Beyond traditional fabric curtains
- In modern houses, windows can often span two floors, making traditional curtain solutions impractical.
- Vertical blinds are a sleek, functional solution for large, tall windows. By changing the angle of the vertical slats, you can easily adjust the amount of incoming light. In addition to providing privacy, the properties of the fabric allow for blacking out and improving acoustics in high spaces.
- Modern screen blinds suit large windows, either alone or with fabric curtains. Screen blinds effectively block the heat and glare of the sun but not the view, as they still let light shine through. However, do note that this works in the other direction, too: when it’s dark outside and you have the lights on inside, the interior of your home will be visible through the blinds.
- Pleated fabric blinds are a softer and more homely alternative to traditional venetian blinds. They can filter light or black out a room completely. Double-layered blackout pleated blinds also reduce noise effectively.
Common questions about curtains and answers to them
What kind of privacy screen is good for a bathroom window?
Venetian blinds offer adjustable privacy, are easy to clean, and suit damp spaces. They can be mounted on the ceiling, wall, or the frame of a window recess. Aluminum blinds are durable, but wooden blinds, especially solid basswood (also known as linden or lime), also withstand moisture. Leena Peinelt from Kaihdinkulma suggests sewing roman blinds from shower curtain fabric or outdoor fabric treated to repel dirt and moisture.
What kind of curtains should I choose for my kitchen when there is a counter below the window?
Wooden or aluminum venetian blinds work well in spaces where curtains can’t be placed on the sides of the window. Aluminum blinds can also be installed between windows, which allows you to use the ventilation window effortlessly. An option that also takes up only little space is pleated blinds, and they can be adjusted to cover only some of the window. For a softer look, you can opt for roman or faux roman blinds. Faux roman blinds resemble roman blinds but are actually a valance with sewn-in pleats.
How can I make my windows appear larger with curtains?
With the right curtain placement, you can alter the perceived size of both the window and the entire room. A common mistake is attaching a short curtain rod too close to the window frame, which makes the window look smaller and the room lower. You can create the illusion of a larger window by installing a rod that is significantly longer than the window or spans the width of the whole room, and hanging the curtains on the sides of the window. For small windows, avoid valances that go directly over the window, as they make the window appear even smaller. A faux Roman blind attached near the ceiling that only covers the window sash can effectively make the window seem larger.
Instead of washing, curtains often need only airing or vacuuming from time to time. The safest cleaning methods are dry cleaning and chemical cleaning. Curtains are easier to maintain if you don’t draw them with your hands.
Experts: Jenni Salminen from Koolmat, Milla Halonen from Eurokangas, Leena Peinelt from Kaihdinkulma and Annika Niang from Ikea Finland.
